Planning for your wedding can be extremely overwhelming. Especially if you are not using a wedding planner. When it comes down the deciding on a wedding cake there are so many choices. I sat down with my good friend and local cake designer Ashley Barber to learn a bit more about the wedding cake business, educate my readers, and see if there is anything you can do to cut back on costs.
Hey Ashley! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me. Let's start things off with talking about the traditional wedding cake. Within the past few years the "traditional" idea of a wedding cake has gone out the window. Many brides are going against the grain of a standard tiered round cake. What have you noticed as some of the popular trends in recent years?The idea of a traditional wedding cake is definitely being redefined. What most people consider “traditional,” (the elaborate 3 tiers, ridiculous amounts of lattice work, 2 figurines on top) is definitely becoming a thing of the past. Women these days don’t want their grandmother’s wedding cake. They want something that represents them and their own personality.
One popular trend I’ve noticed is that people are opting for more simplistic designs. Copious amounts of piping work are becoming a thing of the past. Sleek, elegant designs, sometimes with a pop of color are becoming the norm. Many couples are opting for a monogrammed cake instead of a bride & groom topper as well.
Another trend I’ve seen is miniatures. The modern bride has decided to shake things up a bit with miniature cakes for her guests. Some brides are even taking this a step further by opting for miniature pies or pastries and throwing the cake idea completely out the window.
The idea of a groom's cake is a tradition in the South however the idea is spreading across the US. What is a groom's cake?Groom’s cakes are definitely a southern tradition but are frequently showing up at more and more weddings these days. Without getting into all the folklore behind the groom’s cake tradition, it is essentially a separate cake, typically in a different flavor than the wedding cake, that often reflects the groom’s personality or interests. Having a groom’s cake as part of the celebration is great because it allows the guests to have a choice in cake flavors without the couple having to spring for individual flavors in the wedding cake itself. Many groom’s cakes are comical in nature and help show the couple’s sense of humor as well.
I've noticed a lot of cakes have very elaborate designs including bows, monograms, or even lace work that mimics the bride's dress. How are these designs achieved? Butter cream? Fondant? Crazy piping skills?The elaborate designs, bows, monograms, etc. are achieved in many different ways. It all depends on the cake decorator. The more complicated designs the more skill is required. Buyers should be aware that not all cake decorators can do both piping and fondant with equal skill. While there are some decorators that are multi-talented there are many that have a preference. I personally prefer to work with fondant. I admire the piping skills of someone who works with buttercream, but it is certainly not my strong suit. The opposite goes for another baking friend of mine. She hates to work with fondant preferring to work only with buttercream.
In regards to fondant cakes, I’ve had many clients tell me during consultation that they dislike the taste of fondant and that even though they want a fondant cake, they want as little fondant as possible. In this situation, I always recommend finding a cake designer that makes his or her own fondant. Places that use store bought, prepackaged stuff, typically does not taste good. But, the good news is, even if the fondant isn’t very popular with some guests, most cakes still have a decent layer of icing underneath the fondant which is used to adhere the fondant to the cake.
Aside from the traditional chocolate and vanilla, what are some other flavors of wedding cake couples can consider? What about fillings?I love seeing wedding cakes in unique flavors. I recently saw a wedding cake that was done in a strawberry flavor and another more adult cake that was essentially a Harvey Wallbanger cocktail. I personally like cakes with fillings, such as a German chocolate or a chocolate strawberry torte. I do, however, recommend keeping weddings cakes one flavor. I know many brides think having a multiple flavored cake will offer variety to her guests, but it also adds additional costs and can be a hassle when it comes time to cut the cake – having to disassemble the tiers in order to reach each needed flavor. While we are on the topic of cutting, let me just say that it is important to know how you plan to cut the cake ahead of time. Ideally, you should cut starting on the top tier and work down, removing the supports inside as you move to each layer. Ask your cake designer for a cutting guide or Google one yourself beforehand. This will help the cutting of the cake go smoothly. And remember, this is not your grandmother’s cake! There really is no need to keep the top tier for your anniversary anymore. It tastes awful after being frozen for a year and it doesn’t aid in the cutting of the cake at all. Seriously, do you want to start year two of your marriage off with stale tasting cake? A better plan would be to purchase a small, single round for your anniversary by the same cake designer!
If a bride wants to think outside of the box, what are her options? I've seen some people incorporating cupcakes. If a couple is looking to save money on a cake, what are their options?Many couples these days are looking to cut costs on their weddings. A big misconception is that getting mini cakes or a dummy cake will be more affordable. It is important to realize that if you choose individual mini cakes or petit fours, it can be a lot more time consuming for the decorator. There is a lot more time and effort put into decorating hundreds of miniatures rather than one large cake. Some couples opt for a decorated dummy cake with a sheet cake back in the kitchen that is cut up for the guest. Unless you can find a good deal on this, a dummy cake can still cost you about as much as a real one. The bulk of the cost will be in the labor spent making it. Plus, the cake that will be sliced-up and served to your guests will still look like sheet cake.
The best way to cut costs on a wedding cake is to keep it simple, which is great since that is the popular trend in cakes these days. Sugar flowers, while extremely beautiful, can cost a lot. Instead of having your cake exploding with foliage, why not have a small group of cascading flowers flowing down the tiers?
I strongly suggest using an individual cake designer for your wedding cake rather than using a large catering company. While I am sure there are many catering companies with fantastic pastry chefs, my experience has been that the service you receive in designing your cake, having it tailored to your wants and needs, not to mention the additional options in flavors and designs, seem to be the perks of using a small local cake designer instead.
Wow! That was a lot of great information Ashley, thank you so much for contributing!I hope my readers have a bit more insight when it comes to wedding cakes and that these ideas have inspired you.
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