Baking Your Own Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding cakes can be made at home with a few simple ingredients, such as sugar, flour, eggs, butter, and milk. The cake can be made in a variety of flavours, such as vanilla, lemon, chocolate, or olive oil. The cake can be decorated with frosting, fondant, or fresh fruit and cream. It is important to preheat the oven and prepare the cake pans with grease, flour, or parchment paper before baking.

Choosing a recipe

When choosing a recipe for a wedding cake, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, you should decide on the flavour of the cake. Traditional wedding cakes are often vanilla or white cake, but you can also opt for a chocolate cake, a fruit and cream cake, or even an olive oil cake. If you want a particularly moist cake, choose a recipe that uses room temperature ingredients.

Another important consideration is the size of the cake. Wedding cakes are typically multi-tiered, so you will need to decide how many tiers you want and what size pans to use. Common sizes include 8-inch and 6-inch round pans, or a 9x13 inch pan for a single-tier cake. If you are making a multi-tiered cake, you will need to bake each layer separately to avoid overwhelming your mixer and oven.

The recipe you choose should also take into account any dietary restrictions or preferences of the wedding couple and guests. For example, if there are any vegans or lactose intolerant individuals, you may need to choose a recipe that uses plant-based milk and butter, or opt for an egg-free cake.

Finally, consider the level of difficulty of the recipe. Wedding cakes can range from simple to complex, so choose a recipe that matches your baking skills and the amount of time and effort you are willing to put in. Some recipes may require special equipment or techniques, so be sure to read through the entire recipe before starting.

Once you have considered all of these factors, you can choose a recipe that suits your needs and preferences. Be sure to follow the recipe closely and bake the cake with care to create a delicious and memorable wedding cake.

Scaling up your recipe

If you're making a wedding cake at home, you'll need to scale up your recipe to make sure you have enough batter for a large cake. The exact measurements will depend on the size of your cake pans, but as a general rule, you'll need to increase the quantities of all your ingredients. For example, if you're using a 9x13 inch pan, you'll need to preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and grease and flour the pan. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, then combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder, and add this to the creamed mixture, mixing until all the flour is absorbed.

If you're using multiple cake pans, such as three 8-inch and three 6-inch round pans, you'll need to prepare them with baker's floured cooking spray, or grease and line them with parchment rounds. Mix together all your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a mixing bowl or stand mixer with a paddle until they're fully combined.

To avoid overwhelming your mixer or over/under-mixing the batter, it's best to make each cake separately, along with a batch of frosting. Unless you have extra oven space, prepare the cake batters and bake the layer cakes one at a time. Make sure the cakes are completely cool before you assemble and decorate them.

If you're making a chocolate cake, you could pair it with a tangy cream cheese frosting, or if you prefer a lighter cake, try a fruit and cream cake with a whipped cream filling.

The right equipment

To bake a wedding cake at home, you'll need the right equipment. This includes cake pans in various sizes, such as 8-inch, 6-inch, and 9-inch round pans, as well as a 10-inch Bundt pan. You'll also need a large mixing bowl, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (optional), and a spatula or wooden spoon for stirring. To prepare the pans, you'll need baker's floured cooking spray, or grease, and parchment paper.

It's important to have a reliable oven that can maintain a consistent temperature. Preheat your oven to 325-350°F (165°C) depending on the recipe you choose. Additionally, ensure you have enough oven space to bake multiple cakes simultaneously, or plan to bake them in batches.

For assembling and decorating the cake, you'll need a turntable or a large flat surface. A cake leveler or a long serrated knife will help you create even layers. Piping bags and tips in various sizes are useful for creating decorative details.

Finally, invest in some good-quality ingredients. This includes sugar, cake flour, eggs, extra egg whites, sour cream, whole milk, room temperature butter, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you want to create a chocolate or pink-themed cake, you'll need additional ingredients like cocoa powder or food colouring.

Timing and logistics

When it comes to timing and logistics, there are a few things to keep in mind when baking a wedding cake at home. Firstly, it's important to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to bake the cake. The cake batter and frosting should be made separately to avoid overwhelming your mixer. If you only have one oven, you will also need to bake the layers one at a time.

Before you begin baking, make sure you have all the ingredients you need and that they are at room temperature. This includes ingredients such as flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, and baking powder. You will also need to prepare your cake pans by greasing and flouring them, or using parchment rounds.

The baking process itself will take some time, as you will need to preheat your oven and then bake each layer separately. It's important to cool the cakes completely before assembling and decorating. This will ensure that the frosting doesn't melt and that the cake layers are firm enough to handle.

Finally, consider the time needed for assembling and decorating the cake. This may include stacking the layers, adding frosting or fondant, and adding any additional decorations. Give yourself plenty of time to do this, as you don't want to rush and risk damaging the cake.

Decorating your cake

There are many ways to decorate a wedding cake at home. You can use buttercream, fondant, or a combination of both. If you're using fondant, you can create a smooth, polished look by covering the entire cake. Alternatively, you can opt for a semi-naked cake, where you slightly frost the cake, leaving some layers and fillings uncovered.

If you're feeling creative, you can try different piping techniques, such as mimicking a wicker basket with interwoven vertical and horizontal lines. You can also use a writing tip to create squiggles and Vs attached to each other, giving the cake a lace-like effect.

For a simple yet elegant touch, consider topping your cake with a small cluster of flowers, either silk or live. You can also add a border of icing dots resembling a strand of pearls along the perimeter of a tier, known as beading.

If you're making a tiered cake, you'll need to allow extra time for doweling and stacking the tiers. It's important to cool the cakes completely before assembling and decorating.

Frequently asked questions