All weddings have certain basics in common and the wedding cake is among the most important.  Whether you’re planning a small family gathering or a large, gala affair, the wedding cake normally takes center stage when it comes to reception decorations.  

Just like almost every other wedding detail, wedding cakes also follow popular trends.  In past blogs, we’ve discussed the trend toward geometric shapes instead of the traditional round cake.  We’ve also touched on more popular cake flavors, and which cakes tend to freeze best for that one year anniversary celebration.  Now we want to share the preferred frosting type for the 2010 wedding.

In past years, fondant has easily been the bride’s favorite because of its versatility and clean look.  However, fondant can be found lacking when it comes to taste and can also be quite costly.  The new frosting choice for 2010 has returned to buttercream.  Today’s bakers have found ways to make this flavorful frosting with the same smooth, clean look of fondant without the extra expense. 

So when it comes to today’s most popular frosting choice, you can have it all with buttercream.  Lower costs, beautiful versatility and delicious taste;  it’s truly a ‘buttercream dream’ come true!

The traditional round white wedding cake will always be in style, but a few new trends are starting to spring up.  Depending on your wedding theme, your cake can fit easily into the new ‘in’ colors.  Black and white cakes incorporate a truly elegant, chic and sophisticated look that is very much in style for this year.  Pastel hues in the blue, turquoise and green families are perfect for spring or garden weddings.  Pink is still a longtime favorite and shows no signs of losing that distinction.

The shape of wedding cakes is another area in which today’s trends are differing.  Square, hexagonal and other atypical geometric designs are replacing the more traditional round or heart-shaped cake.  Although they can be very traditional-looking , these new shapes can also give the cake a very modern and contemporary look, in addition to adding a lot of visual interest to any reception.

Wedding cakes made entirely out of cupcakes is a fairly recent concept that more and more brides seems to be intrigued with.  The newest twist to this idea is in the shape of the cupcakes.  As with the wedding cake shape, square cupcakes, as well as other geometric shapes, are replacing the typical round cupcakes. 

Are you looking for something just a little different for your wedding cake topper?  Then be sure to check into getting a customized wedding cake topper that is truly personalized.  These unique cake toppers not only incorporate yours and your groom’s heads, but they can also wear identical bridal gowns and tuxedos.  You can even go so far as to have the cake top couple depicting a favorite pastime, hobby, or activity.  This feature can fit very well into any theme wedding.  For example, your beach theme wedding cake can be topped with a couple wearing bathing suits or a hula skirt.  Musical weddings can feature a cake topper like the one pictured.

These personalized cake toppers can be pricey, so be sure to shop around.  Check out testimonials, ask how long your topper will take to be created, inquire about return policies or shipping insurance. 

The best part about these toppers is that their usefulness does not end with the wedding day.  These beautiful sculptures are really works of art which you’ll want to display for years to come.   

It doesn’t take a fashion expert to know there are so many different shades of every color out there, that it’s difficult to match colors perfectly without clashing.  All you have to do is go shopping for a top to match that beautiful navy blue skirt you just bought to know what I’m talking about.

With all the wedding accessories you want to match, such as: napkins, flowers, bridesmaid dresses, cake decorations, wedding favors, etc., it can be difficult to find even similar shades of the same color.  When planning my daughters weddings, I found that purchasing a spool of ribbon, or 1/4 yard of fabric of the colors they chose, came in very helpful.  I would cut a small swatch of the fabric and take it with me wherever we went shopping.  I left samples of the colors with the bakery, florist and stationers in order to insure a color match.

You may even be able to visit the paint section of any department store and find paint sample cards with your color on it.  The cards are free and you can take several to hand out to your wedding vendors.

HELPFUL HINT:  When shopping for personalized napkins, be sure to ask how old their display is and if any of the colors have faded.  We made the mistake of matching the display napkins, which were the perfect shade of red, only to have them arrive a purplish shade.  Most vendors will replace such mistakes free of charge, but time may also be an issue if the wedding date is fast approaching.  Asking a few questions may help to prevent this problem altogether. 

The popularity of the traditional bride and groom cake topper is decreasing and being replaced by other, more unique styles of wedding cake toppers.  This now gives the couple a new outlet to express their individuality, not only in the style or theme of their wedding, but also in the smaller details. 

Cake toppers that seem to be increasing in their popularity are monogrammed toppers with the last name initial being slightly larger and in the between the first initial of the groom and of the bride.  I recently attended a wedding where the cake was adorned by this type of topper and it had a very elegant look.

Flowers are also a favorite topper for today’s wedding cake.  Most bakeries have access to water-filled dishes that can be used to arrange the flowers and keep them fresh-looking throughout the entire wedding ceremony and reception.

A more unique idea for today’s cake is an etched-glass topper.  The glass toppers normally come in a variety of shapes and can be etched with almost anything, from a verse, a monogram or even a picture of the bride and groom.

Cake toppers are the crowning decoration to your wedding cake, so spend some time choosing the right one.  When I was married, I chose the traditional white plastic topper with the traditional plastic bride and groom and an arch with white and yellow silk flowers.  That topper is now wrapped in plastic and stored safely away in my cedar chest where absolutely no one sees it.  I wish I had put a little more thought into the choice of my cake topper.

