Barker Bakes
...for Wedding Cakes - 0121 311 1624
Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, West Midlands
About Barker Bakes
About Barker Bakes
Introduction
Barker Bakes was launched by Palo Barker who has made special cakes for celebrations since 1994, and to quote, "Baking has been my passion since I was 10 years old, and I still love it over 30 years later". She also has advanced qualifications in Cake Decorating and Sugar Flowers from the Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies.
Palo is a member of the British Sugarcraft Guild and has also won awards in wedding cake and sugar flowers categories at the following international shows: Salon Culinere and Cake International.
Barker Bakes is now family run, providing friendly and personal service to a high standard. Current Birmingham City Council hygiene and compliance rating.
Cakes
Cakes
The recipes have all been developed over time, and new ones (as tastes change, or something new is suggested) are being evaluated and tested all the time prior to use. We are passionate about our cakes and you will taste the difference as we use no artificial additives or flavourings in them, e.g. we use 2 1/2 lbs luxury white chocolate to make our our 10" (round) white chocolate cake. Our chocolate cakes are made with luxury Belgian chocolate for moistness and cocoa to lighten.
The range, these days, is immense, from traditional fruit to more modern chocolate and carrot cakes being much requested. We will also try to meet requests for new flavours, although this will depend on how the recipe testing and evaluation goes and sufficient time will have to be allowed for this.
We have developed our own vegan and eggless recipes, being unable to find tasty ones available. We cater for all dietary requirements and these should be specified at the order stage. We use sunflower oil for our eggless cakes (our regular cakes use butter not vegetable fat for a superior flavour, although you can request the latter).
The fruit cakes require more notice than other cakes because of the time required to mature properly, and we prefer to bake those at least 3 months prior to the required date, (although we have made these at short notice before now). Other cakes are made close to the use by date to ensure freshness and maximum flavour. We do not prepare our cakes in advance and freeze them as we believe this is detrimental to their flavour, we don't cover that up with liberal buttercream! We also provide a good depth to our cakes, at least 2.5-3 inches so you get maximum value as well as a more impressive looking cake.
The notice required for sponge cakes is a minimum of 2 weeks, however cakes with limited notice will inevitably have more limited decoration options, as some items can only be made in advance, e.g sugar flowers and modelled items. We prefer to have a minimum of 4 weeks notice so that all aspects of the cake (design, baking, covering and decorating) are optimised, however for certain periods we are booked up well in advance e.g summer and Christmas, and it is therefore recommended to book early.
Cookies
Cookies
We offer a wide range of cookies, please browse through our cookies galleries. All our products are handmade so many other designs are available, please ask if you do not see something that you want, or we can help you design something suitable. Should you want to match your cookie to your wedding cake or your outfits please let us know and we will be happy to assist.
We now offer a bespoke cookie cutting service. Forward a design and to us we will manufacture a new cookie cutter (if suitable), and we will bake cookies to that design. Service available for £10 flat fee (we retain the cookie cutter and all rights to the design), cost of cookies not included. Minimum order of 50 cookies required.
As all our products are handmade please try to book in plenty of time to avoid disappointment, as a guide our busy season is normally from May to September and 4 weeks notice is required for products required in that period. Orders of 100+ qualify for a 10% discount, minimum order 10.
Flavours available: vanilla, chocolate, lemon, mixed spice, ginger.
- wedding cookies
- favour or gift cookies
- birthday cookies
Chocolates
Hand made Chocolate Truffles
Our range of handmade chocolate truffles was launched in 2010. These are made to the same high standards as our cakes have always been.
We use premium Belgium (Callebaut) chocolate and fresh cream ingredients for our truffles and because of this our truffles have a limited shelf life of 2 weeks and must be eaten promptly to enjoy them at their best.
If you have any special dietary requirements please contact us and we will discuss whether we can accomodate them. We do not yet offer diabetic chocolate, although our chocolates contain considerably less sugar than commercially produced chocolates, and we do not add any additional sugar to the chocolates we make.
We currently only offer one flavour of alcohol currently and this can be requested to be removed if wished, we will be extending this range, so do ask if you have any specific preference.
Chocolates can be purchased for a future date and despatch requested for that date. This will ensure that your order is not received at a busy time when we have to limit the number of orders taken so we can fufill them to ensure freshness for our customers.
Chocolates can be ordered online (and paid by Paypal) and are available for mail order. They can be posted for your convenience. We regret that we do not currently post overseas and only offer mainland UK delivery. If you wish to collect them then this must be arranged in advance. We do also take credit card payments over the phone.
Fillings
Cake Fillings and Coverings
Buttercream or Chocolate Ganache
There are various cake fillings that can be used, the most popular being chocolate or jams and/or buttercream. Buttercream is used for sponge cakes and this can be coloured and flavoured. American buttercream does not contain butter but a white vegetable fat, which we believe has an inferior flavour, although it can be 'improved' with artificial flavourings. We use real butter and hence make buttercream. Our standard filling is strawberry jam with buttercream for sponge cakes with buttercream coating underneath the sugarpaste coating. For citrus cakes we use a special citrus "jam".
