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I am still amazed by pictures of our wedding cake. It was just as Shinmin had described and designed...and it looked maginificent in person. Guests were in awe of the cake all night....and then we finally ate a slice and were sent to another level altogether. Lemon with berries and toasted almond.....OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! I Dream of Cake is no pipe dream, you will get what you tasted during the tasting, and you will receive a tremendously gorgeous cake just as promised. Shinmin had direction and design and really made our cake special. She custom made the flower piece topper to match my reception headpiece. BRAVO!!!!
Thank you to Shinmin and the I Dream of Cake team!!! You have a lifelong fan!
I am always weary of wedding cakes made of a fondant wonderland. Usually the cake has been prepped a month in advance and coated with inedible sugar plaster to keep it "fresh". Wedding cakes either looks good or tastes good.
However, I Dream of Cake does not believe in that mutually exclusive relationship. The wedding cake was beautiful and tasted amazing. This little piggy had two slices. Oink.
OK last June I had the honor of attending my friend's private wedding ceremony at the Ritz Carlton in SF.
You can read about the private room dinner writeup at the Dining Room, with the Iron Chef of San Francisco at the helm.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
By the way, the original SF Bay Area Iron Chef is and will always be Ron Siegel. While David Kinch was Iron Chef winner of Iron Chef USA show recently (the pseudo pspinoff series of the Japanese original, that was almost ruined, thank god they got rid of Captain Kirk as head of Kitchen Stadium before the show flushed down the toilet) and while mad propz to him beating Iron Chef BoBBQ Flay on Battle Cabbage, still does not mean anything to me compared to Siegel destroying Iron Chef French Sakai in Battle Lobster.
One of the memorable culinary highlights of the evening, was not a Ritz Calrton Dining Room creation, but a wedding cake so wonderfully crafted and design picked by my friend's sister.
And that wedding cake, came from this location, I Dream Of Cake.
Look at the yelp listing pictures! The designs are INCREDIBLE. Sexay, Delish, true works of art!
I didn't take pictures of the cake, but it looked like this (use your imagination)
A wooden treasure chest that was slightly open. It looked like a golden cloth was covering the contents, but on top of that cloth were random GOLD COINS and a beautiful gold colored pearl necklace. A few coins were lying near the base of the treasure chest, and nearby were some Chinese gold crowns.
The inside was a deep rich but not very heavy chocolate cake. Basically the cake looked so beautiful that it made everyone guilty to eat it. It was a wonderful attack on the sensories but definitely a major feast on the eyes.
Absolutely one of the best western wedding cakes I've had in my life.
Shinmin did not disappoint! The cake was beautiful and even though she and the girl that was making the cupcakes never met and lived 300 miles apart somehow they came together and matched perfectly. We were very happy with the finished product and it just felt wrong cutting into it. We got the banana nut flavor and it was delicious! Like everyone says about their wedding it went by too fast and is a total blur and we barely had a moment to eat so the only few bites we got were the ones we fed to eachother. Can't wait for the 1 year anniversary to unfreeze it and eat the rest!
I Dream of Cake - WoW!
I can review IDOC on multiple levels, so I will.
First encounter - When I…
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My mom, who is the best ever, surprised me me in 2005 with a purse cake from Shinmin. Not only was the design flawless, and captivating and just plain perfect (pink Chanel purse), it was the most delicious cake I have ever put into my mouth. Shinmin was also extraordinarily nice. She delivered the cake herself and was just the sweetest thing.
A couple of years later, I was part of the bridal party for my best friend, and knew exactly what kind of cake she needed for her bridal shower. Of course, because my bff deserves the best to celebrate her big day, I went straight to Shinmin. She was amazing in the design process, and totally listened. I went to pick up the cake and was in awe of the shop. Sooooo nice! Since she had delivered my bday cake, this was the first time I had seen her store front. Again, she was nothing but nice. The only thing was, the cake was a cruise ship, and one of the fondant banners on the ship was cracked. Which, imo, should have been replaced before I came to pick up the cake. I mean, I don't mind paying $$$ for a cake, and I understand that things happen. But... that seems (to someone that does NOT know about this stuff) to be an easy fix.
