ORDERING:

• How do I order a cake from Cake Extreme online?
  Our most popular cakes are available to order online. We currently deliver to certain areas in Johannesburg and hope to be delivering to more areas soon. If we do not offer delivery in your area yet, orders can be collected from our shop. Visit our order online page and follow the instructions to place your order and process payment via PayFast our secure payment gateway. Simply browse, select your options, pay and let us worry about the rest. Customised cakes and cupcakes can be ordered by completing and submitting our customer order form.
• Will my cake look exactly like the cakes that are on your website?
  While every cake/image on our website has been created by Cake Extreme at our shop, not every cake will be an exact replica of the image. Each cake is a ‘recreation’ not an ‘originality’. We will always use our professional expertise and creative flair to match your cake as closely as possible to the website image, to meet your order requirements.
• If I do not want to place an order online, how else can I obtain a quote and order a cake from Cake Extreme?
  The easiest alternative way to order a cake is to fill out our customer order form on our contact page with your requirements and email it to info@cakeextreme.co.za. This will provide us with the necessary information to provide you with an accurate quotation, which will be emailed to you as soon as possible (usually within 24-48 hours). If you are happy with the quote, please sign the quotation and return to us, along with proof of the required deposit payment. We will send you an invoice as confirmation of your order, once we’ve received your signed quote and payment. You will be required to present your invoice when you collect your cake. As part of the customer order form please feel free to include any pictures and/or detailed description of the cake you have in mind. Whilst we sometimes combine design elements from different cakes, to create something original, we will not make direct copies of other cake artists. Alternatively, you can also call us and make an appointment for a cake consultation for customised, large or complex cake requests.
• How far in advance should I order my cake?
  To avoid disappointment, Cake Extreme suggests providing at least 3 months’ notice for wedding cakes and 3 - 5 weeks for corporate, birthday and special occasion cakes – the more notice given, the better. However, if you have a last-minute request, please do get in touch as we may just be able to fit you in. Kindly note that September to December are our busiest months, so it’s advisable to place your orders as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

CUSTOMISED CAKES:

• Do you offer custom designed cakes and cupcakes?
  Absolutely! We can design a custom, specialty or designer cake for any occasion. Your imagination is our limit! Our custom-designed cakes range from traditional tiered wedding cakes to one-of-a-kind creations and 3-D sculptures for birthdays, corporate events, special occasions and celebrations. Whilst we love to be provided free reign when designing a cake, we welcome ideas and suggest you send or provide us with inspirational materials such as photos, your event invitation, pictures, colour swatches, etc. to create your perfect cake or cupcake design. However, kindly note that we do not copy other cake designer’s work. We also ask for other designers to respect the copyright ownership of Cake Extreme’s original cake designs. Customised cakes pricing varies greatly depending upon the number of servings and the complexity of the cake design. It’s best to have a budget in mind, since we can work around most budgets and still provide a fabulous cake for you.
• Do you offer cake tastings?
  Yes we do, but you have to book a cake tasting by filling out our cake tasting order form on our contact page with your tasting requirements and email it to info@cakeextreme.co.za. Cake tastings will take place at our shop in Benoni. However, special arrangements can be made based on the price range of your order. We suggest choosing 6 flavours to taste test. The price to taste test is Rxx.xx for 6 samples. Samples are provided without icing so that the actual cake flavour can be tasted.
• Can you provide a sketch of the proposed customised cake?
  Yip! We sketch out a basic line drawing at the cake tasting or consultation to insure everyone’s on the same page design-wise. Our talented Paulo Vieira will not hesitate to provide a custom sketch for complex, hard-to-imagine cakes. Let’s say you love the pattern design on a dress, but don’t know how that will translate onto a cake; send us a picture and we will transform your idea into a custom cake drawing.
• If I want fresh flowers on my cake, can that be arranged?
  In our opinion all elements on our cakes should be edible. If you specifically would like to use fresh flowers, this can of course be arranged. However, we will insist on applying the fresh flowers to the cake ourselves to ensure it’s done in a creative and food safe manner. We will not provide undecorated cakes for florists or clients to apply their own flowers. Our preference is for clients to purchase and deliver their own fresh flowers to our shop prior to the event. If you would like us to purchase flowers on your behalf, please note that we cannot guarantee an exactly match to your requirements due to seasonality, availability and colour variants. Fresh flowers, unless grown specifically, are not food products. Please also be aware that some flowers are poisonous and cannot be used on cakes. Always check this with your florists before ordering any flowers.
• What is the price for a customised cake?
  The price of your custom designed cake will depend on a number of things: the complexity of the design, the number of tiers, the flavours and fillings chosen and the amount of time that needs to go into your cake. It’s best to have a budget in mind, since we can work around most budgets and still provide a fabulous cake for you. Being open about your budget from the outset allows Cake Extreme to include as many of your desired elements in the design without compromising your budget.