Ganache is a popular filling and coating and is used with our chocolate cakes, again made with luxury Belgian chocolate and double cream. Chocolate buttercream or chocolate fudge frosting may be requested instead.
Marzipan is the traditional covering for fruit cake to ensure the cake has a good base for the icing and decoration, and is essential to seal the cake and ensure moistness. An alternative covering, vegan and without nuts, can be used, if wished. Sugarpaste can also be used as an alternative, however the keeping qualities are not so good.
Icing
Cake Icing/Covering
There are a range of coverings available now, from the traditional royal icing to chocolate. Sugarpaste is much used because of its versatility, and can be flavoured. Both royal icing and sugarpaste are frequently coloured, although traditionally these would have been more muted colours than are now being used. Chocolate can also be coloured. Marzipan or buttercream can also be used as covering if preferred.
We also offer marshmallow icing at a slightly higher charge than the standard icing, please ask for more information.
Decoration
Cake Decoration
These days the choice is limited only by cost and imagination. Colours, modelling, sugar flowers, themes, hobbies and interests – all can be used in the design. There are specialist cake magazines that show the variety available. This is where the bulk of the time for a wedding cake is generally spent, and can be simple or elaborate, from fresh flowers and ribbon to bouquets of sugar flowers containing hundreds of tiny flowers and leaves, each hand made.
We can prepare fresh flowers and foliage decoration, however since many flowers and foliage are poisonous, and therefore not suitable for use with foods, this must be carefully considered. Artificial flowers can also be used for decoration and do not pose the same risk as fresh flowers and can be wired into bouquets etc.
Photographs can also be used as the key feature of decoration, and we have an on-site service available for this. Photographs can be emailed for prompt attention.
We also use diamante and jewels in cake decoration now although these are used on items to be taken off the cake prior to cutting.
Consultations
Wedding Cake Consultations
These are free and can be over the phone, via email, or in person by appointment (we are based in the Midlands). We recommend these are carried out 3-6 months prior to the occasion, as not all designs are possible as originally requested (e.g. portion requirements) and some have to be altered significantly. It is better to discover this when there is still time to either carry out the appropriate research and sourcing or to reconsider the design.Online booking now available.
Ordering
Cake Ordering
You can order over the phone, visit in person (must be by appointment only) or use the order form available on-line. This can also be completed, printed off and sent by post.
Production
Cake Production and Delivery
Once the cake is baked and decorated, it is available for viewing prior to despatch, either via email, or in person. It is personally delivered and set up, unless collection is arranged. We offer free local delivery for wedding cakes, this includes the following areas:
Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham city centre, Erdington, Tamworth, Wylde Green, Four Oaks,
Eating cakes
Eating Barker Bakes Cakes
In order to enjoy our cakes at their best, please store in a cold or cool unheated room and then move to ambient room temperature at least an hour prior to eating. This will ensure they retain freshness and taste exactly as they should when consumed. Please do not eat straight from the fridge as they will be too cold. They taste best at ambient room temperature, not too cold or too hot.
Sugarpasted cakes should not be stored in the fridge as condensation may form and ruin the decoration on the cake, moisture has an adverse affect on sugar! Buttercream finished cakes may be stored in the fridge temporarily but should be eaten at room temperature so taken out at least an hour prior to eating.
Sponge cakes should be eaten on the day of collection or next day latest, as all our cakes are baked fresh to order for the date notified on booking and do not have added preservatives or additives to artificially lengthen their lives. Should you require a cake for a longer period please inform us and we will advise you of alternative longer lasting flavours or options available.
Chocolate storage
Chocolate Storage
Chocolate should be stored at a temperature between 15° and 20°. Don't store them in a fridge this is too cold for them, but it may be necessary in the very hot summer months. If you do so they may lose their shine, this should not affect their taste, but bring them back up to room temperature to enjoy them.
A best before date is printed on all our boxed chocolates, and because our chocolates are freshly made, without preservatives or additives they should be eaten by that date and within five days of opening.
Our regular chocolates, i.e. not truffles, but mint creams, chocolate hearts, have a shelf life of six months.
Payment
Cake Payment
A non-refundable deposit (£75) is required when the wedding cake order is placed, (£25 deposit for birthday cakes) with the balance payable one month prior to delivery of the cake. Cash, cheque, debit or credit cards are accepted for payment. Cheques can be sent with the order if posted, or we can call and take credit/debit card payment over the phone.
Service
Customer Service
From the moment you contact us to the moment you return your cake stand to us, we will ensure the whole process goes as smoothly as possible and all your cake 'worries' are over. As passionate as we are about our cakes we are equally committed to looking after our customers and never compromise quality or service for convenience or cost.
Areas served: Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire,Derbyshire, Leicestershire,UK