Anyhow, my best friend was surprised with the cake and looooooved it, as did all the guests. They thought it was phenomenally designed and completely and utterly enjoyed the cake.
White cake with caramel... The best ever!
I will definitely go back for other big events. I just know that with her craftmanship and abilities, she is in demand, and I should book as far out as possible. Don't be presumptuous and assume that she will be able to pop out something for you just because you waited until the last minute to plan.
I reserve I Dream of Cake for my uber special clients that I want to blow away. We have succeeded every time.
I love to watch my clients faces when they see it, "I can't believe that is a cake!!!" Pick their most favorite object and have Shinmin run with the idea. She'll put something together that will surpass their every expectation. Priceless! Memories for a lifetime...that's what they pay for... Worth every penny.
Can't wait to work with you again! Thank you for putting your special touch on every cake that you have done for me. Your artistry is greatly admired and appreciated.
Psssst!: for my bday, I want one of your "slipper cakes" I'll be saving my pennies to afford one of your beautiful masterpieces!
well you've heard about the tempermental artist? Shinmin is very very very talented, but as with all of US...we have our good days and we have our bad days...Hey...if you catch her on a good day, where she is feeling the vibe and the creative juices are flowing..great...but if it is NOT...YUCK..
I understand that. We are all human. It is a tough job to be the one person artiste. and business entrepreneur.
Just do not order a super expensive cake for your once in a decade wedding reception here. She is not that kind of artiste.
Hey...maybe get your "I just got divorced and am ready for some new hot buffed MEN in my erotic life" party....Hummm maybe Cake Gallery on ninth street is where one gets that kind of cake.
But the flavor of the cake if you supervise and micromanage it will be great from Shinmin....Like bananas dipped in chocolate sliced with organic whipped cream and organic berry filling with cream and light sponge cake?...
I respect her artistry...it is her artistic temperment that might be delicate.
"I'll bet those Golden Tickets make the chocolate taste terrible."
This has been my general outlook on baked goods since starting work as a Birthday Party Faciliator at the Discovery Museum a year and a half ago. As someone who encounters an average of six cakes a week, I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur (read: pig) at this point. If it's pretty, it's probably not that impressive, since most of the work went into the presentation. And if the frosting is gloppy, the cake a little oily, the picture of Elmo a bad dollar-store knockoff...then you don't want to pass it up. Grab yourself a plate and dig in.
However, I Dream Of Cake is the ONLY cake able to pull off the double-whammy -- beautiful and DELICIOUS. For our princess party on Saturday, the family brought in a cake that we all had trouble believing was a cake and not an ornate treasure chest until we sunk a knife into it. And once we did, we were in heaven. I try not to dream of cakes, but I can't help it if I see this one again in my dreams.
Shinmin is an awesome person to work with!!!! I needed a special cake for my boyfriend's 30th birthday, and I needed one fast. Called IDC on July 9th to have a cake done by July 25th. I told Shinmin exactly what I wanted...a cake of my boyfriend's Facebook profile (he's a Facebook fanatic) with customized details. She thought it was a fun idea and said it wouldn't be a problem at all. When I picked up the cake and opened the box, I was in awe. I stared at the cake and took numerous pictures of it (like it had its own photo shoot). The cake definitely stole the show at the party...it even tasted as good as it looked (chocolate cake w/ cream cheese filing)!!! Would definitely love to have another cake done by IDC!
P.S. You can see a pic of the cake (before it was devoured) in my profile pics.
YUM!
Shinmin created my wedding cake this past August and it was absolutely delicious!
Let's just say.... I know wedding cake. And Shinmin is one of the heavy hitters in the wedding world. Her designs are jaw dropping and her flavors are clean and light.
Everyone loved the cake, and let's be honest, who raves about wedding cake these days? Well, my guests did!
My faves of hers are her Toasted Almond and her Banana Walnut. Divine.
