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A Cake to Remember
By Jean Hailey
Photography By Brenda Ladd Photography
Finding someone to make a wedding cake is a “piece of cake,” but finding someone to make a “cake to remember” takes someone who is very creative. You and your fiancé deserve to have a cake that is not only delicious, but one that you both will remember forever.
The wedding cake may be the sweetest symbol of a wedding celebration, and in recent history, traditional wedding cakes typically consist of plain white cake heavily decorated with white icing and topped with a plastic replica of a bride and groom. But it is a new millennium, and your cake can now be a fun statement of your individuality. Today’s wedding cakes are “works of art,” and finding the perfect artist is of great importance.
You should start searching for your wedding cake at least one year in advance. Don’t wait until three to six months prior to the wedding date as some literature suggests. Most quality bakers will be unavailable if you wait that late to book their services.
Most importantly, interview bakers in person, ask lots of questions, bring photographs of designs that you like, and then determine if they are qualified to create the impression you are looking for. As you check out their portfolio, make sure that you are looking at cakes that they have actually made personally, and not just pictures in magazines and books. Magazines and books are great for exciting ideas, but you need to see the baker’s actual workmanship and level of proficiency. It is your responsibility to find the perfect cake designer, but it is your cake designer’s responsibility to grasp your dreams and make them a reality.
Here are some very important questions to ask the baker:
- How many years have you been in business?
- Do you have references?
- Is your health department licensing up to date?
- May I see your portfolio?
- Have you made all of the cakes in your portfolio yourself?
- Do you charge additional for each layer of the cake being different flavors?
- Do you charge additional for fillings?
- Is there a delivery fee?
- Do you rent equipment? If so, what is the charge?
- What type of retainer fee do you require?
- When is the balance due?
- How soon do you bake the cake before the wedding?
- What time will you deliver the cake on my wedding day?
- Do you customize cakes, or do I have to pick a design in your portfolio?
- What days are best for me to reach you?
- Do you have cake tastings? Can I participate more than once?
- Do you provide fresh flowers or do I get these from my florists?
- Have you won any awards for your talent?
- Do you specialize in any particular technique or art form?
Once you’ve found your baker, don’t take a chance of losing them. Sign an agreement and leave a retainer so that someone else doesn’t book your day and time. Remember to get copies of receipts and keep them on file for your records. Remain in contact with your baker and update them on your most recent ideas. Collect photographs of cakes from magazines, websites, and books so that you can give your baker a visual representation of what you want. Austin WeddingDay magazine has photographs of many wonderful wedding cakes. Your baker might even have a website that showcases their work online.
The number of wedding cake designs is endless. Almost anything is possible. The most popular trend now is an elegant, stacked cake, without columns, but with smooth corners, delicate borders, and edible artwork. It is even becoming popular to incorporate a pattern from the bridal gown into the theme of the cake. It’s hard to imagine that bakers can do something like that! As you begin your search for the ultimate wedding cake, expect to see creations you never imagined; cakes resembling beautifully decorated hat boxes or wrapped gifts, sweet layers supported by sleek, glass pillars or “Alice in Wonderland” tilted layers in bright colors. You will see cakes so beautiful that you won’t want to cut them.
Wedding cakes have the assurance for looking good but should also be delectable in taste for all guests waiting for that first slice. The texture and flavor of the cake is important so when you’re out shopping don’t hesitate to ask for samples of cake flavors. You may taste cakes with a different flavor for each layer, from mocha with kahlua to hazelnut praline crunch. You may savor the taste of the always-popular carrot cake with cream cheese icing, a delicate angel food cake or even cheesecake stacked and layered with fresh strawberries and decorated with whipped cream.
Brides don’t have to settle for the traditional white vanilla cake with the plastic bride and groom on top any more. From fruit cake to cheesecake, icing to ice-cream, there are many decisions to make when choosing a wedding cake that will suit you, your fiancé and your guests.
Here are a few tips to create the delicious wedding cake you deserve.
- Try a multi-flavored cake. This would be a great option if you can’t decide between one flavor and another, or if you want to give your guests a selection of cakes. If you have three layers of cake, you could have a layer of mud cake, a layer of vanilla cake and a layer of rainbow cake. Now that would be something for everyone.
- For extra flavor, you could have a wedding cake with filling. Talk to your baker about a filling made of white or dark chocolate, strawberry, mocha or preserves.
- How about a unique popular icing? Instead of just white icing, try white chocolate icing. It would be a delicious and surprising alternative.
- Have a wedding cake with an unusual shape. One very popular style is to have a wedding cake that resembles a stack of presents. This is a fun cake, and generally has two or more square layers that are heavily decorated and tied with a bow.
- How about a cake with each layer made in a different shape. For example, a square layer, a heart shaped layer and a hexagon layer would make your cake modern indeed.
- Decorate your wedding cake to match your color scheme. If your color scheme will be rose pink, you could cover your cake with small pink rosebuds, either real or made of icing.
- For extra special touch, talk to your baker about using some of the detail on your wedding dress to make decorations for your cake. If you take a picture of your dress to your baker, he should be able to duplicate some of the lace, beading or other decorations from your dress onto your wedding cake.
Topping it off
Not to be overlooked is your cake top. That famous pair, the plastic bride and groom, have been replaced with fun, whimsical, elegant and personalized items Almost anything goes, from blown-glass to porcelain figurines painted and dressed in the likeness of the bride and groom, to ornaments depicting a couple’s occupations or hobbies. If you’re more traditional, fresh flowers echoing those used throughout the wedding are always beautiful. As in every other aspect of your wedding, the cake should reflect the couple’s personality.
Down to Details
Once you have made your decision about the baker, the style, and flavor of your cake, you will finalize the details of your cake selection in writing. Your contract should describe the specifics of the cake; filling and icing flavors, colors, decorations, cake top, number of servings, delivery date, time, location and set-up details. Confirm that all services are included in the final contract price. Usually a deposit of 50% is required, and the final head count is due no later than five days before the wedding. Make sure you request a written copy of your order or contract. The order should include:
- Cake type and style
- General description of the decorations
- Numbers of layers
- Fillings for each layer
- Type of frosting
- Cake top
- Your wedding date
- Time and location of delivery
- Total price, including delivery and set up charges, if they apply
Cutting the Cake
More than likely your baker will provide you tips on how to cut the cake with ease. Plan to have your cake knife and lifter decorated with ribbons or fresh flowers. As tradition has it, you will grasp the knife in your right hand and your groom will enclose it with his. Together, you will plunge the knife into this ancient symbol of prosperity and fertility.
Cake Top for Your First Anniversary
As tradition, the bride and groom take the top of the cake, put it in the freezer and eat it together on their one-year anniversary. However, frozen wedding cake tends to taste a little odd after one year. Another alternative is to carefully wrap your cake top and place it in a plastic airtight container and then put it in the freezer and eat it when you get back from your honeymoon, or, perhaps during an intimate one-month anniversary celebration.
Another idea you may entertain when it comes time for your first year anniversary is to call your baker and order the same top that you had on your wedding cake. Some married couples select a different wedding cake each year to celebrate their wedding anniversary. How dreamy!
You and your fiancé deserve to have that special cake for your wedding day. There are hundreds of alternative and fun ideas for wedding cake designs that will surprise and delight all of your guests. See the experts at Simon Lee Bakery, Just Desserts, Matty’s Cakes or Blue Note Bakery to create your very own “Cake to Remember.”
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