FAQ

“How do I order a cake?”

  1. Begin by deciding the type, size, flavor, and design of the cake you desire. Ensure you have the details of the cake such as any special decorations, inscription, and inspiration photos.
  2. Contact us via phone or email to inquire about placing an order. (Provided with the specifications of the cake you want, your preferred pick-up date and time, and any other pertinent information.)
  3. Make sure to give us a minimum of 7 days notice for your order to allow for ample time for us to prepare your cake while accommodating other orders. **Availability subject to change.**
  4. Once we have confirmed availability for your desired date, finalize your order by signing the contract, then payment in full can be taken. (We do require payment in full in advance.)
  5. To pay, you may pay with credit card information over the phone, or visit the bakery in person to make payment.
  6. After payment is made, your order is now complete and set!
  7. Cancellations  must be made prior to your “due date” written on your contract. Guidelines are: 7 days prior for most orders,  10 days prior for wedding, 30 days prior for 3D/sculpted cakes.
    When canceling paid orders Sugarlips retains a 15% cancellation fee. We will not accept cancellations on orders after your “due date” written on your contract.

*subject to change/management discretion* Please note: We cannot accept payment until contract is completely filled out and signed. A order is not considered “booked” until the contract is signed, and paid in full.

Why aren’t your cake prices on your website? How much ARE your cakes??

Say you like a cake pictured on our site, and you just want the price.
But of course you’ll need it in a size that meets your needs.
But you want butter-cream icing instead of the fondant shown.
Except add a gum-paste numeral that sticks up.
And you want rum and fresh strawberries in it.
And you need it tomorrow.
Guess what? Your price is as customized as your cake! We have a thick manual that helps us determine pricing, and keep estimates consistent. We could shoot off a quick price, but unless we know exactly what you want, the estimate won’t be accurate for your needs.
Custom cakes require a custom estimate. It’s a pain, but in the end, you only pay for exactly what you want. It’s also time consuming, to figure out what you want and price it out… that leads us to our second most popular question:

* 7 days notice? It takes 7 days to make my cake?!

No, but if we are making 50+ extremely customized cakes this week, we’d better darn well plan it out. That means shopping for fresh ingredients weekly, like eggs, milk, butter, fruit, etc. That means ordering sufficient and appropriate supplies/ specialty items for the week’s custom creations. Most gum-paste/fondant pieces DO need to be made a week ahead, or in daily steps. We start preparing fillings and icings according to how many orders we have of which kind. We have LISTS. We have lists of those lists.

**3D CAKES! Due to the complexity of sculpted cakes, they require more time for planning out every detail. These cakes should have the order process begun at least 3 months in advance. The finalized contract for these cakes, along with full payment is required 30 days before pick up/delivery.**

If you need to order a totally custom cake same-week, and if we still have availability, it’s going to incur a Rush Fee. We DO want to accommodate you, however same-week orders will naturally put a wrench in the works of an organized system, and same-week order-ers tend to be of a more chaotic nature. (IE, still not quite ready to order, don’t have payment ready, still not sure what I want, don’t have time to e-mail the images, or bring the ornaments, what is the very last moment at which I can still get this order in, and never mind, I’d like to cancel and get refunded on the whole thing after all.)
The nominal rush fee is more than warranted, in backtracking and/or acting like chickens with our heads cut off, to get your very special order in. We do love you.
And that leads us to…

Your website says 7/10/30 days notice! I just called and was told that you are fully booked. Why can’t you make my order?

Unfortunately, this sometimes happens! We only have so much room in our shop. We wish we were cyborgs that don’t need sleep, however, humans we will forever be. If we take on too many/difficult orders, we are forced to cut off any new orders. A booked order is one that is finalized and paid for in full. Our seasons of booking up are Fall/Winter Weddings (September-November) and Spring Wedding/Graduation (April, May, and beginning of June).

Can you place a fondant/gum paste/ or sugar piece I purchased elsewhere?

The simple answer is yes we can, but we will not. This is because these items are extremely fragile and we do not know exactly what structures were used to create sugar art work made elsewhere, so if it is fragile and it is not provided by us, we will kindly request that you place these items at home since we do not mish to replace work made by another creator, whether monetarily or as a re-creation. We WILL however place fresh or synthetic flowers and toys for you if they are brought into us in advance.

What if I forgot to pick up my cake?

You have a couple options if you do not get your foot in the door before we close for the day. 1) You are welcome to come the following business day to pick up once we open. **For Saturday pickups, please note that we do not reopen until the following Tuesday** 2) If a worker is willing/able to stay unpaid past business hours for you to pick up your cake, or if a worker must return to the shop after leaving for the day, they require a $50 exact CASH tip to hand you your cake. We often begin deliveries shortly after close, and this is a small tribute we require to give our crew a break who want to get their weekend started with their families.

*Can I cancel/make changes to my cake order?

Yes, IF you cancel at least 7 days prior to your order date for a party cake, or at least 10 days prior for a wedding cake (or any large cake that we required a signed contract for… please see the details on your contract) 3D cakes should be cancelled no less than 30 days before completion date. When canceling paid orders Sugarlips retains a 15% processing fee.

*WHY 7 days notice for changes or cancellations?! You haven’t started making my cake yet, have you??