Love me some cake.
I went over to Northbeach today for lunch and after I just let the breeze blow me where it wanted me to fly....and I landed at this amazing place...
I have no need for a wedding cake at the moment, but when I walked up to this shop I stopped and felt a stab in my soul to go in and check out this amazing place that creates elegant artistic cake . http://www.idreamofcak...
The owner is a Culinery school graduate and the artists are Acadamy of Art graduates.
They have cakes shaped as your favorite Manolo Blahnik shoe if you want or a Gucci handbag . Thay have a way of creating the most amazing looking cakes I've ever seen.
If I ever were to recieve a petite cake in the shape of something romantic or cute from this place as a gift and a invitation for dinner I think I may say yes....to a date.....That's elegant and that's hot.
Well, she is REALLY NICE to work with, only if you are (all of the following):
- White
- Have a HUUUUUUUUUUUGH wedding budget
- Plan to have your cake 1 year in advance
- Your business partner is VP of Google
But if would give her 1 point for her creativity! http://sugar-moma.blog.../
And something I could actually eat without feeling sinful.
So I have mixed feelings about this place. We met Shinmin for a wedding cake consultation and she was nice enough. Without a doubt her work is amazing: cakes in the shape of shoes, handbags, pirates treasure chests and mannequin's wearing ballgowns. If you think it, and can afford it, then she can make it. Congratulations on your amazing talent.
Here's our dilemma: we've been to too many weddings where the cake wasn't tasty. And we wanted a cake that tasted good. Now you can argue whether that's a good thing or not ("Drunk guests won't care! Save money, give them Safeways!"), but this is our choice. Shinmin's cake tastes okay, but not great. And we had tasted great cake a week earlier (for cheaper).
I just got this vibe that she really wasn't interested in us: maybe our budget was too meagre? And that's fine, to be expected and completely reasonable. You pay good money for good work, and since we can't afford a yacht, I doubt we will be eating Shinmin's cakes anytime soon (unless I get chummy with a VC).
Normally I wouldn't write a mediocre review of a vendor just because I can't afford the goods they were offering: "Ferrari dealership: I didn't like the salesmens attitude when I said I couldn't afford the downpayment. Zero stars!". But the kicker is we never got the quote she said she would send. Not a peep.
After a week we assumed that we weren't her customer and spent the rest of our time booking Torino Baking in Berkeley instead. 4 weeks later, and one week before our wedding, she did email us a form email: [paraphrasing to get the tone] "Hey, it's August. Your wedding soon. Didn't hear from you. Our production line is fully booked. Best of luck." That pissed me and the wife-to-be off, so her highness called her on it. Shinmin did apologise and mused that she should have called us to follow up. Yes, you should have.
Two stars.
These cakes are not only beautiful to look at, but delicious (based on the one I tried last night at a holiday party, and also knowing how popular they were at my friend's xmas bash last year).
I also happened to meet the cake designer today in a social setting, and she is totally cool, and I imagine she'd be extremely fun and easy to work with. She mentioned that her website will soon be updated with photos of her latest and greatest creations (apparently the ones currently shown are from 2+ years ago).
If you're in need of a very special cake for a very special occasion, you might want to check this out!
I know people like to take months and months to plan their weddings. But what about people like me? What if you're one of those people who don't want the large wedding? The big creepy wedding gown? The walking down the isle? What if I don't feel like spending tens of thousands on my wedding?
All I wanted was something simple and elegant. Short, sweet, stress free and fun. I day I would want to remember. So, 2 weeks before our wedding we stopped by I dream of Cake. It turns out, if you want to order your wedding cake from them, you have to order at least 6 months in advance, maybe even 9 months in advance. Granted, I knew it would be practically impossible to order a wedding cake from them 2 weeks before the event, but I was curious to see what the situation was. But 9 months?! WTF? It's a CAKE!
We ended up ordering from Stella Pastry. Btw, if you're not too picky about the decorations and are willing to have a very yummy WHITE cake that you can decorate yourself, don't mention it's a wedding and you can save some money for your honeymoon.