FLAVOURS AND FILLINGS:

• What cake flavours do you offer?
  The following flavours are available for all cake orders, including online orders:
  Almond, Banana, Caramel, Chocolate, Lemon, Marula, Mocha, Orange, Pistachio, Red Velvet, Rum, Strawberry and Vanilla.
  The following additional flavours are available, but not for online orders:
  Black Velvet, Blue Velvet, Cappuccino, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Chip, Coconut, Fruit Cake, Lemon Seed, Mango, Tiramisu, Flavour of the Month and Touch of the Chef
  If the flavour you want is not listed or you want to combine flavours, just let us know and we’ll advise if we can assist or not. Although not that popular, we’ve also made cakes with the following flavours: Butter Milk, Chai Tea, Coffee & Cream, Dark Chocolate Fudge, Kahlua, Mint Chocolate, Pumpkin, Raspberry and Rooibos.
• What filling flavours do you offer?
  Vanilla Cream is available for all cake orders, including online orders.
  The following fillings are available, but not for online orders: Almond Cream, Banana Cream, Bar One Cream, Black Cherry Fill, Blueberry Fill, Cappuccino Cream, Caramel Cream, Cheese Cream, Chef’s Touch, Chocolate Cream, Fresh Cream, Fudge Cream, Italian Cream, Jam Filling, Lemon Cream, Lemon Zest Cream, Marula Cream, Mocha Cream, Orange Cream, Oreo Cream, Pistachio Cream, Red Cherry Fill, Rum Cream, Strawberry Fill, Strawberry Cream, Toffee Cream and White Chocolate Fill.
  If the filling you want is not listed, just let us know and we’ll advise if we can assist or not. Although not that popular we’ve also made cakes with the following fillings: Butterscotch Cream, Chocolate Ganache, Custard Cream, Kahlua Cream, Marsmallow Fill, Mint Chocolate Cream, Passionfruit Fill and Peanut Butter Cream

STORAGE & LONGEVITY:

• How long does a cake stay fresh?
  As a general rule, our cakes stay fresh at room temperature up to one week. The elements working against a cake’s freshness are primarily heat and humidity. Secondary threats to a cake’s life include strong or artificial light, which can fade or alter colours.
• How should I store a cake?
  If your cake incorporates any form of fondant, it is best left in a box in a cool, dark area with plenty of air flow. If you have a butter creamed cake, store it in the fridge but ensure there are no strong odours lingering inside the fridge. Take the cake out of the fridge one hour before consumption. Do not microwave to soften.
• Can I freeze my cake?
  Although we doubt that there will be any cake left to freeze, you can wrap any left-over cake tightly in foil or clingwrap and freeze up to 3 months.
• What can I do if my cake does go a bit stale?
  Even if part of your cake does go stale, you may still be able to get some use out of the delicious scraps. Here are just a few quick ideas:
  · Cake pops: Crush the cake and combine it with extra icing to make the filling for cake pops.
  · Cake French toast: Make French toast with slices of stale cake. It’s an indulgent but fun brunch item.
  · Cake shake: Blend stale cake with ice cream to make a decadent and highly enjoyable cold treat.

CHANGES, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:

• Can I change my order once it’s been placed?
  Yes. If your order hasn’t been confirmed yet, you may send us your changes and we will send you a revised quote.
• Can I change my order once it’s been paid for and confirmed?
  Yes, you may change your confirmed order with 5 days’ notice. Email your changes to us and we’ll confirm if there are any additional costs. We are not able to accept any changes with less than 5 days’ notice. Please follow-up with a phone call if we have not acknowledged your change/s within 24 hours.
• Can I cancel my order once it’s been sent?
  Yes. If your order hasn’t been confirmed yet, you may cancel your order without any penalties.
• Can I cancel my order once it’s been paid for and confirmed?
  All online cake orders are non-refundable, unless the order is cancelled 3 weeks before the delivery/collection date.
  All wedding cake orders are non-refundable, unless the order is cancelled 3 weeks before the wedding date. Whilst we understand that sometimes things don't go according to plan, we will have incurred cost in relation to your wedding (i.e. time and administration) and we may have turned away other bridal couples for that date.
  For special occasion and custom designed cakes 40% non-refundable deposits will be required at the time of ordering, to ensure your order is reserved for your event date. Full payment is required eight (8) weekdays before your event. If you need to cancel your cake, your balance payment will be refunded if you contact us within five (5) weekdays of your event date. The 40% deposit is non-refundable.
  Sometimes things don't always work out on our end either....we wish we could be perfect. We perhaps misunderstood your requirements or we missed a change along the way, or even cakes are damaged in transit. We will always do our utmost to rectify this situation or refund accordingly. However, no refunds will be provided if the cake is consumed or taken from our premises.
• What if my event is postponed?
  If you need to change the date of your event please get in touch as soon as possible so that we can check availability to accommodate the change. However, we cannot guarantee that this will always be possible - especially at busy times.