My daughters had the right idea.  They wanted something that not only fit into their theme and expressed who they were, they also wanted something they could display every day in their home.  My oldest daughter chose a Precious Moments® figurine.  My youngest daughter had collected Kim Anderson® figurines her whole life, so using a Kim Anderson® bride and groom figurine as her cake topper was an obvious choice.  The best part is that both girls are able to display their ‘toppers’ in their homes.

My mother and father-in-law used this same idea when deciding on the cake topper for their 60th wedding anniversary party.  We had given them a Precious Moments® figurine for their 50th anniversary, and they chose that same figurine to top their cake 10 years later. 

Ceramic or porcelain figurines do weigh more than conventional cake toppers, but as long as you let your baker know, they will be able to adapt the top layer for the additional weight. 

Cake toppers are not just decorations any more; they’re keepsakes.  And who knows, they may just end up being family heirlooms that can be passed down and used on wedding cakes for generations to come.

Traditional brides will still opt for the traditional-looking wedding cake.  Three to four layers of white frosted cake with colored flowers delicately adorning the tiers and a bride and groom cake topper perched on top.  This was how my wedding cake looked 32 years ago and I still wouldn’t change a thing. 

However, more and more brides are looking for something just a little different.  Not over the wall, but just different enough to reflect the uniqueness of their personality and style.  I’ve recently come across a couple of ideas that might just fit the bill.

The first incorporates the idea of a ‘memory quilt’ into a wedding cake design.  Bakers have been able to reproduce photos onto cakes for some time now, but it is still rare to find this feature in a wedding cake.  I’ve seen cakes with several pictures on them, such as the one pictured, or even with just one picture.  This is usually the engagement picture of the couple.  The pictures are made of edible ink so the entire cake is 100% safe to eat.

The second idea that I’ve heard of is normally used in evening receptions where the lights might be kept low.  Small tea-light candles are nestled around the top of each layer of the cake.  The candles are actually sunk down into the cake so the edges of the candle are not visible.  When the candles are lit, it treats the guests to a beautifully dramatic display.

There are other ways to make your wedding cake unique.  Decorating with fruit instead of flowers or incorporating a waterfall or fountain into the cake design are just a few ideas.  There are as many ideas for unique wedding cakes as there are brides.  

Today it is tradition to save the top layer of the wedding cake and use it to celebrate the first anniversary.  At the time of its origin in the 19th century, however, this was not its purpose.  Since weddings were so closely followed by births, the top layer of the cake was saved to serve to guests at the baby’s christening, usually 9 - 12 months later.  As time has passed, the birth of the first child now normally takes place years after the wedding day, so the original purpose for this tradition has faded away, being replaced by the celebration of the one year anniversary.

The chances of saving cake for a full year and having it taste good are slim, but there are some steps that can be taken to increase those chances.  One idea is to have the top layer of cake made out of something that freezes well, such as fruit cake.  I have also heard from several people that cheesecake is also a great type of cake that will freeze well.  No matter what kind of cake you choose for your top layer, it is best if you first wrap it thoroughly with a good plastic wrap.  Tape any loose ends in order to keep out air.  Then wrap it with foil wrap.  Place the entire cake inside of a hard plastic freezer container to keep it from getting smashed accidentally, and then place it in the freezer.  Mark the container well and don’t forget to also mark your calendars!

If a caterer is taking care of your reception, they will normally provide someone to cut and serve the cake.  However, if your budget demands that a friend or family member stand in for cake-cutting duty, these simple steps will help.

Since most wedding cakes are tiered, start cutting with the bottom layer.  If each tier is two layers high, cut the top layer of the bottom tier first.  Slice vertically through the cake layer up to the second tier.  Then cut into wedge-shaped slices all the way around.  If your bottom tier is two layers high, do the same with the bottom layer of the bottom tier.  Then move onto the next tier, cutting the pieces in the same wedge-shape. 

Square cakes can be cut into square or rectangular-shaped pieces, following the guidelines of cutting through one tier at a time until it is even with the next tier.  Heart-shaped cakes can be cut into halves or quarters, and then sliced in rectangular-shaped pieces.  If your heart-shaped cake is more then one layer, you will need to begin with the top layer.

Don’t forget to remove and save the very top tier of the cake for the couples’ first anniversary celebration.

Next to the bride, few things will create as many ‘oohhs’ and ‘aahhs’ as the wedding cake.  The cake is usually one of the main focal points of any reception room, and the cutting of the cake is a favorite highlight.

The four main things to remember when ordering your cake are:  flavor, design, size and cost.  Traditionally, wedding cakes have always been white, but today that is not necessarily so.  Most bakeries offer a variety of cake flavors and fillings.  Wedding cakes can even offer a different flavor with each layer.  

The design can be completely white, accented with the wedding colors, or even be decorated to match the bride’s wedding dress.  Designs can range from simplistic to intricate.  Most bakeries will have pictures of their designs, but don’t feel limited.  If you’d like something ‘a little different’, just ask.  Keep in mind, however, a specialized cake will greatly increase the cost.  

Know the approximate number of guests that the cake will need to serve.  If you need to keep the cost down, consider ordering a smaller wedding cake with several plain sheet cakes to feed additional guests.  Groom’s cakes are also popular in some parts of the country and help provide extra servings.

Be sure to get the total cost in writing.  Ask questions regarding additional fees; you don’t want to be surprised by the bill.  One last tip: Try a sample of the bakery’s cake before you order.  You’ll want your cake to taste as wonderful as it looks.