Ace of Cakes

[Porridge]

Anybody else watch it? They just started showing it here in my part of the world. It''s AMAZING what those people do with cakes and it looks like the best place in the world to work!

 

[elrohwen]

Definitely a fun show and it looks like a very quirky place to work.

My friends actually saw Duff in the airport once. They could tell he was famous by the way other people were acting, but they had no clue at all who he was. Finally they asked someone and the person said "Duff, from Ace of Cakes" and I think my friends were even more confused

Of course, when they told us the story (thinking this guy was so obscure), we all said "Of course we know who he is! That guy is so cool!" lol

 

[Po10472]

I love it, I think they are all so talented and have a great sense of humour. Plus I love seeing their creations.

In fact, I occasionally Sky+ it

 

[atroop711]

when I see that it''s on, I watch..love to see cake shows. It''s amazing what they do with the cakes.

 

[Porridge]

Po I Sky+ it too!! In fact I just got in the door and have two juicy little episodes waiting to be watched before bed. Ah, I''m going to have sweet dreams...

 

[icekid]

I like this show too, Porridge! I actually just recently moved to Baltimore, where their shop is located. My husband is excited to go there and try their cupcakes

 

[Mara]

icekid...duff hates cupcakes! whenever there is someone on the show who wants them he is like JEEZ that's so boring!! it makes me laugh!

i actually wonder if they use cake mix because their cakes look so so uniform in crumb and texture...i would love if someone tried them and let us know. i've read that most volume bakeries like that do use a mix or a blend with a mix in it because they need the uniformity to be able to build the way they do.

i tend to think that their stuff is probably not so much that it tastes absolutely fabulously amazing, but rather that it's so creative and probably tastes good too. the stuff they do is amazing!!! i tivo it and watch it when i am bored or sick at home, hahaha. i am in awe of their fondant skills!

 

[pennquaker09]

Mara, I think pound cake is the most widely used cake for carving and things of that nature.

 

[Elmorton]

I used to love watching that show...but I always thought "there''s no way that tastes good.."

 

[Porridge]

Hmm...maybe they do incredible things with icing that could bring up the flavour? They don't seem to use a whole lot of it though...I think the fact that it's just edible is incredible enough!

Icekid, I have been obsessed with Baltimore since that show, they talk about it so much and it looks like such a great place! I wanna visit! Oh man, I am a slave to advertising

Did you see the Baltimore cake they made?

 

[Mara]

I don't think they are using poundcake, you can tell by the visual on the texture and crumb sizes. But it's super uniform yet light which to me is a cake mix blend most likely. And yes they hardly use any buttercream under the fondant, but they do it in the layers. Also, I have seen shows where they soak the cake, it seems like most of the time they start with a white or a chocolate cake and then they add flavoring in syrups or liquers by soaking the cake then covering it up with buttercream and fondant.

Funny because a lot of cakes like that can be really good, and some can be really bad! I would imagine theirs are pretty good or else they wouldn't have such a big following.

 

[Julianna]

Duff has stated on more than one occassion that they do make their own cakes, and further, that they pride themselves in their cake tasting fantastic. They mentioned a few flavors that were pretty different-sounding, but I don''t recall the names just now.

 

[Octavia]

My friend had them do her wedding cake. It was bee-yoo-tee-ful!!! The taste didn't match up to the aesthetics, though -- it was good but not mind-blowingly fantastic.

I'd love to learn how to decorate cakes like that, it seems like a blast (albeit a dramatic blast at times

).

 

[Londongirl1]

I live in the UK and I love watching the show. I'd love them to make me a cake but I'm not sure I'd actually eat is after they've all had their hands on it

 

[fisherofmengirly]

You know, I *adore* this show. Everyone's so artistic and goofy and they have so much fun together. Even when things are stressful and cakes break or don't come together like expected, they laugh about it and find a solution.

On the other hand, has anyone seen "Cake Boss" on TLC? This show is awful!!! The "boss" is a brute and snaps at everyone, curses all the time, is never happy with what others do, and his family works for him, so he's constantly snapping at them. It's nuts how different two different bakeries can be, you know?

I think Ace of Cakes makes *much* better products, probably because the morale and general attitude of staff is so much higher there....

Plus, Duff is so much cuter than the barking curse words dude on Cake Boss...

 

[Porridge]

I love that fisherofmengirly, nothing seems to phase them at all. And they''re all so complimentary of each other. I have a lil soft spot for Geof, he''s so chilled out.

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/3/2009 12:08:08 AM
Author: Octavia
My friend had them do her wedding cake. It was bee-yoo-tee-ful!!! The taste didn''t match up to the aesthetics, though -- it was good but not mind-blowingly fantastic.
.

