Does anyone know what the difference is from a Vietnamese wedding cake
vs an American wedding cake? Someone I know is getting married and
has asked if anyone can bake a Vietnamese wedding cakes.

From my experience, the cakes are kinda spongey and very light with
whipped cream fillings. they are not super sickenly sweet as mos
American cakes.

I've search the internet and cannot find a recipe or an answer.

Thanks,

Diem

"Diem Sellers" > wrote in message
om...
> Does anyone know what the difference is from a Vietnamese wedding cake
> vs an American wedding cake? Someone I know is getting married and
> has asked if anyone can bake a Vietnamese wedding cakes.
>
> From my experience, the cakes are kinda spongey and very light with
> whipped cream fillings. they are not super sickenly sweet as mos
> American cakes.
>
> I've search the internet and cannot find a recipe or an answer.

I think the best thing to do is to ask the person who made the request.
Since they specified that they wanted a particular type of cake, then they
should be able to describe it.

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004, Diem Sellers wrote:

> Does anyone know what the difference is from a Vietnamese wedding cake
> vs an American wedding cake? Someone I know is getting married and
> has asked if anyone can bake a Vietnamese wedding cakes.
>
> From my experience, the cakes are kinda spongey and very light with
> whipped cream fillings. they are not super sickenly sweet as mos
> American cakes.
>
> I've search the internet and cannot find a recipe or an answer.

Sounds like the typical cake you'd find at a Chinese bakery. I searched
the internet for one of these once and could not find anything (mind you I
stuck to English web sites).

I decided to try making a chiffon cake. I made two chiffon layer cakes
(using the recipe in The Joy of Cooking) then took some blackberries and
raspberries to make a compote. This was just fresh berries, some sugar to
taste heated in a sauce pan. Next I mixed the compote with some whipped
cream (recipe in The Joy of Cooking) and spread it on the first layer.
Not all the way to the edges or it will bleed out through the final
frosting. Put the second layer on top of the first layer and frost the
whole thing with more of the whip cream. Use fresh berries (I used more of
the blackberries, raspberries and some strawberries) and mint leaves to
garnish.

My wife, who is Chinese, said it tasted just like the cakes her parents
buy from the Chinese bakery for celebrations. She also finds the typical
'American' cake too sweet.

If you don't have The Joy of Cooking I am sure any recipe for chiffon (as
a sheet cake) and whipped cream will do. I actually didn't follow the
recipe exactly. There is room to experiment. The light fluffiness comes
from folding in the egg whites and The Joy of Cooking uses baking powder.

Mind you, your other option is to find a good Chinese bakery.

--
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"Darrell Grainger" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 17 Jun 2004, Diem Sellers wrote:
>
> > Does anyone know what the difference is from a Vietnamese wedding cake
> > vs an American wedding cake? Someone I know is getting married and
> > has asked if anyone can bake a Vietnamese wedding cakes.
> >
> > From my experience, the cakes are kinda spongey and very light with
> > whipped cream fillings. they are not super sickenly sweet as mos
> > American cakes.
> >
> > I've search the internet and cannot find a recipe or an answer.
>
> Sounds like the typical cake you'd find at a Chinese bakery. I searched
> the internet for one of these once and could not find anything (mind you I
> stuck to English web sites).
>
> I decided to try making a chiffon cake. I made two chiffon layer cakes
> (using the recipe in The Joy of Cooking) then took some blackberries and
> raspberries to make a compote. This was just fresh berries, some sugar to
> taste heated in a sauce pan. Next I mixed the compote with some whipped
> cream (recipe in The Joy of Cooking) and spread it on the first layer.
> Not all the way to the edges or it will bleed out through the final
> frosting. Put the second layer on top of the first layer and frost the
> whole thing with more of the whip cream. Use fresh berries (I used more of
> the blackberries, raspberries and some strawberries) and mint leaves to
> garnish.
>
> My wife, who is Chinese, said it tasted just like the cakes her parents
> buy from the Chinese bakery for celebrations. She also finds the typical
> 'American' cake too sweet.
>
> If you don't have The Joy of Cooking I am sure any recipe for chiffon (as
> a sheet cake) and whipped cream will do. I actually didn't follow the
> recipe exactly. There is room to experiment. The light fluffiness comes
> from folding in the egg whites and The Joy of Cooking uses baking powder.
>
> Mind you, your other option is to find a good Chinese bakery.


........or simply ask the people who requested the cake to tell you what they
expect.

In article >,
"Vox Humana" > wrote:

> I think the best thing to do is to ask the person who made the request.
> Since they specified that they wanted a particular type of cake, then they
> should be able to describe it.

.... and there's always the issue that the one being asked gets it right,
but the one who did the asking didn't know what the item *really* is
like.

