Wedding Cake – Everything You Never Needed to Know

Cake is perhaps one of my favorite wedding foods – especially GOOD wedding cake! (And, yes, I said perhaps – blame it on my love of Jane Austen books)

We’ll start with some info on the traditional wedding cake and then talk about other options (because, yes, you can do something besides the traditional cake!)

Photo by Mary Claire Photography

The Top Tier

Traditionally, the top tier is saved for the couple’s 1 year anniversary.  You do need to wrap it really well to freeze it and enjoy it at your one year anniversary.  Your baker should be able to give you instructions on this or Google is always your friend.
If you go this route, make sure you have enough servings on the other tiers to serve your guests.  Also let the caterer or whoever is cutting your cake know to save the top.

Some bakers are switching to provide a separate anniversary cake so there is no chance of the top tier accidentally being served. You can also ask your baker for a “credit” to come back in a year and get a fresh cake from them

What about cake flavor?

Well, the best news is wedding cake no longer is just one flavor – there are tons of options! The flavors available will depend on the cake baker/artist you hire.  We’ve had some amazing flavors and it’s hard to pick a favorite. Lemon and blueberry, Marble with maple frosting, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, cookie butter cake (think Biscotti in cake form) – so many delicious flavors! 

Some cake artists will allow you to do a different flavor on each tier – you’ll just need to check with your chosen baker.

Photo by Hillary Leah Photography

Pretty Cake

You want your cake to be delicious AND pretty – that’s not too much to ask, right?  Nope – not at all.  There are lots of amazing bakers that make delicious and beautiful cakes.  Each baker will have their own style, so make sure you look at their work. But great cake artists love a challenge, too – so don’t be afraid to send them inspiration that you don’t see on their website.

Current trends lean toward buttercream icing instead of fondant.  If you have ever had fondant, you are probably thrilled with that trend!  Fondant can make an extremely smooth cake and is used to create figures but buttercream icing has it beat in taste!

Cake decorations can range from fresh flowers, edible sugar flowers, buttercream “painted” designs and so much more.  If you are planning on fresh flowers, those typically come from your florist so make sure you connect the two vendors.

Cake Cutting

This piece can be tricky depending on your venue or caterer.  Your cake baker will deliver the cake to your venue, but they do not stay to cut it.  You need to make sure your caterer, coordinator or venue staff are lined up for that job.  Check to see if there is a separate fee for cake cutting or if it’s included.  You do need someone who knows how to cut a wedding cake correctly to get the right amount of servings out of it.  (See, who knew there was a special way to cut cake?)

Photo  by Kaptured Photography

It doesn’t have to be Cake!

If you aren’t a cake fan – that’s ok.  Your wedding should reflect you as a couple, so go for something else!  We’ve seen donuts, pie, cobbler, cookies, mini dessert assortments – so many options.

There is no rule that you have a wedding cake.  As long as it’s sweet and delicious, your guests will enjoy it.

​- Becky