Plus, I've tasted I Dream of Cake. Meh. They're pretty. I'll give them that.
I'm helping my sister-in-law with her wedding, and so set up a bunch of cake tasting appointments. I had heard good things about I Dream of Cake over the past few years, so they were the high-end stop of the day.
So here's the thing. The cakes are A+ in taste (particularly the coconut, the chocolate, and the vanilla caramel) but they're also A+ in aesthetics. And I don't even like cake very much!
Gorgeous designs, with a wide range of styles, and as many people have mentioned, a lot of flexibility about working with your ideas/style/theme.
The catch? They're very expensive. (You can cut some of that cost by having half the servings for your event done in a decorated cake, and the other half in a sheet cake.)
My impression of Shinmin is that she's very passionate about what she does, and enjoys the creative exercise of designing beautiful cakes. We had a very pleasant meeting with her.
If you have the budget, I can't think of a better place to get a special occasion cake.
I have mixed feelings about I Dream of Cake. First of all I have to say Shinmin's designs and implementations are amazing. If you are only focused on the design and look of your cake and price is not an issue at all, then this is the place for you.
However, I am also driven by my palate and her cakes, though good, did not overly impress me. And for these prices, I would really expect to eat amazing cake. This was the first wedding cake consultation for us, so we didn't have a good idea of what type of cake we wanted yet, however they still managed to provide me with an estimate of $1,500 for our cake?!
Anyways, this place wasn't for me, but I'm glad I tried it out. I've always passed by their studio and stared in awe of their cakes. But looks aren't everything.
5stars: Shinmin is creative, talented and tasteful. She is professional and open to feedback. I know because she offered to redo our design when the initial creation was not satisfactory. The revised look was 5 stars. Her vanilla caramel cake is moist and delightful. I have had her do two events and she made the cakes consistently tasty!
2 stars: Design did not meet expectations. Her gallery and website shows stellar work. That's the price you pay. However for stellar workmanship, I felt our cakes did not meet our design vision.
Both projects were overall design disappointments and I will take partial blame because perhaps I was not as hands-on to check the process of the final designs. However the owner takes pride in her work and will listen openly to feedback. Our redo was again 5 stars.
Overall 3 stars. I would rebook I Dream of Cake but note to be involved with the design process to ensure that execution of my overall vision meets expectations. She does superb work but you may want to be more hands-on to ensure overall design expectations/attention is clear.
The best pastry chef this side of the Mississippi!
Owner and chef Shinmin Li knows how to make yummy cakes look like wonderful pieces of art. You can choose any type of cake flavor, filling, and style; she will custom design it for you.
Want a cake in the shape of Star Wars' Millennium Falcon or a office cake in the shape of your company's logo? Shinmin Li is the best pastry chef for the job. Yes, the entire cake is edible!
As seen on the Food Network and http://turnhere.com, Shinmin's cakes are in high demand so she always requests you call ahead and book early. Cake prices start at around $300 and then depend on the serving size and how much you want customized.
Shinmin is the ever consummate professional and is as nice in person to work with as she appears on TV.
http://www.idreamofcak...
http://turnhere.com/ci...
Everytime I stroll down Grant, I get a little tingle on my ring finger. It's as if it KNOWS it needs a little attention. Well, if I'm not getting married, I can at least pretend for a half hour. Maybe that will calm it down.
There it is. My future wedding cake in the window of I Dream of Cake. The genius staff (Kelsey, Shinmin, Kate, Elena....), which I may mention are all strikingly beautiful, know just how to impress me and my ring finger by changing their drool-worthy window to an even better cake every few weeks.
But.....alas....I must mop of my drools and stick to birthday cakes for now. They just might be the reason why I celebrate my "half-birthday" and MUST have cake. Maybe.
Unfortunately, this was the one vendor we weren't happy with. Went there initially and tasted all the cake flavors (which were yummy!) and picked the design we wanted. I must say the designs were all very beautiful. Easy enough.
