Layers Design Studio and Cake Divas

Second deposit down! First was the hotel, today was the band. The florist, photographer, lighting company, bakery, invitations, favors, and little odds and ends all seem like small potatoes in comparison to those biggies. Some fun today came in the form of free cake!

I picked up tasting boxes from Layers Design Studio in Sherman Oaks and Cake Divas in Culver City (yes, of Food Network fame). Display cakes were equally beautiful at both places, but I forgot my camera! Layers wins for presentation of sample boxes.

The cakes, however, were much too sweet for me. The only one that was not too sugary was the white cake with berry jam filling. I actually really loved the spice cake and banana cake, but to me those are breakfast foods rather than for after dinner at a party.

I think I like the cake at Cake Divas better. I'm going to take a break and compare them again later with a fresh palate, but so far I LOVE the lemon cake with passion fruit mousse filling. Isn't it fun how they have a few cubes of each flavor and the frosting separate so you can mix and match? The owner also said that since I don't have much of a sweet tooth, she suggests the almond cake with an almond mousse. Less sugar, with intense almond flavor. I think with a raspberry filling, that would come close to princess cake--my favorite!

So so far, Cake Divas is the front runner for cakes. Great flavors, not too sweet for a non-Asian bakery, generous portions (their 100 person cake looks like other people's 125 person cakes), super nice staff, beautiful designs, plus they're on Casa Del Mar's official vendor list so working with them should be easy.