--
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"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Vox Humana" > wrote:
>
> > I think the best thing to do is to ask the person who made the request.
> > Since they specified that they wanted a particular type of cake, then
they
> > should be able to describe it.
>
> ... and there's always the issue that the one being asked gets it right,
> but the one who did the asking didn't know what the item *really* is
> like.

If the OP doesn't understand what kind of cake to supply after talking to
the people who made the request, what's the chance he/she will get if right
after consulting with strangers on Usenet who a simply guessing? Had
someone said "I'm Vietnamese and I have a recipe for the only kind of cake
that has ever been server at a wedding in my county," then it would be a
different matter. Even in the USA, there are all sorts of different ideas
about what a wedding cake should be like. I suspect that there are regional
differences in Vietnam also.

I think that anyone who takes on the task of making a wedding cake is at
danger of disappointing someone on one of the most important and memorable
days of their life. If there is any chance that you don't know what you are
doing, then I recommend that you consider making a sample cake. That is the
only way that you know that you can make what you have promised and that the
bride and groom know what to expect. It gives both parties a chance to back
out. The sample cake doesn't have to be full scale, serving 350. It need
only be a six or nine inch layer cake that is decorated exactly as you
intend to deliver the entire cake.

In article >,
"Vox Humana" > wrote:

> If the OP doesn't understand what kind of cake to supply after talking to
> the people who made the request, what's the chance he/she will get if right
> after consulting with strangers on Usenet who a simply guessing? Had
> someone said "I'm Vietnamese and I have a recipe for the only kind of cake
> that has ever been server at a wedding in my county," then it would be a
> different matter. Even in the USA, there are all sorts of different ideas
> about what a wedding cake should be like. I suspect that there are regional
> differences in Vietnam also.

which is why it's important that the OP talk to the one making the
request. I was agreeing with you.

--
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"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Vox Humana" > wrote:
>
> > If the OP doesn't understand what kind of cake to supply after talking
to
> > the people who made the request, what's the chance he/she will get if
right
> > after consulting with strangers on Usenet who a simply guessing? Had
> > someone said "I'm Vietnamese and I have a recipe for the only kind of
cake
> > that has ever been server at a wedding in my county," then it would be a
> > different matter. Even in the USA, there are all sorts of different
ideas
> > about what a wedding cake should be like. I suspect that there are
regional
> > differences in Vietnam also.
>
> which is why it's important that the OP talk to the one making the
> request. I was agreeing with you.
>

Sorry, I didn't read it that way. It's been a bad day here all around.

In article
>,
Scott > wrote:

> which is why it's important that the OP talk to the one making the
> request. I was agreeing with you.

Actually, a clarification:
the agreement was in asking the requesting party exactly what they have
in mind, because the person being asked COULD get the request right (in
that what they make is a "true" Vietnamese wedding cake, assuming such a
thing exists), but the requesting party might have something else in
mind, something that they THOUGHT was a Vietnamese wedding cake, but
isn't.

I was reminded of some people I know who own coffee shops. They tell
stories of customers who walk in and ask for a such-and-such a drink,
and get annoyed when they're served the correct item, but they either
misremembered what the drink is, or were told the wrong name somewhere
else.

--
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"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> In article
> >,
> Scott > wrote:
>
> > which is why it's important that the OP talk to the one making the
> > request. I was agreeing with you.
>
> Actually, a clarification:
> the agreement was in asking the requesting party exactly what they have
> in mind, because the person being asked COULD get the request right (in
> that what they make is a "true" Vietnamese wedding cake, assuming such a
> thing exists), but the requesting party might have something else in
> mind, something that they THOUGHT was a Vietnamese wedding cake, but
> isn't.
>
> I was reminded of some people I know who own coffee shops. They tell
> stories of customers who walk in and ask for a such-and-such a drink,
> and get annoyed when they're served the correct item, but they either
> misremembered what the drink is, or were told the wrong name somewhere
> else.

Yes, the whole thing is a disaster in the making if you ask me.

"Diem Sellers" > wrote in message
om...
> Does anyone know what the difference is from a Vietnamese wedding cake
> vs an American wedding cake? Someone I know is getting married and
> has asked if anyone can bake a Vietnamese wedding cakes.
>
> From my experience, the cakes are kinda spongey and very light with
> whipped cream fillings. they are not super sickenly sweet as mos
> American cakes.
>
> I've search the internet and cannot find a recipe or an answer.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Diem

Just make sure there are several raw fish heads, w/eyes, protruding from the
frosting along with a liberal sprinkling of cooked rice. Anyone who likes
*real* Vietnamese cuisine will be well pleased.

After more than 30 years, I can still smell what they considered a tasty
meal.
H

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