Fast forward three months later......WEDDING DAY. Um, after spending hours at the tasting, they delivered us the wrong cake!! The cake was actually the ugliest thing I'd ever seen. Luckily, everything else about our wedding was so perfect, I didn't really allow it to bother me. On the plus side, they didn't end up charging us for it.
This is one of those places that when you walk by, you do a double take and just stare through the windows for a few minutes to take it all in. These aren't just cakes - they're works of art. Have you seen the pictures people have posted? How can you have the heart to cut into one of these? Of course, I totally want one!
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to try one of their cakes at a wedding. It was a complete package. Beautiful and delicious.
I heard about the prices and well, and I don't think I would be able to get a cake from here anytime soon, not any of the fancy design cakes anyway. I still love looking at the masterpieces on their website.
Beautiful art work-esque cake is not always anticipated to be delicious, but my birthday cake was! The marzipan frosting was so yummy, as was the yummy chocolate butter cream that buffered between the smooth marzipan and dense yet not heavy cake..I had my cake and ate it too!
I Dream of Cake was on my vendor list for my wedding reception, my fiance and I made an appointment and went to meet Shinmin the owner. She blew us away. She is a true artist and a culinary magician. Our cake was black, yes black, with a gold damask pattern. It was not only stunning, but delicious. We had banana cream (my fiance's favorite) and chocolate with organic berry puree in rotating layers. My guests at our wedding actually asked for seconds. It was awesome!
Shimni delivered a decadent cake for my Dad's 60th Bday. Her attention to detail and commitment to excellence resulted in a beautiful and yummy cake.
Shinmin Li was the artist behind my wedding cake. It was beautiful, it was everything a wedding cake should be. But here's the kicker... it tasted amazing too! What is the point of having an amazing cake that in the end is meant to be eaten and then doesn't taste good? Well, this is why I am so pleased with I Dream of Cake. Our Lemon cake with fresh organic raspberries was amazing - I can't begin to list the yum factor on the lemon butter cream...
Everyone at the wedding commented on the beauty of that cake, and all of them lamented the next day because there was not more cake to be eaten - We devistated a cake for 150 people... not a crumb left.
For the most beautiful cake you've ever seen, well, there are many who could make you happy, but if you want the cake to finish its destiny and be eaten - bringing joy to your guests, I Dream of Cake is the only way to go.
I added a photo of the cake to my profile, because it was too pretty not to share. Enjoy!
*DROOL* What more can I really say.
It's like a freaking orgasm in my mouth, this cake is so awesome! Yes, the creations are cool looking and amazing, but they also taste as amazing as they look! How often does that actually happen?!
Check it out. You'll be happy you did. The drawback is that they are quite expensive... but if it's a special day, definitely make the splurge... and then send your leftovers (yeah right!) over to me.
horrible customer service. (she needs to keep in mind word of mouth travels fast)
cakes look great but the taste, not so great. *it does come down to taste.
order at least 8 months in advance. or a year to play it safe. (i wish i was joking)
I had an appointment with Shinmin at 9 am on a Saturday. She called at 8:50 am telling me there was a leak in the store and we couldn't have the appointment...but she'd reschedule. Thankfully I live right around the corner and so wasn't too inconvenienced but then went down to the store and peeked in the window. Did not see a sole...no evidence of leak or clean up crew. And has anyone called to reschedule? Nope! 5 days later and no call. For a minimum price of $10 per slice, you better demand better service than this! Even if they do call, I will not reschedule with them.
positively dreamy cake "boutique" in North Beach. walk by the windows and be tantalized by owner Shinmin's gorgeous concoctions. she takes cake to a whole new level (not surprising, given her art background). she can make a cake to look like ANYTHING. yes - she's that talented. i once went to a b-day party where her cake was served - an exact replica of the b-day boys drum set (right down to the metallic frosting cymbals). it was divine. and for my own birthday, my darling BF commissioned her to create a cake that looked like my favorite purse.
the cakes look too good to eat - but you def. have to eat it at some point and you will be so happy b/c her cakes are moist and tasty and perfectly delicious.
all her cakes are custom - so let your imagination go wild for your next big soiree or wedding.
