WPCNR'S THE REAL DEAL. By The Wedding Genie, Jeannie Uyanik. January 20, 2008: There is definitely a proven correlation between the fact that most brides don’t really care about their cake “that much” and that guests often dislike the wedding cake.  Why would anything that you don’t put too much effort into be raved about?  We have found that when the bride really cares about how a cake looks, tastes and impacts guests, it’s a great cake.  So the potential to make a big splash with the guests’ last impression of the wedding is limitless. 

This cake was prepared by the famous cake designer, Michelle Doll, who defeated Chef Bobby Flay in a classic "Cake-off". Photo, Courtesy, Cap and Gown Weddings.

It’s important to first determine what the design and look of the cake will be.  There are of course countless options, as anyone watching the Food Network cake competitions would attest.  Matching the style and colors of the cake to that of the rest of the wedding (location, time of year, theme) not only allows the cake to be a décor piece of its own, it also reinforces the tone and feel of the entire wedding. 

The Two Taste Factors

Determining how detailed you want the design to be can answer the question of whether to go with butter cream (which is tasty) or fondant (which should not be eaten even with coaxing from Marie Antoinette).  While fondant is not a favorite for the taste buds, it provides the cake baker and designers the ability to mold and decorate the outside much more than butter cream does (from motifs to Swiss dots).  In effect, one looks pretty and the other tastes good. 

Another Cap and Gown Weddings favorite Cake.

Courtesy, Cap and Gown Weddings

If your design ideas are simpler, and you would like to use flowers to decorate the cake, then butter cream could work well.  Both real and sugar flowers can be used to adorn and accent cakes, and if your designer is good, it should be difficult to tell which is which. 

Your Cake Strategy

For more elaborate shapes, molds and details, fondant would be the clear winner.  In order to formulate your ideas about how you want the cake to look, start by picking elements of the wedding that you want represented; specifically, use of the weddings’ colors, modern versus traditional, the use of cupcakes as a cake, square, hexagonal,  round or a mix. 

Use magazines, books and websites to browse through the selections of cakes that have already been done as this will give you a starting point as to what you do and don’t like.  The number of pictures and resources that are in magazines, books and on-line abound; clip, copy and file the ones that you like most and narrow down your favorites to a select 5-10. 

Another Cap and Gown Weddings "All Star Cake"

Courtesy, Cap and Gown Weddings

Customizing the Flavor Mix

Once you have the outside figured out, begin to consider the flavor of the cake itself.  Vanilla, chocolate, yellow, red velvet, carrot and pistachio are just a few of the possibilities for the cake itself.  Find out from your baker or venue, if they are providing the cake directly, about the choices and which might be their specialties.  If you are not partial to one cake or another, then consider time of year in which the wedding is occurring and select a cake that is more in season (i.e. strawberry shortcake in summer, carrot cake in the fall and red velvet for winter and lemon poppy seed for spring).  You will then need to choose a filling and the sky is the limit. 

 If you can think of it, they can usually make it, but it’s important to select a filling that represents the cake that you have chosen well.  Fresh fruit or jams, chocolate mousse, ganache and a host of other possibilities line the inside of the cake and can make the best cakes stand apart from those of average quality.  Choose wisely! 

Tasting Tests

Unfortunately, if you are working with a venue and it is providing a cake under the umbrella of its total reception package and baking it in house, it’s never a possibility to taste those cakes.  If however you are working directly with a baking company, or with a venue that provides for a cake stipend but outsources the cake to a professional baking firm, it’s most likely that you will get to taste the range of options. 

Choosing a Baker

In choosing a baker, focus on the portfolio of cakes they have done to see if their style is a match for yours and if their ability to actually create flawless cakes exist (look closely at the pictures and at whatever is in the showroom).  Taste if you can, this is an instrumental part of choosing a cake vendor that couples are often ready to skip – perhaps another indicator of why cakes have fallen from grace in years past.  It’s not uncommon for chefs to create one cake for the cutting, but then a separate sheet cake in the kitchen for the real distribution of cake to the guests.  Find out how it works and if your cake can really serve all the guests directly. 

Grooming the Groom's Cake

A return to the “Groom’s Cake” has also made this tradition of presenting a cake to the groom an opportunity to be more whimsical and lively in creating a design.  These days, more often than not, the bride will surprise the groom with the cake (which is not made to serve all the guests generally) and it will take the shape and design of something important to him – often we see sports teams, stadiums and memorabilia a popular favorite for this second cake. 

The Cake's Mission

Finally, when you have made all the decisions regarding the design, flavors and shape, determine how, where and when you want the cake to be displayed at the event (i.e. out from the start in a part of the room, rolled out for the cake cutting, tucked away in a corner for a private cutting for you and the photographer).  The cake is a décor element, so use it as such throughout the evening especially if you have spent the time and expense to do it well.  And remember that anything you expend energy and effort on will be reflected on the day of the wedding; if you spend the time to make the cake more than just “something that everyone does” you will be rewarded for your efforts.

"The Real Deal" is written for WPCNR by Jeannie Uyanik, Planner to the World, known in wedding circles as The Wedding Jeannie. If you have a question  on any kind of event you're planning, ask The Wedding Jeannie, write her at  weddinggenie@candgweddings.com