Rustic Wedding Cake: Diy Guide For Your Big Day

Planning a wedding can be an exciting yet daunting task. One of the most important aspects of any wedding is the cake, which often serves as a centrepiece to the celebration. If you're looking to create a rustic wedding cake, there are several ways to achieve that sought-after natural, laid-back look. From using box mix cakes to semi-naked designs, fresh flowers to garlands of greenery, and even a tree trunk cake stand, the options are endless. Whether you're an experienced baker or a DIY enthusiast, crafting your own rustic wedding cake can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, it's important to consider the time and cost involved, as well as your strengths and weaknesses, to ensure your cake is both delicious and visually appealing.

Rustic cake recipes

Rustic cakes are often characterised by their "not-perfectly-polished" look, which can be achieved through textured icing or a "naked" style with little to no icing. Here are some ideas for rustic cake recipes that you can make yourself:

Vanilla Naked Cake

This beautiful and chic cake is simple to make and can be decorated in your own unique way. It is perfect for a small wedding. The cake itself is a vanilla layer cake, with fresh berries and vanilla buttercream. The semi-naked style has a minimal amount of frosting around the sides, while the true naked cake has bare sides.

White Vanilla Cake

This easy-to-make 2-tier vanilla cake is rich and delicious, with a close-textured crumb that can withstand transportation and sitting at room temperature. The cream cheese buttercream frosting is made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, frosting whitener, and corn syrup. The cake is decorated with food-safe or artificial flowers.

Naked Cake

Naked cakes are layer cakes with bare or almost bare sides. They are a little easier to assemble than a typical layer cake as you don't need to worry about decoration. You can use any cake and frosting recipe you like, but a large offset spatula is recommended for frosting the cake. The cake layers can be frozen, and the whole cake can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Chocolate Pistachio Pear Naked Layer Cake

This rustic cake is equal parts rustic and sophisticated. It is flourless, with a white chocolate buttercream.

Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

This cake is a stunning centerpiece and pairs perfectly with a side of fresh fruit.

Cookies-and-Cream Naked Cake

Your favourite cookie gets an upgrade with this rustic cake.

Cake decorating tips

If you're going for a rustic wedding cake, you'll want to focus on natural textures and muted colours. Think earthy materials like burlap, twine, and wood, as well as soft colours like pastels, neutrals, and the occasional deep maroon or red.

• Practice your cake decorating skills ahead of time. If you're not confident in your abilities, consider asking a friend or family member to help.
• Opt for a semi-naked or naked cake design, which exposes the cake layers and creates a natural, textured finish. This style of cake complements wood or burlap accents at your wedding venue.
• Use fresh flowers, greenery, or fruit to add pops of colour and a rustic touch to your cake. Seasonal blooms or fruits, such as apples or evergreen sprigs for a winter wedding, can be a great choice.
• For a simple yet elegant look, decorate your cake with a garland of greenery, such as eucalyptus.
• If you want to include cake toppers, consider a glam gold topper or a natural wood cake topper for a rustic feel.
• Play with different textures by adding cookie crumbles, popcorn, or even chocolate ganache drizzle to your cake.
• Use a tree trunk or wood slices as a cake stand to incorporate rustic elements into your dessert table.
• For a unique twist, create a cheese cake tower instead of a traditional cake. Stack your favourite cheese wheels for a rustic, European-inspired treat.
• Add fairy lights or string lights to your dessert table to create a romantic, rustic atmosphere.
• If you're feeling creative, make fondant or sugar flowers to decorate your cake. You can also press or imprint real flowers into the icing for a whimsical touch.
• Consider the size of your cake. Single-tier cakes are perfect for minimonies or elopements, while larger cakes can be more challenging to decorate and transport.
• If you're making a multi-tiered cake, be extra careful when centring the layers on top of each other. Use a measuring tape and make small marks to ensure the layers are centred correctly.
• For a rustic-chic look, opt for a ribbon or greenery to wrap around your cake.
• When transporting your cake, lay damp kitchen towels on the floor or in the trunk of your car to prevent the cake from sliding around.

Choosing a cake stand

Material

The material of your cake stand can enhance the rustic aesthetic of your wedding cake. Wood cake stands, such as a simple wooden slab or a custom tree trunk stand, are a popular choice for rustic weddings. They bring a natural, earthy element to your dessert table and pair well with other rustic decorations like burlap, twine, and stained wood. If you want to add a touch of glamour to your rustic cake, consider a stand with a metallic finish, such as gold or rose gold.

Size and Shape

When choosing a cake stand, it's important to consider the size and shape of your cake. If you're making a single-tier cake, a standard round or square cake stand will work well. For a multi-tiered cake, you'll need a stand that can accommodate the base layer securely. You may also want to choose a stand that is slightly larger than your cake to create a more dramatic effect. Additionally, consider the overall height of your cake, especially if you're adding decorations like fresh flowers or greenery. Choose a stand that will provide ample clearance for your decorations without making the display appear top-heavy.

Colour

The colour of your cake stand can tie into your wedding colour palette or the overall aesthetic of your rustic wedding. Neutral colours like white, cream, or beige can create a classic, elegant look. If you're aiming for a more natural, earthy feel, consider a stand in shades of brown, green, or grey. For a pop of colour, opt for a stand in a vibrant hue that complements your wedding colours. Keep in mind that the colour of your cake stand should enhance, not overwhelm, the overall design of your cake.

