How will you get started on getting a cake that
suits your tastes? We've compiled all the
need-to-know-info.
Your cake can't just look good -- it needs to taste
good, too. We've dug up the all-you-need-to-know info on
getting a fabulous cake that's delicious and drop-dead
gorgeous.
Never feel obligated to let your caterer (or banquet hall) make your cake. You may wish to seek out a pastry chef or cake designer who specializes in wedding cakes -- these specialists often offer more creative options. But don't underestimate the talent of your caterer. He or she may be able to craft the creative confection of your choice. Request to see (and taste!) samples of various bakers' work to find your ideal designer. (For more info on finding "the one", check out Cake Designers: Finding One.)
If you're getting your cake from an independent designer or bakery, check out the baker's or designer's reputation. If your friends haven't referred you to anyone, ask your caterer or banquet manager for recommendations. The most brilliant pastry chef in the world (or the most affordable one) could be notoriously unreliable. A slight delay or careless transport can potentially ruin one of your wedding's highlights. Before you sign a contract, get that seal of approval.
Deal with the cake after all decisions about dress style and reception decor have been made. These elements can serve as a blueprint for the design and structure of your wedding cake. Choose a cake that's compatible with the style of the venue, the season, your gown, the flower arrangements, or the menu. If you want colorful accents (such as sugar flowers or icing ribbons), give your baker sample fabric swatches. The cake should be part of the wedding, not a glaring sideshow.
Definitely sample the cake, complete with fillings and icing, before the wedding -- nothing is more disappointing than a breathtaking cake with cloyingly sweet yet bland icing. Is the chocolate too intense? Too bitter? Are the subtle hints of almond extract too subtle? Don't be afraid to strive for sublime sweets.
Don't order a different flavor and filling for each layer: Variety is expensive. Go all out, but don't go nuts (... and vanilla mousse and mocha cream and pineapple). If you must feature multiple flavors, limit your order to just two types of cake.
If you're using fresh blooms, triple-check with your florist that they have not been sprayed with pesticides. Make sure all inedible decorative elements are removed before the cake is sliced and served.
Can't decide between fresh or sugar flowers? Have the best of both worlds: Crystallized edible flowers such as violets can have a magical, old-fashioned effect.
If you're having an outdoor wedding in a hot climate, stay away from whipped cream, meringue, and buttercream: they melt. Ask your baker about summer icing options: Instead of pure butter, vegetable shortening, which melts at a higher temperature, is added to buttercream icing. This increases the cake's ability to withstand the heat.
There are many beautiful and unique ways to top off your cake, so avoid plastic figurines (unless you're going for kitsch). If you have an heirloom piece -- especially a fine porcelain antique -- work with your baker to integrate it into an appropriate design. A pair of sugar or gingerbread cookies can look charming atop a country wedding cake. Finely sculpted maple sugar or marzipan figurines are quaint. Other alternatives: a bouquet of sugar flowers, a cascade of icing ribbons, or even a sugar block carved out to reveal your new monogram.
Generally, three tiers will serve 50 to 100 guests; you'll likely need five layers for 200 guests or more. If the reception is in a room with grand, high ceilings, consider increasing the cake's stature with columns between the tiers. (A "stacked" cake is one with its layers stacked directly atop each other, with no separators.)
The popularity of grooms cakes, traditionally a Southern custom, is on the rise. The bride's cake -- the one cut by the couple at the reception -- is traditionally eaten as dessert. The groom's cake is usually darker and richer (often chocolate). Give slices to guests as a take-home memento; superstition holds that if single women sleep with a slice under their pillow that night, they'll dream of their future husband. Legends aside, grooms are getting creative, ordering cakes shaped and flavored like their passions and obsessions: iguanas, footballs, cigars, skyscrapers, and more.
Wedding cake often is priced by the slice -- the cost ranges widely, but generally from $1.50 to $15 per slice (though this is a very general and loose estimate). The more complicated the cake (based on intricate decorations or hard-to-find fillings), the higher the price tag. Fondant icing is more expensive than buttercream, and if you want elaborate molded shapes, vibrant colors, or handmade sugar-flower detailing, you'll pay for the cake designer's labor. Knot Note: Buttercream is much more delicious to eat! If you love the smooth, almost surreal-like look of fondant, consider frosting the cake in buttercream first and then adding a layer of fondant over the entire confection.