I just had to write a review to let everyone out there know that this is the best cake shop ever. If you want something that is truly unique, a true work of art, then don't hesitate to contact I Dream of Cake. After reading some of these negative reviews, I was appalled. I've been a client and I know several people who have been clients --- all happy! Well worth the price!
Remember --- you do get what you pay for. And it is always more likely that bitter people will 'find the time' to write a review than happy and BUSY clients -- and all of Shinmin's clients who I know (and I know several) -- are all busy people who were completely and totally happy with the service. I found the time to write this review because people really need to know that the negative reviews are completely misleading.
The cakes are beautiful and delicious. If you want a Tiffany's experience then go here. There is no other cake shop that you will want if you are planning a truly elegant and high-class event.
I contacted I Dream of Cake to make a Birthday cake for me. After Shinmin sent me an array of photos and I saw what she could do, I knew nobody else could do what she could with flour and fondant! She worked closely with me to decide on the perfect birthday cake for me within my budget yet still unique and exactly what I wanted. We settled on a shoe box and a shoe that fed 40. It looked so realistic, you could not tell it was a cake except that when we cut into the banana cream and walnut sponge, it was delicious! She also does handbags, novelty items, and traditional wedding cakes. "I Dream of Cake" gives Ace Of Cakes a run for their money! The transaction and delivery were seamless. I highly recommend "I Dream of Cakes" for any special occasion.
ok, so i've never even EATEN this cake before. and i know that this place is pretty much RI-DONK-ULOUS, as far as pricing goes.
but have you SEEN the cakes? i was walking around north beach and was literally stopped. in. my. tracks. they are gorgeous. i started wondering how much it would cost to FLY one of these fab cakes to arizona for my wedding (uhm yeah, so did i mention i'm not engaged yet???)
beautiful. if i can't afford to eat them, at least i can afford to walk by and drool over their detailed, sugary beauty. over. and over. and over.
Shinmin is really amazing. She makes the most beautiful cakes i've ever seen, and i'm wedding planning so i've seen a lot! The carmel flavor is totally unique and delicious! I just wish I could afford her!
a museum of cake. a beautiful museum of cake.
Wow! The wedding I went to this past weekend had a groom's cake from Shinmin. First of all let me say that 75% of the people who walked past the table with it didn't even know it was a cake. It was done up to look like a wine box with two bottles. Once it was served it was even more stunning - chocolate cake with some sort of cappuccino filling. Simply sinful and delicious. The only thing I'd change is the use of fondant, which personally I abhor. But it peels off easily enough.
This absolutely talented graphic designer/cake chef can make any of your dreams come true in cake form! How fabulous is that to be able to admire and then eat your favorite pair of Jimmy Choos or Louis Vuitton handbag. You pay for what you get - a total masterpiece. If only I could be completely at ease with having one of her cakes flown out to Hawaii for my wedding, I would totally do it. Make an appointment for a tasting and private consultation.
I work for a catering company part time, so I have tasted my share of wedding cake, and this is the best wedding cake that I have ever had. One week later, the cake was still moist and delicious. Beautiful cake never tasted so good. (It can be pricey at $14 a slice, but who cares)
Wow. Wow. Wow. These cakes are too pretty to eat. But then you taste them and they are too good not too eat. But then you look at them again, and you want to preserve the amazing design. How can you destory a piece of art just to satisfy your taste buds? Mmmmmm, okay, that's how. I just can't get over how she makes cakes look like Van Gogh paintings, Gucci handbags, and Prada shoes. I can't wait to order one for a special occasion. Oh, and since you are paying for a piece of art, expect the price tag to be high.
Even for those of you who dont like cake will like this place...im not a cake fan myself but a cake from here ( more costly then most) is so worth it for any special occasion. The cakes are sculptural and creative you can give the owner, ShinMin, any concept and she will bring you back a tasty masterpiece! The detailing is exceptional.
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