Monday, March 7, 2011

Review: Cake from Edible Art

I have a little boy who just turned two, and last week I spent more time planning a brunch hour meal suitable for adults and toddlers and less time writing for CFT.  Mostly, however I wanted a good cake.  Now, I can bake and decorate a perfectly fine cake, but I’ve been dying to order a cake from a local bakery.  So, I scoured the Internet, talked to friends, visited a few bakeries, and ended up ordering a cake from Edible Art.

The two-tier cake had a train theme, perfect for any two year-old.  The top tier was chocolate and the bottom was almond.  Normally I would have reversed it and maximized the chocolate, but for this particular cake we opted for the superior and decadent almond option. We bought a slice before we ordered the cake (they did not give us free samples of the flavors).  I knew it was transcendent when my husband uncharacteristically suggested not getting chocolate at all.  Later, I went back for the chocolate and was happy to have the top half hold the chocolate layer.  Theme-wise, it was exactly what I was looking for, two tiers, with a train running up the side of the cake.  The top tier had the writing, with just enough room for the “2” candle I had procured for the occasion.


I have read some negative comments regarding the density of the cake, but in my experience the almond cake tastes like marzipan, and is almost that same consistency (albeit a bit more cake-like).  The almond was met with rave reviews come party time, more so than the chocolate.  The frosting was a rich butter cream. 

The only problem, in short, was a problem this trio of writers has met over and over again: the service.  The first time we visited the bakery, they told us the prices for cake.  I asked about a train theme and they said it could be done, we bought a piece and left.  Later that week I went to order the cake, and was led to a table and given a book with FIVE pages dedicated to trains: beautiful, detailed train-themed cakes.  Why this wasn’t done the first time, I do not know.  I was given completely different prices and ended up paying $20 more than the original quote.  Though understandable given the added flourishes, I would have preferred to be given a proper quote right away.

I sat looking at the book (with my sleepy toddler in tow) for far too long.  The woman helping me seemed to disappear into the back and I was left with a group of giggling teens and a toddler who was quickly tiring of the resident activity cube.  After the cake was finally ordered, I bought a second slice, and the woman at the counter cut the substantial piece in half, a fact I didn’t see until I got home!  I paid $5 for a slice that was HALF the size of the slice in the display, indeed, half the size of the slice we were given just days before. 

The party started at 10:00 on Saturday, and my mother and uncle agreed to pick up the cake.  I was told that they open on 9:30 on Saturdays, so we could pick it up right away.  I asked if we could pick it up the evening before, and was met with a steely glare.  So Saturday morning, my mom and my uncle went to the store, when they arrived around 9:50 they found the store had just opened, and there was a customer ahead of them… on Saturday, a day known for hosting cake-related events. 

In sum, I loved the cake, I was, in fact, extremely protective of leftovers, because I really wanted to have enough to feed my visiting family that night for dinner, and a bit left over for my husband and I today (we have plenty).  The cake that purports to feed thirty could easily feed that and more.  It was dense and rich, just perfect, in my opinion.  They had me at the cake, now if only they could improve their service!

~Aurora

Edible Art
2900 Selwyn Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28209
704-342-2253

Edible Art on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for coming in!! We are so glad that you enjoyed your cake. Please come see us again!!

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  2. You're absolutely welcome! Your almond cake is downright amazing, everyone at the party agreed it was some of the best they have had.

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