Creative Dessert Displays: A Unique Wedding Cake Alternative

Wedding cakes are iconic, but they're not for everyone. If you're looking for an alternative to the traditional tiered cake, there are plenty of options to choose from. From cupcakes and doughnuts to pies and macarons, you can find a unique and delicious way to treat your guests.

One popular option is to create a dessert table with a variety of treats, such as cookies, brownies, or even a build-your-own s'mores station. This way, you can offer something for every taste and dietary preference.

If you're looking for something more structured, you can create a tower or stack with your chosen treats. For example, a croquembouche is a French pastry made of cream puffs and caramelized sugar, often decorated with flowers or fruit. You could also stack cookies, macarons, or even wheels of cheese for a savoury option.

For a more interactive experience, consider bringing in an ice cream truck or hiring a gelato cart to serve your guests.

Ultimately, your wedding dessert is a reflection of you and your partner's personalities and tastes. So, whether you go for a classic alternative like pies or something more unusual, your guests are sure to enjoy it.

Doughnuts

Doughnut Walls

A popular trend in recent years, doughnut walls are a fun and interactive way to display your wedding doughnuts. Guests can easily help themselves to a delicious treat, and the wall can be decorated to match your wedding theme.

Doughnut Bars

For a more personalized experience, consider setting up a build-your-own doughnut bar. Guests can choose their doughnut flavor, filling, and toppings, creating a unique dessert that suits their taste. This option adds an element of interactivity and guest involvement to your special day.

Tiered Doughnut Cakes

If you're looking for something more traditional in appearance, you can create a classic tiered cake look with stacked frosted doughnuts. Simply stack frosted doughnuts on top of each other, adding blooms and decorations for a beautiful and mouth-watering display.

Doughnut Displays

For a simple yet effective presentation, opt for a carefully arranged array of doughnuts on a dessert table. You can include other treats as well, such as milk and cookies, creating a playful and enticing spread for your guests to enjoy.

Doughnut Boxes

Individual boxed doughnuts for each guest are another option, especially if you want to provide a pre-portioned treat. Companies like Krispy Kreme offer this service, providing a unique and memorable experience for your wedding guests.

Doughnut Trucks

For a fun and unexpected twist, bring in a food truck specializing in doughnuts. This idea adds a touch of whimsy and offers your guests a fresh, hot dessert. It's also a great way to support local businesses and treat your guests to something unique.

So, if you're looking for a sweet alternative to a wedding cake, doughnuts are a fantastic choice. They offer variety, creativity, and a chance to indulge your guests' sweet tooth. Whether you opt for a doughnut wall, a build-your-own bar, or a beautifully stacked doughnut cake, your guests are sure to be delighted.

Ice cream

One option is to have an ice cream cake. You can choose from a variety of flavours and even have multiple layers of complementary flavours. Crushed cookies between the layers can add a nice textural contrast. However, ice cream cakes can be difficult to manage at weddings, especially for larger groups. They need to be kept frozen until serving, and they can melt quickly, making it hard to cut and resulting in a messy dessert table. If you do opt for an ice cream cake, ensure that your venue has a suitable freezer and consider having the cake sliced in the kitchen and served to guests at their tables.

Another option is to have an ice cream sundae bar, where guests can create their own custom sundaes. This can be a fun, interactive activity for your guests and avoids the issue of the ice cream melting while people are dancing or at the bar. You could also bring in an ice cream truck, which would be a unique and memorable experience for your guests.

If you're set on having a cake for the traditional cake-cutting moment, you could have a small regular cake for display and combine it with an ice cream dessert. For example, you could have a regular cake for the cake-cutting ceremony and then serve apple crisp with fresh homemade vanilla ice cream, or have an ice cream cake just for the two of you.

Brownies

Brownie Stack

Create a stunning visual display by piling decadent brownies high to form a tower. This idea is a chocoholic's dream and can be customised with different flavours such as salted caramel, double chocolate, or vegan lotus biscoff. You can even mix and match flavours to create a unique combination. For an added touch, include fruit, flowers, or other decorations to enhance the presentation.

Brownie Sundae Bar

Take inspiration from Luci and Evan, who had a multiple-layered brownie cake at their wedding. After cutting the cake, they surprised their guests with a build-your-own brownie sundae bar, complete with ice cream and various toppings. This interactive dessert option will be a memorable treat for your guests.

Brownie Favours

If you want to incorporate brownies into your wedding but are still set on having a traditional cake, consider brownie favours. Individually packaged brownies or brownie pops can be a delightful treat for your guests to enjoy during the reception or take home as a sweet reminder of your special day. You can even personalise the packaging with your wedding colours or a thoughtful message.

Brownie Tower

For a grand presentation, opt for a brownie tower. Large trays of brownies can be delivered to your venue and arranged into a towering display. This idea is perfect for couples who want the impact of a cake but prefer the taste of brownies. Decorate the tower with fresh fruit, flowers, or themed toppers to match your wedding aesthetic.

Brownie Combinations

If you're a brownie lover but still want to incorporate some traditional cake elements, consider a combination dessert. One idea is to have a brownie base with layers of yellow cake and coconut pecan frosting. This way, you can enjoy the best of both worlds and cater to a variety of tastes.

Whether you choose a brownie stack, sundae bar, or personalised favours, incorporating brownies into your wedding dessert is a fun and unexpected way to treat your guests. With their rich, chocolatey flavour and fudgy texture, brownies are sure to be a crowd-pleaser and will leave a lasting impression on your big day.

Cookies

For a whimsical and nostalgic option, consider serving a stack of Oreo cookies in a wedding cake-inspired tower. Oreo cookies are a crowd favourite and their distinctive black-and-white colour scheme can add a glamorous touch to your dessert table. Alternatively, opt for chocolate chip cookies, which evoke a sense of classic comfort. Your baker can employ attractive icing techniques to secure each layer, while leaving the edges exposed to give guests a glimpse of the treats within.

If you're seeking a more elegant option, French macarons are a classy choice. Macarons are often displayed on their edges in a tiered serving platter, with the filling facing outwards. However, for a unique twist, consider a conical "cake" that showcases the hand-painted tops of the cookies. Add some flowers and greenery to soften the overall look. Macarons come in a variety of colours, so you can easily match them to your wedding colour palette.

For a playful and creative option, arrange an assortment of cookies in the rough shape of a wedding cake. A touch of icing and a few decorations will make this simple treat feel celebratory. This idea is especially fitting for a groom's cake alternative, as the colours of the classic Oreo cookie resemble a tuxedo.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option that will satisfy a variety of tastes, consider setting up a cookie bar. Order your top five favourite cookie flavours and let your guests mix and match their own combinations. You can even include other sweets such as donuts or candy to create a dreamy display that will satisfy every sweet tooth.

Macarons

If you're considering a macaron wedding "cake", you can design it to complement your wedding's aesthetic by matching your colour palette or incorporating fresh blooms to match the rest of your wedding flowers. You can also opt for a single flavour and colour of macarons, or a charming pastel colour palette. Macarons can also be hand-painted with designs such as flowers, ferns, or a monogram.

When planning your macaron wedding cake, consider the number of guests you'll be serving. Cove Cake Design owner Suzanne Brady suggests one macaron per guest if served alongside other items, and two macarons per guest if the macaron tower is a standalone dessert.

A macaron wedding cake is a unique and elegant alternative to a traditional wedding cake, offering a variety of flavours and designs to match your wedding's aesthetic.

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