I kind of suspect when you''re going for an incredibly beautiful, ornate cake, SOMETHING has to give in the taste dept.

Mara- haha, I know Duff hates cupcakes. But they sell them anyway! Probably the only way to really try them, though, because I believe they have a long waiting list for cakes.

 

[makemepretty]

I think I''ve seen almost every episode of that show! I love cake shows. They all seem really cool and funny. The cakes though, don''t really look like they taste very good(and I remember one review they read on the show that said the same thing). Most of those cakes have a lot of inedible parts. I''ve seen them make "cakes" that weren''t any part cake!!!!

Plus, most come out too cartoony. But it''s a great show for relaxing in front of the t.v.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I lived in Baltimore for 4 years, and I''ve had their cupcakes on various occasions. DELICIOUS.

And yeah, there''s a pretty long waitlist for a cake, although their minimum wasn''t nearly as high as I thought it would be. I think it''s somewhere around a 1000$ minimum, which is still a lot for a cake, but it''s not totally out of the question for a lot of people if they really want one.

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/4/2009 11:05:31 AM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I lived in Baltimore for 4 years, and I''ve had their cupcakes on various occasions. DELICIOUS.

MTG- Glad they got your seal of approval

I am going to try to learn to love b-more!

 

[brightlight]

Date: 7/2/2009 5:13:08 AM
Author: Porridge
Hmm...maybe they do incredible things with icing that could bring up the flavour? They don't seem to use a whole lot of it though...I think the fact that it's just edible is incredible enough!

Icekid, I have been obsessed with Baltimore since that show, they talk about it so much and it looks like such a great place! I wanna visit! Oh man, I am a slave to advertising

Did you see the Baltimore cake they made?

Watch a season of The Wire. It shows the other side of Baltimore and the five areas of corruption in the city. They had some interesting things to say about Baltimore in the special features - how there are really two sides to the city. You'll be in a part of the city that's nice and then walk a block and be in the ghetto. I'm sure MTG knows more about how accurate this is since she lived there. Either way, I highly recommend The Wire. It's a good show.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 7/3/2009 11:27:27 AM
Author: fisherofmengirly
You know, I *adore* this show. Everyone''s so artistic and goofy and they have so much fun together. Even when things are stressful and cakes break or don''t come together like expected, they laugh about it and find a solution.

On the other hand, has anyone seen ''Cake Boss'' on TLC? This show is awful!!! The ''boss'' is a brute and snaps at everyone, curses all the time, is never happy with what others do, and his family works for him, so he''s constantly snapping at them. It''s nuts how different two different bakeries can be, you know?

I think Ace of Cakes makes *much* better products, probably because the morale and general attitude of staff is so much higher there....

Plus, Duff is so much cuter than the barking curse words dude on Cake Boss...

Two of his employees dropped a huge cake down the stairs. The cake was due the same day. Not sure what they did to remedy the situation. I think the episode airs this coming Monday.

 

[Porridge]

Date: 7/4/2009 11:05:31 AM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I lived in Baltimore for 4 years, and I''ve had their cupcakes on various occasions. DELICIOUS.

Happy to hear it! They get better and better, in my eyes! I want to visit Baltimore because of that show

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 7/3/2009 11:27:27 AM
Author: fisherofmengirly
You know, I *adore* this show. Everyone's so artistic and goofy and they have so much fun together. Even when things are stressful and cakes break or don't come together like expected, they laugh about it and find a solution.

On the other hand, has anyone seen 'Cake Boss' on TLC? This show is awful!!! The 'boss' is a brute and snaps at everyone, curses all the time, is never happy with what others do, and his family works for him, so he's constantly snapping at them. It's nuts how different two different bakeries can be, you know?

I think Ace of Cakes makes *much* better products, probably because the morale and general attitude of staff is so much higher there....

Plus, Duff is so much cuter than the barking curse words dude on Cake Boss...

Well, I've personally met Buddy (cake boss guy, made my wedding cake) and I think he's a nice guy and their bakery has some of the most delicious pastries ever.

However, if I had to go by what I see on the tube, I would admit that the stress level at Carlos' Bakery is higher, BUT they also do much more stuff than Charm City Cakes. One is a appointment only bakery and the other one is a full service bakery.

 

[akmiss]

I love the show too and secretly crush on Geoff... He is just too cool

My honey hates the show BTW I guess there isn''t enough *sports*

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Baltimore is kind of a bipolar city, there''s one street near Hopkins undergrad campus, where you as you walk, there are broken down crack houses on your left, and million dollar homes on your right (behind a large fence of course).

Heh, they were filming for The Wire right outside my apartment once, that was kind of cool.

Good places to eat if you''re in the city: Mo''s seafood (looks shady on the outside, but nice on the inside and so yummy), and Matsuri (awesome japanese food).