DELIVERIES AND COLLECTIONS:

• Do you deliver?
  We currently deliver to certain areas in Johannesburg and hope to be delivering to more areas soon. If we do not offer delivery in your area yet, orders can be collected from our shop. We do offer special deliveries for large and deluxe orders.
• How does collections work?
  You can collect your order from our shop situated in Voortrekker Street in Benoni. Please ensure you collect your order on the specified date for collection at the estimated time or before 18:00 Monday to Friday, and before 15:00 on Saturday. Any orders not collected at the end of the collection day, will be cancelled (or resold) and the paid amount will not be refundable. The order can only be released upon the presentation of your original order invoice. Should you lose your invoice in whichever way, you must please report it immediately to us.
• What is the best way to transport my cake?
  Remember the cake is your responsibility once it leaves our store.
  Tip 1: Have a second person in the car to assist and support the cake box, to make sure the cake doesn’t slide. If you don’t have help, put the cake in the flattest part of the car, which is usually the front passenger seat’s floor. Never put a cake on a seat, since they aren’t level and if you have to slam on your breaks, well, then your dashboard is going to be covered in buttercream.
  Tip 2: You can put the cake in the boot for short rides (remember the boot does not have air-conditioning). However, ensure that the cake box is blocked in by other items so that it doesn’t slide around on turns. Use a non-slip mat if you have one.
  Tip 3: Do not put the cake in direct sunlight and put your air-conditioning on full blast
  Tip 4: Drive carefully like your granny, avoid sudden breaks and hard corners and if possible avoid any steep roads.
  Tip 5: Once you reach your destination, check that there is sufficient space for the cake to be placed i.e. a table or a counter and check for any trip hazards.
  Tip 6: Avoid stairs and watch out for narrow doorways.

• Can Cake Extreme donate to my charity?
  Please email info@cakeextreme.co.za at least one month prior to your event. Kindly note that we only support registered NPOs. Due to the significant number of requests we receive, Paulo can unfortunately not personally respond to every request.
• Can you put a photograph or picture directly onto a cake?
  Yes, we can. If you email your picture or photo to us, we can print it on sugar paper, creating an edible image. The edible image will be the same quality as the photo we use, so the better quality the picture, the better quality the edible on the cake. We can enlarge, reduce or crop the image and the largest photo we can scan is A4.
• Do you make cupcakes?
  Yes, we do for all occasions with a variety of flavours and toppings. Fill out our customer order form on our contact page with your requirements and email it to info@cakeextreme.co.za. Please feel free to include any pictures and/or detailed descriptions of the cupcakes you have in mind.
• Do you rent out cake-stands?
  Yes, we have several cake-stands and cupcake stands for rent. Send us an email and tell us what you are looking for.
• Do you make ice-cream cakes?
  Nope. Cake is supposed to be soft and moist, served at room and ice-cream is supposed to be cold and refreshing. Why combine them into one entity? Cake served with ice-cream on the side – now that we like!
• How do I cut my cake?
  For clean slices, dip your cake knife in a jug of hot water between slices. It will help give clean, sharp edges with each slice.
• Do you make cake-pops?
  Nope. Cake pops are too time consuming and too sweet. Sure, they’re fun and cute-looking but to us, they are little sweet balls of ANNOYINGNESS. Cake is cake, lollipops are lollipops, cupcakes are cupcakes. Can’t that be good enough?!
• What is the difference between a buttercream and fondant finished cake?
  We ice our cakes in fondant or butter cream. Fondant is made from sugar, water, gelatine, and glycerol and can be moulded or coloured and is used to decorate or sculpt cakes. Butter cream is a soft mixture of butter and icing sugar. It is limited in the type of decoration as it is a wet surface and not suitable for outside events or travelling too far.
• Can you write a message for me on a cake?
  Yes we can up to 60 characters, depending on the size of your cake.
• Do you offer discounts for large orders?
  At Cake Extreme we welcome large orders and can handle orders of all sizes! Our cakes and cupcakes are individually made, which means they are labour intensive. Nothing is ever mass-produced in our kitchen. We put just as much effort and attention to detail into all of our orders, no matter what the size. For that reason, we can sometimes offer discounts for large orders, but it’s not always possible. Please email us to request a discount and we’ll see what we can do for you.
• Can you match specific colours for my cake?
  If you provide a colour swatch, we will do our best to match the colour as closely as possible, but please keep in mind that due to food coloring limitations, we may not be able to match all colours and we cannot guarantee an exact match.
• Do you make macarons?
  Nope. We absolutely love the way they look: round, in bright colours, so adorable and chic, but the way they taste and tend to stick to your front teeth just make us go ‘meh’.