Order a small cake that's decorated to perfection but can only feed a handful (or even a fake cake made of styrofoam but one that's decorated in real sugar) and then several sheet cakes of the same flavor to actually feed the guests. Stay away from tiers, handmade sugar flowers, and special molded shapes. Garnish with seasonal flowers and fruit for an elegant (but less expensive) effect. If you'll have a dessert table (or another sweet) in addition to the cake, consider a cake sized for half your guests. Servings will be smaller, but the fee will shrink, too.
Your cake will likely be on display before it's cut and consumed. Make sure there is a designated cake table that allows the most elegant presentation possible. A round table is perfect for round cakes, but a linear cake design may call for a rectangular table. Determine your options. Once you have a cake table, have fun dressing it up: Drape it with sumptuous fabrics and decorate it with motifs, colors, and flowers to match the cake (your florist can help).
It's a nice personal touch to have Grandma or Mom bake your cake, but this works best for small weddings. Baking for 200 or more is an engineering feat best left to professionals.
Cake delivery takes coordination. Complex cakes may not necessarily be delivered in final form. Allow time and space for assembly, if needed. Refrigeration may also be required. For more on last-minute details, review our Points for the Contract.
Even if you take the most painstaking packaging measures, eating the top tier of your cake on your first anniversary sounds far better than it tastes. Think about indulging on your two-week or one-month anniversary, and treat yourself to a fresh cake in the same flavor when you've survived the first year. If you must adhere to tradition, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then bag it in an airtight baggie. Never use aluminum foil -- it won't protect against freezerburn because it's not an airtight material.
1. Start Your Talent Search.
Never feel obligated to let your caterer (or banquet hall) make your cake. You may wish to seek out a pastry chef or cake designer who specializes in wedding cakes -- these specialists often offer more creative options. But don't underestimate the talent of your caterer. He or she may be able to craft the creative confection of your choice. Request to see (and taste!) samples of various bakers' work to find your ideal designer. (For more info on finding "the one", check out Cake Designers: Finding One.)
2. Check On Reputations.
If you're getting your cake from an independent designer or bakery, check out the baker's or designer's reputation. If your friends haven't referred you to anyone, ask your caterer or banquet manager for recommendations. The most brilliant pastry chef in the world (or the most affordable one) could be notoriously unreliable. A slight delay or careless transport can potentially ruin one of your wedding's highlights. Before you sign a contract, get that seal of approval.
3. Select a Style.
Deal with the cake after all decisions about dress style and reception decor have been made. These elements can serve as a blueprint for the design and structure of your wedding cake. Choose a cake that's compatible with the style of the venue, the season, your gown, the flower arrangements, or the menu. If you want colorful accents (such as sugar flowers or icing ribbons), give your baker sample fabric swatches. The cake should be part of the wedding, not a glaring sideshow.
4. Choose Your Flavors.
Definitely sample the cake, complete with fillings and icing, before the wedding -- nothing is more disappointing than a breathtaking cake with cloyingly sweet yet bland icing. Is the chocolate too intense? Too bitter? Are the subtle hints of almond extract too subtle? Don't be afraid to strive for sublime sweets.
5. Tame Your Sweet Tooth.
Don't order a different flavor and filling for each layer: Variety is expensive. Go all out, but don't go nuts (... and vanilla mousse and mocha cream and pineapple). If you must feature multiple flavors, limit your order to just two types of cake.
6. Be Cautious with Fresh Flowers.
If you're using fresh blooms, triple-check with your florist that they have not been sprayed with pesticides. Make sure all inedible decorative elements are removed before the cake is sliced and served.
7. Choose Your Cake Decorations.
Can't decide between fresh or sugar flowers? Have the best of both worlds: Crystallized edible flowers such as violets can have a magical, old-fashioned effect.
