Wedding Cake Guide

The Ultimate Wedding Cake Guide

When you think of a wedding, the tiered, decorated cake is often an image that pops in your mind. A wedding cake symbolizes the bride and the groom's love for each other, and is often the centerpiece of the wedding. The purpose and significance over the years have changed and is different for different cultures, but the importance is still held high for this stunning, sugary, statuesque dessert during weddings.

Choosing the perfect wedding cake for your wedding can be a big task and this guide is put together to help you decide on the perfect wedding cake for your big day.

The History Behind the Tradition
of the Wedding Cake

It was in the 19th century that you see the beginning of the tradition of the modern wedding cake. At first it started out as a single-tiered plum cake, and gradually evolved into a white three-tiered cake that serves as the symbol of a wedding today.

A wedding cake is more than just the centerpiece of your wedding reception -- each tier is fraught with deep symbolism

The Importance of a Wedding Cake

Traditionally, a wedding cake is a three-tiered cake.

    • The top tier stands for the couple.
    • The middle tier stands for the children they hope to welcome into their family.
    • The bottom tier stands for the couple as a family.

The more recent tradition is to use the bottom tier to eat at the reception, the middle tier to distribute as gifts, and to save the top tier of the wedding cake for the first anniversary.

Tradition dictates the wedding cake cutting ceremony to be an important custom. The groom places his hand over the bride's hand to cut the first piece of the cake. This custom symbolizes the groom's support for his bride; and her vow to take care of him and his family. The newlyweds feed each other the cake as a symbol of their commitment to take care of one another.

What are the Different Wedding Cake Styles?

In the midst of deciding the wedding decor, the right catering, and the wedding dress for the big day, there’s another important decision to be made -- the style of the wedding cake. Here are some of the most popular options:

Floral Wedding Cakes

Floral Wedding Cakes

Floral wedding cakes have always been in vogue. You can match the floral designs on your cake to your wedding decor, or the bride can make sure that the cake has her favourite flowers.

Floral Wedding Cakes

Lace Wedding Cakes

Lace Wedding Cakes

Ever popular with brides who want to match their wedding outfits with their wedding cakes; lace adds a beautiful vintage, feminine element to the mix.

Lace Wedding Cakes

Golden/Silver Wedding Cakes

Golden/Silver Wedding Cakes

If you want your cake to look royal this is a great option. Golden themed cakes can look sleek, sophisticated and can add glamour to your wedding.

Golden/Silver Wedding Cakes

Naked Wedding Cakes

Naked Wedding Cakes

Thinking of skipping the icing entirely? You’re not alone. Many couples are opting for naked cakes, i.e., cakes without frosting. These cakes last longer — and have a charming, rustic appeal.

Naked Wedding Cakes

Painted Wedding Cakes

Painted Wedding Cakes

Cakes with hand painted designs are also popular. Your cake will look like a piece of art.

Painted Wedding Cakes

Unconventional Themes

Unconventional Themes

If you don’t want to opt for a cliché cake designs, these few unconventional wedding cake themes are for you:

Unconventional Themes

Wedding cupcakes

Wedding cupcakes

Cutting into a white three-tiered cake, not your thing? Try a wedding cupcakes.

Wedding cupcakes

Alternative Tiers

Alternative Tiers

This wedding cake style is just a twist on the traditional three-tier wedding cake. You can use waffles or some other dessert instead of the regular cake tier.

Alternative Tiers

Structural Wedding Cakes

Structural Wedding Cakes

You can have fun with architectural designs. A wedding cake in the shape of the Eiffel Tower, because that’s the symbol of romance for you or a cake in the form of Harry Potter sorting hat if both of you are Potterheads is a great way to show your fun and quirky side.

Structural Wedding Cakes

How to Find the Perfect Wedding Cake Style to Match with Your Wedding Theme?

If you are ready with the wedding theme and are looking for a wedding cake that’s best suited to your wedding theme, this table might help.


Wedding Theme

Wedding Cake Style

Why It’s a Match?
Traditional/Classical White, 3-tier Because you are a stickler for tradition.
Vintage Lace/Lace with Gold or Silver Because you like keeping it old school.
Romantic Floral Because you are a hardcore romantic.
Contemporary Structural Design Because you are beyond the ordinary.
Rustic Naked Tiers Because you love simplicity.
Bohemian Painted Because you are an artist at heart.
Glamorous Metallic Because you love glamour.

