It’s been at least a few weeks since we’ve discussed food on the blog so… it’s about time to bring it back up! I wanted to take some time to discuss this great work of art that doubles as dessert (or perhaps vice versa).
I was never really a cake person until I started going to weddings. A cake was one of those desserts that was quite easy to pass up. Too sweet frosting on a vanilla cake that is sometimes mixed with melted wax and a child’s spit? Maybe next time. But somehow, wedding cakes were on a whole different level of deliciousness! It must be the lack of candles. And singing.
The Flavor
Since wedding cakes are at least a couple tiers high, that gives you and your fiancé a few options to go as creative or as simple as you want! It is good to keep in mind your guests’ preferences and dietary restrictions.
A few guidelines:
Plain white cake keeps best in the freezer, if you are doing the whole “save a slice for your anniversary” thing.
Bakers tend to want chocolate cakes to be frosted in chocolate so unless you make a case for white chocolate frosting, your cake will be brown on the outside.
Some people just don’t like chocolate so it is good to have at least one tier (or the groom’s cake) a different flavor.
Buttercream frosting tends to be more appealing than fondant to most people (and it is cheaper), however it tends to melt in warm temperatures.
The Design
As for the design of the cake, it makes sense that the more intricate design, the more expensive it will be. Things like piping (little patterns made with frosting), anything made with fondant, and variations on cake shapes will cost extra. If you’re looking for cost cutting ideas here, decorate the cake with real flowers, ribbon, or go for the naked cake look.
The Cost
The cost per slice does add up quickly but remember that the complexity of the flavors and design and even the height of the slice factor into the pricing. The height of the slice is something to remember because your average grocery store slice is only one layer thick whereas cake slices have 2-4 layers of cake and frosting.
Many vendors also add on a delivery fee because after all of that preparation, transporting the cake is probably the most nerve-wracking and least salvageable part of the process! You can fix most errors with the cake with enough time (or frosting) unless the cake is on the floor and it’s an hour before dinner.
The wedding cake is probably one of the most important desserts you’ll ever eat in your life – after all, is there any other time when people intently watch/photograph/videotape you eat cake or feed cake to another person? It might as well look and taste good.