8. Be Wary of the Weather.
If you're having an outdoor wedding in a hot climate, stay away from whipped cream, meringue, and buttercream: they melt. Ask your baker about summer icing options: Instead of pure butter, vegetable shortening, which melts at a higher temperature, is added to buttercream icing. This increases the cake's ability to withstand the heat.
9. Be Sure to Top it Off.
There are many beautiful and unique ways to top off your cake, so avoid plastic figurines (unless you're going for kitsch). If you have an heirloom piece -- especially a fine porcelain antique -- work with your baker to integrate it into an appropriate design. A pair of sugar or gingerbread cookies can look charming atop a country wedding cake. Finely sculpted maple sugar or marzipan figurines are quaint. Other alternatives: a bouquet of sugar flowers, a cascade of icing ribbons, or even a sugar block carved out to reveal your new monogram.
10. Size It Up.
Generally, three tiers will serve 50 to 100 guests; you'll likely need five layers for 200 guests or more. If the reception is in a room with grand, high ceilings, consider increasing the cake's stature with columns between the tiers. (A "stacked" cake is one with its layers stacked directly atop each other, with no separators.)
11. Create a Confection for Him.
The popularity of grooms cakes, traditionally a Southern custom, is on the rise. The bride's cake -- the one cut by the couple at the reception -- is traditionally eaten as dessert. The groom's cake is usually darker and richer (often chocolate). Give slices to guests as a take-home memento; superstition holds that if single women sleep with a slice under their pillow that night, they'll dream of their future husband. Legends aside, grooms are getting creative, ordering cakes shaped and flavored like their passions and obsessions: iguanas, footballs, cigars, skyscrapers, and more.
12. Figure Out What You'll Pay.
Wedding cake often is priced by the slice -- the cost ranges widely, but generally from $1.50 to $15 per slice (though this is a very general and loose estimate). The more complicated the cake (based on intricate decorations or hard-to-find fillings), the higher the price tag. Fondant icing is more expensive than buttercream, and if you want elaborate molded shapes, vibrant colors, or handmade sugar-flower detailing, you'll pay for the cake designer's labor. Knot Note: Buttercream is much more delicious to eat! If you love the smooth, almost surreal-like look of fondant, consider frosting the cake in buttercream first and then adding a layer of fondant over the entire confection.
13. Find Ways to Save.
Order a small cake that's decorated to perfection but can only feed a handful (or even a fake cake made of styrofoam but one that's decorated in real sugar) and then several sheet cakes of the same flavor to actually feed the guests. Stay away from tiers, handmade sugar flowers, and special molded shapes. Garnish with seasonal flowers and fruit for an elegant (but less expensive) effect. If you'll have a dessert table (or another sweet) in addition to the cake, consider a cake sized for half your guests. Servings will be smaller, but the fee will shrink, too.
14. Get it On Display.
Your cake will likely be on display before it's cut and consumed. Make sure there is a designated cake table that allows the most elegant presentation possible. A round table is perfect for round cakes, but a linear cake design may call for a rectangular table. Determine your options. Once you have a cake table, have fun dressing it up: Drape it with sumptuous fabrics and decorate it with motifs, colors, and flowers to match the cake (your florist can help).
15. Choose an Alternative: Homebaked Cake.
It's a nice personal touch to have Grandma or Mom bake your cake, but this works best for small weddings. Baking for 200 or more is an engineering feat best left to professionals.
16. Lock Down Delivery Details.
Cake delivery takes coordination. Complex cakes may not necessarily be delivered in final form. Allow time and space for assembly, if needed. Refrigeration may also be required. For more on last-minute details, review our Points for the Contract.
17. After the Wedding: Avoid Freezer Burn.
Even if you take the most painstaking packaging measures, eating the top tier of your cake on your first anniversary sounds far better than it tastes. Think about indulging on your two-week or one-month anniversary, and treat yourself to a fresh cake in the same flavor when you've survived the first year. If you must adhere to tradition, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then bag it in an airtight baggie. Never use aluminum foil -- it won't protect against freezerburn because it's not an airtight material.