cakes at Safeway vs Giant vs Harris Teeter

[Anonymous]

I need to buy a birthday cake for this weekend. Has anyone tried Safeway cakes? How do they compare with Giant cakes? We've used Giant the last several years, and they were fine, but there is a Safeway right next to our party venue. There is also a Harris Teeter nearby, in case anybody's tried them.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to say all these fall in the category of "poor quality sugar". Nobody actually likes them. Try a cake from Whole Foods, Balducci's or Cake Love (downtown Silver Spring). Although expensive, the party guests will REALLY appreciate your discerning taste. And it is better to have a tiny delicious morsel of cake than seeing everyone stick their huge cake portions in the trash. I believe downtown Bethesda also has a few small cake shops that are really good too, but cannot remember their names.

[Anonymous]

Well I guess I am nobody because I love cakes from all three. And I know for a fact that my entire family (mom, aunts, etc) share my love for sweet icing cakes.

I haven't gotten one from Safeway in awhile, but I think their bakery is the best if it is a good Safeway (bakery on the premise). I have found that a lot of their cakes have "whipped icing." Which you may want, but if you are going for that super-sweet true icing taste, you won't want the whipped icing. They have both, just something to look out for.

Harris Teeter is also good. They tend to have fancier cakes (not just plain ol vanilla or chocolate birthday cakes).

[Anonymous]

I hate Whole Food cakes! The frosting was tasted like pure butter, it was gross. Maybe we just got a bad cake, but I'd recommend Harris Teeter.

[Anonymous]

Cakelove cakes and cupcakes are seriously overrated.

[Anonymous]

I LOVE grocery store cakes! I've never been happy with a fancy cake, seriously. My fav in this category is either Costco or BJ's. YUM!

[Anonymous]

i love all cakes, really, but also vote against cakelove and wholefoods. the buttercream icing from both is greasy and flavorless. i think you can do equally well at all of the grocery stores, but i'd stay away from the "whipped satin" or whipped cream icing at any of them. i have a slight preference for giant, i guess.

[Anonymous]

Harris Teeter marble ckae with fudge frosting! This spring I was making up reasons to celebrate with this cake! HA!

[Anonymous]

If you get a Cakelove or Whole Foods cake, you will need to leave it at room temperature for an hour or two so the frosting warms up and you can taste the sugar. Otherwise, yeah, it's like eating butter.

A lot depends on what you're used to. If you grew up on store cakes or mix cakes with canned icing, a scratch cake or fancyass bakery cake using butter is not going to ring your chimes, and vice versa.

If it's for a kids' party, it's probably safe to assume that most of the guests are only going to eat the icing, which they would like as vividly colored as possible. Do what's easiest.

[Anonymous]

I've done a fancy cake for WAY too much money from a fancy bakery in Bethesda and it wasn't good. This year, for our DD's 2nd bday, the cake came from Harris Teeter and it was delicious and about 50% less expensive. I vote for HT!

[Anonymous]

Another fan of grocery store cakes here! Costco is my favorite, but of course you have to be a member. Of the three stores you listed, I think Safeway is the best. A friend recently had her wedding cake from Safeway and it was delicious. I've had one cake from Harris Teeter and wasn't impressed.

[Anonymous]

costco cakes rule!! but you may not want something that big....don't waste your money on cakelove--totally overrated, as others have noted. i had a fancy baker lady bake my son's first cake last year...for $60, while i made some cupcakes. everyone raved about my cupcakes and dissed the fancy cake. so, homemade trumps them all! (i used a mix, but put a miniature snicker bar to bake inside each cupcake...soo good!)

[Anonymous]

I also love grocery store and warehouse style cakes. I like Giant (especially fresh so order ratehr than picking up the ones in the fridge or freezer). Safeway is second and HT is 3rd. I have only had HT once and wasn't impressed, but may need to try them again considering the good reviews here.

[Anonymous]

I also second the Costco cakes. They are amazing and very inexpensive.

Back to your original question - I haven't bought a cake from Giant/Safeway/Harris Teeter, so I can't give my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had cakes from all 3 of them, but I think Safeway cakes are excellent. The last several times I have been really impressed with someone's birthday cake, it was a Safeway cake. I think their whipped frosting is awesome!