Today’s wedding cakes come in many forms from the traditional white tier cake to the modern, funky, bright and bold. Your
wedding cake is a visual centrepiece at your celebration, and an important part of the ceremonial proceedings. The cake should reflect your tastes, personalities, and above all, the themes of your celebration. Traditionally the wedding cake dates back to medieval times when guests brought along small cakes, which were then stacked on top of each other. The bride and groom then attempted to kiss over the tower of cake, with success believed to bring luck, the taller the pile, the more prosperous the bride and groom.
Today the
wedding reception is seen to represent the couple’s first meal together, which family and friends are invited to share. Of course such a momentous occasion calls for a truly glamorous dessert. Making a decision on what to choose can be the tricky part. A good idea is to collect any pictures in magazines or online that appeal to you. Keeping a record of these can be useful starting points for when you make an appointment with your
cake decorator. Remember also to bring along any fabric swatches, colour samples, copy of your invitation, information about your flowers and even a picture of your dress may be helpful. All this information helps your decorator create a cake to suit you.
While the traditional fruitcake is sought after by some brides, it is becoming increasingly common to choose a cake flavour that can double as a dessert. If you are serving it as dessert remember to check plateage costs at your venue. Flavour choices will vary between decorators but mud cake in its various forms and with a variety of flavours is a popular choice today. The qualities and texture of chocolate lends it well to the extensive work that needs to be performed to create something special. Today the cake is rarely covered in the old fashioned marzipan, often replaced by icing, chocolate, white chocolate, or fondant.
If you choose fondant to cover your cake, make sure you taste it first. Some fondants can have a less appealing taste than others, and you want people to eat the whole thing, not just the cake inside. Your cake decorator will advise on what will give you the best flavour and appearance that you desire.
What kind of
wedding cake are you choosing? Let us know in the comments...