I'm planning on buying a plain white cake from Marks and Spensers and decorating myself. Just wondering has anyone done or seen this and how did it turn out? Want to do a 4 tier so planning on buying 4 cakes and putting them together. Then going to decorate with ribbon and edible snowflakes. Just not sure if this would work ok and don't want to be left with no cake at the last minute.
CommentAuthorMrs.K.Ward
oh my god their cakes are amazeballs! They are so cheap in comparison to others and look stunning. My future brother in law ordered one for his daughters first birthday and they're blooming yummy to. I'm looking into getting mine from there, have you looked at there selection of wedding cakes and how they suggest decorating?
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
Yeh just want the plain ones and then decorate myself but not seen anyone who has done this so a bit scared about how it migh turn out :( Looked on ebay and I can buy the decorations I want and don't fancy paying at least £400 for a similar cake. Haven't looked at how they suggest decorating so will have a peek at that thanks :D x
CommentAuthorvicki
My Dad and Stepmom did this and it looked and tasted fab so tbh that's what I'm planning on doing
My h2b bought me last year the Marks&Sparks Hello Kitty cake for my birthday - it was a plain spongecake with jam and white sugar icing, similar to a victoria sponge cake. I don't like shop bought cakes very often and I really detest white sugar icing because I find it all too sweet BUT this cake was delicious and I evdn liked the icing. It tasted yummy and fudgy and not overpowering sweet and chemical.
I love M&S!
It’s so great to find that one special person
you want to annoy for the rest of your life....
CommentAuthorNicsquared
My friend had one which was sponge but with chocolate icing and to be honest it was absolutely disgusting. The icing was way too thick and too sweet. It was royal icing with an odd flavour, it was double layered too thickly. The cake itself was ok but nothing special and kept a bit too long for a sponge which always makes me wary. Im normally like very sweet things but unless you took the icing off i couldnt eat it
There are so many people out there who will tell you
what you can't do.
What you have to do is turn around and say, "watch me"!!
CommentAuthorMel D
We had one! We had three tiers and put fresh flowers in between the tiers .. it was REALLY yummy! There's probably a pic somewhere in the show of your cake thread or my photos xx
Got married Sat 28/05/2011
Renewing vows Sat 29/05/2021
We're planning WELL in advance!!
CommentAuthorMel D
LittleMissBossy - we had the Hello Kitty cake as well :-)
Got married Sat 28/05/2011
Renewing vows Sat 29/05/2021
We're planning WELL in advance!!
CommentAuthorlisa123
we had one for our daughters christening and it was lush xx
Cant wait to be married
must loose weight!!
start weight 12st 12lb
current weight 9st 10lbs
CommentAuthorsami & Paul
i had 3 plain ones and decorated it myself had fruit and sponge and it was lovely, everyone said how nice it was.
Pro (65).jpg
soon to be Mrs Anderson!!!!!
CommentAuthorRayanne
We had a plain one for our engagement party thing. And it was the nicest shop bought cake I've ever had.
And to whoever said about it keeping for a bit long, if it had fondant/royal icing on, it will keep for a while if kept in a dry dark place.
The most amazing man I could have ever hoped to meet!
I can't wait to become Mrs Kelsall
CommentAuthorbridalmiss
My friend had some of these last month, as her cake maker messed up her wedding cake - she didn't put dowling rods in the cake so the upper tiers collapsed through the cake! So she got last minute M&S ones, and the cake maker put sugar flowers etc on it and unless she'd told me we really wouldn't have known! Sugarpaste decorations you can make months in advance as long as you keep them in an airtight container, so maybe look around for sugarcraft classes etc near you? They do them in an evening at a local cake supplies shop to my mum so she's planning on going to get in practice for our cake next year!
CommentAuthorbridalmiss
Ooh and a couple of years ago a friend got married and she got 3 for 2 on the M&S cakes, then tied some ribbon around each and got some matching roses from her florist as a cake topper - simples!
CommentAuthorx Disney Princess x
I am thinking of getting some from there next year for my daughters bday and decorating it, i've seen some crystal cake band on the bay and its really nice x
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
Thanks everyone especially for the pics :D Has anyone used strofoam spacers between the tiers?x
CommentAuthorluvlifejen (mrs berr
one of my friends had it 2 yrs ago and it looked stunning she put a crystal cake topper on and ribbon and it was classic and elegant xx
soon to be Mrs Berry 26.11.2011
CommentAuthorKimmie.Bride.to.be
We thought of this, and will revert to this if we dont have enough budget left xxx
CommentAuthorMel D
We used some big round styrofoam things in between the tiers, but we'd also got the dowel things so we stuck the big long plastic sticks into the cake and the styrofoam things just so that we were sure they wouldn't fall off. We did have to cut the plastic sticks down to size ... well Dan did it with a pen knife and managed to slice his hand open in the process!
Got married Sat 28/05/2011
Renewing vows Sat 29/05/2021
We're planning WELL in advance!!
CommentAuthorMel D
The styrofoam things were also handy for sticking the flower stems in so they stayed where they were put
Got married Sat 28/05/2011
Renewing vows Sat 29/05/2021
We're planning WELL in advance!!