How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Cake Base?

Now that you have decided on the style of the wedding cake, you need to decide what it will taste like. Here are some of the most popular wedding cake bases in the market:

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Vanilla

Vanilla has always been and will remain a popular cake flavour thanks to its universal appeal. More than 25% of couples choosing a wedding cake tend to gravitate towards vanilla. It's delicious, and it works well with any frosting and filling, regardless of it being eggless or not.

Chocolate

Chocolate always reigns supreme in any dessert choosing competition. Nobody can deny the goodness of chocolate -- also you can't mess up baking chocolate cake, and there are very few people who will not like chocolate.

Chocolate is also the second most chosen wedding cake base (16% of couples choose chocolate base), thanks to the fact that chocolate is a versatile ingredient.

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Red Velvet

This lush red flavour makes for the perfect wedding cake thanks to its perfect hue, which represents the celebration of romance. The rich, smoothness of the flavour adds to the appeal of this cake. Red velvet is one of the top three most preferred flavours of cake among couples.

Fruitcake

Opt for fruitcake if you want to follow in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Princes Charles and Princess Diana, and Prince William and Kate Middleton. The preferred wedding cake flavour of the royals, fruitcake gets a shout out because it's easy to preserve for an extended period of time.

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How to Choose the Right Wedding Cake Icing?

Now that you have decided on the perfect base for your wedding cake, it’s time to choose the right icing.

But before we do that, let’s delve a bit on the history of wedding cake icing.

Vanilla icing for wedding cakes dates back to the Victorian ages. Since expensive white sugar was used to create the icing, the white icing was considered as a symbol of wealth. White is also a representation of the bride as the focal point of the wedding -- brides also use this opportunity to create cakes in the same hues as their dress and bouquet. Also, vanilla icing, made using buttercream or whipped cream, tastes great with any cake base and filling.

Types of Wedding Cake Icing

Glaze

Glaze

Glaze is the perfect option for couples who don’t want to skip cake icing entirely but don’t want to go for a naked-tier wedding cake either. This sweet icing is made from confectionary sugar, water, and butter. It tastes great and will give a simple, classical feel to your wedding cake.

Glaze

Whipped Cream

Whipped Cream

If you want light, fluffy, and smooth icing on your wedding cake, whipped cream is the way to go. But steer clear of this icing during outdoor, summer weddings because the fluffy consistency makes it susceptible to melting fast.

Whipped Cream

Fondant

Fondant

Fondant remains the most popular choice to create beautiful, instagrammable works of art. This firm sugar icing gives a clean, polished look, and it’s incredibly versatile too. Fondant also holds up well in warmer temperatures.

Fondant

Merguine

Merguine

Merguine is the smooth, silky, less-sweet version of buttercream. It can almost imitate the finish of a fondant cake and works well with a variety of different textures. Though it doesn’t hold well in warmer temperatures, merguine is great for indoor celebrations.

Merguine

Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache

You can use chocolate in a varying level of richness to create the perfect blend that suits your taste. You can elevate it to gourmet level by accentuating its taste by adding flavours like mint, coffee, or strawberry.

Chocolate Ganache

Buttercream Icing

Buttercream Icing

If you have a sweet(er) tooth, buttercream is the way to go. Made out of a combination of icing sugar, and butter, it’s much sweeter than other traditional options.

But be aware — this frosting is a bit trickier to work with, so your cake’s design might not look super sleek, but rest assured, it will taste great.

Buttercream Icing

What are the Different Wedding Cake Fillings?

Once you have decided on a cake base, and the icing, here's the cherry on the top of the cake, or rather, the filling in the cake. You can either have a plain ol' vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream icing, or you can choose to jazz it up.

Fillings are a great way to add that extra element to take your cake up a notch. It also adds a surprise element which can be fun. The permutations and combinations to decide the perfect filling for your cake on the big day depend on your personal taste. You can go as wild as you want, just make sure you do a tasting before finalizing.