Stability

Stability is a crucial factor when choosing a cake stand, especially if you're transporting your cake to the wedding venue. Look for a stand with a sturdy base and avoid stands that are overly ornate or unstable. If you're concerned about stability, consider using a cake stand with a built-in rotating feature, which can make it easier to decorate and transport your cake. Additionally, consider the weight of your cake and choose a stand that can comfortably support it.

Decorations

When it comes to decorations, you can keep your cake stand simple and elegant or add some rustic touches. Consider wrapping a ribbon or twine around the stand, incorporating fresh greenery or flowers, or adding other rustic elements like burlap or wood slices. If you want to include a cake topper, choose something that complements the overall style of your cake and stand. Custom wooden cake toppers can add a personalised touch to your rustic wedding cake.

Pros and cons of DIY wedding cakes

Planning a wedding can be a stressful task, and deciding whether to DIY your wedding cake or buy one from a professional is a big decision. Here are some pros and cons of DIY wedding cakes to help you make that decision.

Pros of DIY Wedding Cakes:

• Cost-effective: Making your own wedding cake can save you a lot of money, especially if you already have some cake decorating supplies and experience. The cost of a professional wedding cake can range from $200 to $700, whereas a DIY cake might only cost you a fraction of that price.
• Personalisation: A DIY wedding cake allows you to personalise your cake to your liking. You can choose the flavours, design, and decorations that suit your taste and the theme of your wedding.
• Freshness: With a DIY wedding cake, you can ensure that your cake is freshly baked and doesn't have that weird freezer taste that sometimes comes with store-bought cakes.
• Pride and satisfaction: There is a sense of pride and satisfaction that comes with creating your own wedding cake. It can be a fun and rewarding experience to be able to say that you made your own wedding cake.

Cons of DIY Wedding Cakes:

• Stress and time-consuming: Making a wedding cake is a time-consuming and stressful task, especially if you have a large guest list or a complex cake design. It requires baking, cooling, assembling, and decorating the cake, which can take up a significant amount of time and effort.
• Practice needed: Wedding cakes are denser and more structurally complex than traditional layer cakes. They require specific recipes and techniques to ensure they can withstand stacking and transportation. Practicing early and often is necessary to perfect your flavours and decorating skills.
• Equipment and ingredient costs: Even if you have some basic baking equipment, creating a wedding cake may require purchasing additional supplies such as cake pans, decorating tips, cooling racks, and specialised ingredients. These costs can add up quickly, potentially exceeding the cost of a professional cake.
• Risk of imperfection: Unless you are an experienced cake decorator, achieving a perfectly polished and professional-looking cake can be challenging. A DIY wedding cake might be more suited to a rustic or imperfect style.

Ultimately, the decision to DIY your wedding cake depends on your budget, time availability, baking skills, and personal preferences. While it can be a cost-effective and rewarding experience, it may also add unnecessary stress to your wedding planning.

Practice making a rustic cake

Making a rustic wedding cake yourself can be a fun and rewarding project, but it requires careful planning and practice. Here are some detailed instructions and tips to help you practice making a rustic cake:

Start Early and Practice:

Begin practising well in advance, not just to find your preferred flavours but also because wedding cakes differ from traditional layer cakes. They are denser and need to withstand stacking and transportation. Practise assembling and decorating the cake, and if you're an inexperienced decorator, consider taking an online course or class to improve your skills.

Understand the Costs:

Making your own wedding cake may or may not save you money. Consider the cost of equipment, ingredients, and decorations. If you need to buy special pans, decorating tools, and stands, the expenses can quickly add up. Practise cakes can also be costly, especially if you're experimenting with exotic fruits, fine chocolates, and liquors.

Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses:

Be honest with yourself about your baking and decorating abilities. If you're a great baker but lack decorating skills, focus on creating a delicious cake and consider a simple rustic design that doesn't require intricate details. Alternatively, you can collaborate with someone who has complementary skills to fill in the gaps.

Create a Timeline:

Baking a wedding cake is a time-consuming process. Make a schedule that allows you to work on the cake gradually in the week leading up to the wedding. Here's an example timeline:

• Tuesday: Shop for ingredients and make any fillings or curds.
• Wednesday: Bake the cake layers.
• Thursday: Make the frosting and frost the cakes.
• Friday: Box and transport the cakes to the venue.
• Saturday: Assemble and decorate the cake on-site.

Storage and Transportation:

If you're making the cake ahead of time, you can freeze both the cake layers and frosting. Wrap the layers in parchment paper first, then triple or quadruple-wrap them in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Store-bought frosting may become weepy at room temperature, but you can fix this by beating it on low speed with a flat paddle.

Get Help:

If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't hesitate to ask for help. Enlist friends or family members with baking or decorating skills to assist you. You can also reach out to local baking communities or forums for advice and support.

Remember, practising is key to perfecting your rustic wedding cake. Allow yourself enough time to experiment, make mistakes, and refine your techniques. By following these steps and staying organised, you'll be well on your way to creating a beautiful and delicious rustic wedding cake.

Frequently asked questions