A Modern Slice of Elegance
Wedding Cake Trends
By Lisa Iannucci, CTW Features
The couple has said their ‘I do’s,’ and now it’s time to celebrate with dancing and cake, of course! In the past, wedding cakes were pure white, simple and elegant, but wedding cakes have come a long way, baby. Today, while couples are becoming more daring in wedding cake design, decoration and flavor, others have done away with all that pretty decor and just want to serve something a lot simpler – and even a little naked. Here are some of this year’s wedding cake trends:
Simple and Classic
Typically, wedding cakes are lavishly adorned with edible flowers, latticework, and beading and elaborate sugar decorations, but Danielle Rothweiler of Rothweiler Event Design in Verona, New Jersey, says that couples have now asked for wedding cakes that are simple, yet classic. “I am getting requests for cakes that aren’t “too much” and that are just decorated with fresh flowers instead of sugary designs,” she says.
Some couples still simple wedding cakes, but are opting for a cake decorated with darker colors, such as black buttercream. “It’s very modern,” says Bunce, who admits her own wedding cake was decorated with a darker chocolate buttercream. “The couples then add bright flowers. I don’t think this dark trend is going to stay as popular as other trends because it’s kind of bold. Also, mothers-in-law don’t like black wedding cakes.”
Gold Cakes
Wedding cakes are worth much more these days because couples are opting for lavish gold touches. “There must be at least one wedding cake a week that wants a gold accent, whether it’s an edible 24-karat gold leaf applied to the cake, a solid tier that’s decorated in edible gold, or even a gold cake topper,” she says. “It goes with every color and adds a bit of elegance to cakes that are more simplified in design.”
Naked Cakes
Say what? No, this is not a wedding cake trend that will make the guests blush. Instead, naked cakes are cakes that are decorated with just a thin coat of buttercream on the outside of the cake, so you can see exactly what you’re eating. “It’s more of a rustic trend,” says Bunce, who thinks that this trend will also die out way before the gold trend will. “The couple typically puts fresh flowers on the outside of the cake too to make it look a little more sophisticated.”
Daring Flavors
Wedding cakes aren’t just about what they look like, they are about what they taste like too. With tiered wedding cakes, Bunce says that couples are including traditional flavors, such as vanilla and chocolate, in some layers, and more daring flavors on others. “On the smaller tier, they want something funkier, like carrot cake with salted caramel buttercream, or chocolate cake with Oreo buttercream,” she says.
Wedding cake alternatives: “More couples are going non-traditional, but they are all reluctant to totally ditch the idea of a wedding cake,” says Rothweiler. “I’ve seen alternatives, like cake pops and mini desserts, but over the past year those items have now been served in addition to a traditional wedding cake.”
Groom’s Cakes
We all know that weddings are typically about the bride, but now groom’s cakes are becoming more popular and pay homage to the man of the hour. “The cakes are about something that the groom loves, such as a favorite sport or his alma mater,” says Rothweiler. “It’s a way for the bride to give something special to the groom.” Bunce recently created a groom’s cake that was shaped like a pizza. “Even if the groom’s cake isn’t at the wedding it might be at the rehearsal dinner,” she says.
It’s most important to remember that whatever wedding cake you choose, it should be something you will enjoy and remember forever.
© CTW Features