  • Caramel

  • Salted caramel

  • Hazelnut

  • Coconut

  • Cherry

  • Peanut bautter

  • Orange

  • Coffee

  • Berries

  • Lemon curd

  • Mango

  • Citrus

  • Coconut

  • Chocolate

  • Coffee

  • Kiwi

  • Motichoor

  • Rabdi

  • Pistachio

  • Mixed nuts

  • Kesar

  • Chai

  • Cardamom

  • Rose

Tips on Deciding the Perfect Wedding Cake

If you are confused about what wedding cake you need to pick, here are a few tips you should consider before you make the big decision:

  • Consider the weather at the time of your wedding. For example, if you are having a summer wedding, a fruity cake with mangoes might be a good idea, whereas strawberries will work better in winter.
  • The cake topper is like the show-stopper of the wedding cake. So, get creative with it and make a statement with it. This is where you can explore your creative side!
  • Have a checklist of things you will need for the cake cutting. The list includes having the perfect decorated knife, toast glasses, napkins, forks, spoons, and small plates.
  • If you have a set budget for the cake, consult with your baker about how much cake you will need according to your guest list.
  • Keep in mind the theme of your wedding, and make sure your cake is in the same style as the overall theme of your wedding.
  • Choose two complementary flavours so that your guests have an option in case they don't like the main flavour you have chosen.
  • If your wedding cake has eggs, then ask your guests if they want an eggless or vegan cake option, and keep a few pieces ready accordingly.
  • Have a checklist of things you will need for the cake cutting. The list includes having the perfect decorated knife, toast glasses, napkins, forks, spoons, and small plates.

Lastly, the wedding cake should reflect your taste as newlyweds. Pick the cake that matches the theme of your wedding and reflects your personality the best.

Questions to Ask Your Baker When Choosing the Perfect Wedding Cake

When you are looking for the perfect baker, here are a few questions you should ask the baker before you narrow down on a selection:

Do you charge extra for cake tastings?

Do you have photos of their favourite wedding cake styles?

Do you have eggless, vegan options for the cakes?

cake_baker

Do you charge a delivery fee for the cake?

Do you have photos of their favourite wedding cake styles?

Do you have eggless, vegan options for the cakes?

Tips for Budgeting Your Dream Wedding Cake

Wedding cakes are an essential part of your big day, and it is crucial to budget for them. Keep in mind that the bigger the wedding, the bigger is the cost of the wedding cake. Here are some tips to budget for your wedding cake:

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  • Have an estimate of how many guests are coming, and you can get the cake made accordingly.
  • If your cake budget is not fitting your wedding budget, then see where you can cut down on decorations before you sacrifice the taste of the cake.
  • Since cake tiers can be expensive, you can have a decorative single tier cake to cut and a sheet cake for the guests.
  • See if you have a friend who can bake your cake as a wedding gift.
  • If you’re splurging on the wedding cake and it’s a fancy flavor, cut down on your dessert options.
  • Explore your options to find a wedding cake that fits within your budget at the local cake shops.

Wedding Cakes by Vanilla

Vanilla is the in-house bakery at the Grand Mercure Vadodara Surya Palace and a leading bakery in Vadodara for decades! Vanilla can personalize a wedding cake to suit your style and fit your budget.

Here’s what we can do for you

Wedding tier cakes

Seasonal fillings

Wedding desserts

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Assorted toppings

Personalized cake flavours

Themed cupcakes

Vanilla Specialities

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The Vanilla Shop - Cake Menu

    • Red Velvet cake
    • Chocolate truffle cake
    • Passion Fruit Cake
    • Blueberry Cake
    • Pineapple Cake
    • Mango Cake
    • Strawberry Cake
    • Butterscotch Cake
    • Vanilla Cake
    • Chocochips Cake
    • Dark Cherry Belgian Cake
    • White Forest Cake
    • Black forest
    • Mud Cake
    • Tiramisu
    • Rainbow Cake
    • Belgian Chocolate Cake
    • Chocolate Mousse Cake
    • Choco Cassata Cake
    • Plumcake
    • Blueberry Cheesecake
    • Chocolate Hazelnut
    • Exotic fresh fruit Cake
    • Mocha Cake
    • Black forest roulade Cake
    • Oreo Cheesecake
    • Rocher Cake.