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.
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- 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.
How to Decide on the Perfect Wedding Cake
Picking the right wedding cake is going to be an important part of your wedding planning. There are many factors to consider when choosing the right wedding cake. These are listed below:
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
Lace Wedding Cakes
Golden/Silver Wedding Cakes
Naked Wedding Cakes
Painted Wedding Cakes
Unconventional Themes
Wedding cupcakes
Alternative Tiers
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:
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.
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.
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
Whipped Cream
Fondant
Merguine
Chocolate Ganache
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?
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:
- 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
Assorted toppings
Personalized cake flavours
Themed cupcakes
Vanilla Specialities