CommentAuthorx Disney Princess x
I've been watching videos online on how to decorate cakes since reading this post lol wish i had a reason to make a cake right now
CommentAuthorOWB
We're thinking of doing this as I've heard really good feedback on the cakes.
Silly question though, can you put one tier straight on top of another tier, or do the have to be separated with the sticks?
If only life could be one long tea break
CommentAuthorx Disney Princess x
You can put it straight on top but it will still need support, i've seen people using straws x
CommentAuthorOWB
Is that so that one tier doesn't squash the other, or so that is doesn't fall off?
If only life could be one long tea break
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
Dowels are for support so the cake doesn't sink and to stop the cakes toppling over. Been reading reviews that they are quite small?
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
*that the cakes are quite small
CommentAuthorx Disney Princess x
They are a bit, i have seen them in store but they are not that bad x
CommentAuthorOWB
Aah, thanks for that - you may have just saved a cake disaster!! Squished cake would not be a good look.
If only life could be one long tea break
CommentAuthorx Disney Princess x
Go on Utube and watch some wedding cake making, that's what i have been doing today and i'm even considering making mine from scratch x
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
I've been doing that today and thinking the same :) just worried it won't be smooth enough but could alway rush out and get an m&s one if it doesn't work. Will have a look in store and see how big they are. Sure a squished cake would still taste good :) xx
CommentAuthorx Disney Princess x
Lol catchy isn't it! I am going to try to make one next year when i've saved up for the stuff x
CommentAuthorHeLz
yes i love them! hoping to have a three tier one and put flowers in between :) xx
CommentAuthorLiza247
M & S have video clips online on how to use the dowels and step by step guides to decorating!! Also the round cakes are usually buy 2 get one free! :-)
CommentAuthormrs-anni-oc
we had them for our engagement and they were out of this world!!!! we bought 2 fruit and 2 sponge then a chocolate cutting bar (for me and the kids lol) NEVER have i tasted a shop bought cake SOOO tasty in my life... if my brother wasn`t making our wedding cake then this is what it would be no doubts. x
CommentAuthorFutureMrsPite
yes as lisa said they have a video on their website which tells u exactly how to do it, but also have a look on youtube as u might find other hints or tips and make it unique, i was going to get these and decorate myself until mil said she would do our cake but b4 this she was going to decorate our m and s one lol
As the beatles say, Love Is All You Need x
CommentAuthorBridezilla
I know someone who bought an iced fruit cake, and just plopped a silk flower decoration on the top that a friend of hers had saved from her wedding cake. It looked just fine and tasted delicious. Unless you have a very specific idea of how you want your cake to look, I really think buying a ready made M&S one is a brilliant option and can save you tons of money.
CommentAuthorXTeresainLoveX
We've had to rethink our budget since i lost my job because of ill health and I love dabbling in cake decorating. I'm definitely going to get the cakes from M&S now after reading this thread and do them myself. I think it will be great and knowing you've done it yourself will be a fantastic feeling
CommentAuthorSilvermist
im doing the same buying either 3 or 4 tiers from M&S and decorating it myself, it seems to be the cheapest option dont know how good the cake will actually look once iv decorated it but it all about the taste really :-)
CommentAuthorBridezilla
Silvermist - it will look just fine. Even if you just tie a ribbon around it, and put a silk flower decoration on the top it will look like a proper wedding cake.
CommentAuthormrs-anni-oc
if anyone can make use of 10 cake dowels i have them spare just give me a shout 1st 1 ask can have em... will put my email addy on my wall cos i will need an address to post em to.
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
************UPDATE**************
Just thought I'd let you all know that I found a lady who will do a 4 tier cake for £156 Very happy
CommentAuthorCupCake
BRILLIANT! cracking price too x
Became Mrs Lyons 30th July 2011 x
CommentAuthorMrs brown - 19/08/12
Thats a bargin! :) Well done you!x
CommentAuthorFuture mrs mac
I know was shocked when she told me the price - shes just starting out so think she wants to build up her portfolio x
CommentAuthorMrs brown - 19/08/12
Cakes can be so expensive, Were been getting quotes etc and had nothing under the £250 mark! This is why were having a M&S cake plus id get discount as a family member works there :D x
CommentAuthorRaggedyAnne
edited
anni...... I am very interested in the cake dowells if you still have them please? I am making my own cake, and so i will need to get some.
I can resist anything but temptation
CommentAuthor
hi, im doing this for my wedding in august so ill defo post pics up then, theres an online craftcompany that sell sugar decorations for cakes so im getting some flowers to stick on on the morning of the wedding :-) i think they are such a good idea, i couldnt face spending a small fortune on a cake that i probably wont even eat lol! xxx
met the man of my dreams 22/09/2006,
Had our amazing twin boys 16/05/2008
Finally becoming Mrs Davies on 31/08/2012 will make me the
happiest lady alive :-)
CommentAuthormrs-anni-oc
hi raggedyanne, yeah i still have them. i will send you a message with my email so you can send my your address i will post them out to you on monday if thats ok with you x