Refer to the previous question… we’ve put in the time to take your order, and your order is on the week’s lists and in the plans. At the 7 day point, the plans are in the works, and preparations have begun in good faith! Your order is “happening”!

*Well, I’m just going to go to the GROCERY STORE and get a cake then… fast, cheap, and easy!

That’s cool. That’s what the grocery store bakery is for! Inexpensive, convenient, last-minute stuff that’s pretty good. We don’t compete with grocery stores. We aren’t open at midnight, and we don’t bake off hundreds of cakes before they’re ordered, and we don’t have cheap prices that can be made up for in quantity in other departments.
We have high quality, lovingly prepared cakes, baked-to-order especially for you, and decorated by cake artists with years of experience. You’ll speak with the same smiling staff members here day after day. We are owned and managed by a longtime resident of this very neighborhood. And we all go to the grocery store for stuff. Really, it’s cool. When you need something extra special, and your time and budget allows, you know where to find us.

*What if I arrive to pick up my cake and I don’t like the design/it’s not what I expected?

Tell us! Tell us! Don’t be shy! We will do everything in our power to make changes right then and there! Even if you don’t think it’s possible. You MUST say something before you leave (even if you don’t want to be rude! We can take it!) Once you go home with it, our hands are tied… we will not come to your house and redecorate it. However if you tell us while you’re here, we can come up with something.

*What if I have some other complaint?

Just tell us so we can make it right! We’re nice, we like you, and we don’t bite. Come let us make you feel good about it again! Mistakes happen. But our first priority is your happiness and satisfaction. E-mail, call, or come on in, and let us fix the situation.

*How long has Sugarlips Cakery been in business?

Since June 2006.

*Do you make 3-D cakes?

Yep.  3-D cakes require tons of skill and time.  Due to the complexity of sculpted cakes, they require more time for planning out every detail. These cakes should have the order process begun at least 3 months in advance. The finalized contract for these cakes, along with a deposit is required 30 days before pick up/delivery. They’ll range greatly in price, starting at $400, up to $___!  Feel free to e-mail a photo and any additional details for an estimate.

Please start inquiring 2-3months in advance. We ask that 3Dcontracts are filled out/signed/paid in full 30days prior.

*Will you make my great-grandma’s recipe if I give it to you?

Nope.

*Do you deliver?

Yes, we offer delivery for a fee. Deliveries are subject to availability & must be scheduled at least 10 days in advance.  All deliveries are priced according to distance, and how many people and/or vehicles will be needed, deliveries start at $75. Deliveries during rush hour, on holidays, or ones that require additional staff will cost extra, if available.  Call for a quote!

*How far will you deliver?

Up to 50 miles from our Mesa location(with restrictions: example going up in elevation, dirt roads etc.).

*So if my wedding is in Flagstaff, Tucson, or Sedona???

Thank you for loving us! However, we absolutely and strongly suggest that you use a cake shop local to the area of your event if possible…cakes are so delicate, why risk the drive? Even a SUPER safe driver cannot help if elevation changes/changes in temperature/ or a general rumble of a car cause a cake to misbehave, grow air bubbles, melt, shift or other – and we cannot help it either!

*Have you been on Cupcake Wars?

They’ve reached out to us in the past, and while that’s flattering, it’s just not our cup of tea!

*Do you ever run any SPECIALS?

Yep, just “LIKE” our Sugarlips Cakery Facebook page, for updates, events, flavors of the week, and more!

*Is this your only location?

Yes, …for now.

*Can I order online?

Not at this time, but you can order with us via e-mail if you really want to. If you can’t come in to the cakery, a phone order is much more efficient than writing letters back and forth. But we are at your service if you would rather correspond in this manner.

*Can I e-mail you a picture of what I want?

Yes! And if you want a price estimate, please include key details like how many servings you’ll need, what flavors you’re interested in, your budget and when you need it. Our email is [email protected]

*Can you draw/sculpt/replicate licensed characters?

Well we CAN, but we won’t. We’ve been cracking down on that around here; simply put, it’s copyright infringement. We use purchased licensed figures/bakery approved sets and licensed edible images when available We know you want your characters. Often we can stay within themes without actually replicating any characters. Ask us for ideas!

*Do you make Gluten Free cakes and cupcakes?

We make Gluten-free friendly chocolate and vanilla batters. Our fillings and icings are all gluten friendly as well. That means it’s a gluten free product prepared in a kitchen that also prepares products containing gluten. The chance for cross-contamination is not high, but it is there. If your allergy is severe, we do not recommend our GF products.

*Do you offer Vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, or sugar-free items?

No, no, no, not really, and no. If you have an allergy, it’s best to steer clear; it’s simply not worth risking your health!

****Please note that our cut and shaped sugar cookies are made with almonds *****

*Do you offer discounts for large quantities?

Not usually. Large quantities are a large amount of work. But you can always ask a manager; especially if you are a school or non-profit.

*Do you donate to charity/school events?

All the time! Please submit your official letter via e-mail. We do not donate cash, in any way shape or form. Please don’t walk in and attempt to sell us your kids’ fund-raising items. (Awk-ward!) We happily donate gift certificates to silent auctions, raffles and the like. We will occasionally donate cakes to charity events. And we donate custom wow-factor cakes for chronically ill children through Make-A-Wish and Icing Smiles.

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