Cutting Your Cheese Wedding Cake: A Simple Guide

A cheese wedding cake is a show-stopping piece, comprising several wheels of cheese stacked on top of each other to resemble a traditional tiered wedding cake. It's a quirky alternative to a conventional cake, adding a refined yet rustic feel to your wedding. When it comes to cutting a cheese wedding cake, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, ensure you have the right equipment, including a cheese knife, cake stand, platters, and bowls or baskets for accompaniments. Secondly, consider the timing – bring out the cake before serving so the cheeses are at room temperature, but not too long before to avoid any melting! Finally, decide whether you want to cut the cheese yourself or have someone else do it. You can either cut the cheese into wedges before serving, or display the whole cheeses individually and let guests cut their own slices.

Choosing the right types of cheese

Variety is Key

When selecting cheeses for your wedding cake, it's important to offer a variety of types, such as hard, soft, and blue cheeses. This ensures your guests can enjoy different textures and flavours. A good balance might include a sharp cheddar, a creamy brie, and a pungent blue cheese. You could also add a goat's cheese and a crumbly Lancashire, Cheshire, or Wensleydale.

Consider Taste and Texture

Taste and texture play a crucial role in creating a well-rounded cheese wedding cake. Opt for cheeses with distinct flavours and textures, such as a sharp cheddar, a creamy brie, or a tangy goat cheese. Consider the overall taste experience you want to create, and don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations.

Colour and Presentation

Adding colour to your cheese wedding cake can create a stunning visual effect. Choose cheeses with different hues, such as Sparkenhoe Red Leicester or Shropshire Blue. You can also decorate the cake with colourful fruits like grapes, figs, or berries to enhance its appearance. Consider the overall presentation and how you can make it unique and memorable.

Pre-Tasting and Sampling

It's essential to pre-taste the cheeses you're considering for your wedding cake. Good cheese shops will allow you to sample different varieties to find the perfect combination. If you don't have access to a cheese shop, consider mail-ordering a sample box from specialty cheesemakers or shops. This way, you can be confident that your guests will enjoy the selected cheeses.

Quantity and Serving Size

When determining the quantity of cheese needed, consider the serving size per person. For a normal cheese plate serving, 70g-100g of cheese per person is ideal. However, if the cheese is the main attraction, you may want to double that quantity. Additionally, consider ordering extra supplies of the top (smallest) tiers, as these cheeses tend to be in smaller portions and you'll want enough for all your guests to taste.

By following these tips and considering your own personal preferences, you'll be well on your way to choosing the right types of cheese for your wedding cake. Remember to have fun with the process and create a cheese wedding cake that reflects your unique style and tastes!

How much cheese to buy

The amount of cheese you'll need depends on how many guests you're serving and whether the cheese will be served as a main course or as a side. A good rule of thumb is to allow 70-100g of cheese per person for a standard serving, and double that amount (so 140-200g) if the cheese is the main attraction.

If you're serving a cheese wedding cake as a showpiece, you'll also need to consider the size of the tiers and the number of guests you want to be able to serve each tier. The higher up the tiers, the smaller the cheeses become, so you may want to order extra of the top-tier cheeses to ensure all your guests get a taste.

• A four-tier cake featuring a British Brie, Stilton, Cheddar, and goats' milk cheese serves 30-40 people.
• A four-tier cake with a similar combination of cheeses but with the addition of a French washed-rind cheese serves 55-80 people.
• A six-tier cake with a variety of cheeses, including a Brie, a blue cheese, a triple cream, and a cheese from the Champagne region of France, serves 95-140 people.
• A five-tier cake with a European selection of cheeses, including a Brie, a blue cheese, a Manchego, and a French soft cheese, serves 105-150 people.

Remember to consider the types of cheese you choose as well. Harder cheeses will likely be more popular, so you may want to order a larger quantity of those. It's also a good idea to pre-taste all the cheeses in your cake to ensure your guests will enjoy them.

Decorating your cake

The cheese wheels are usually delivered without additional decor, so you can decorate them according to your wedding theme. If you want to keep it simple, a plain arrangement of cheese and crackers is a good option. However, if you want to create a more elaborate setup, you can include flowers, foliage, nuts, dried or fresh fruit, salad/vegetables, pretzels, cured meats, and olives.

For a rustic/vintage chic wedding, try edible flowers and lacy trim around the base of each tier. For an earthier wedding, use sprigs of herbs, miniature lady apples, and cascading champagne grapes. If your wedding is more formal, try mirrored accents, candles, and ribbons, which come in a million colours to suit any theme or palette.

You can also add height to your cake by using glass tea-light holders or glass separators between the layers, which will give you more space to decorate.

Serving the cheese

The time has come to cut the cheese wedding cake! Here are some tips to make sure it goes smoothly:

• Make sure the cheese is at room temperature before serving. Take it out of the fridge a couple of hours beforehand.
• If you have a soft cheese at the bottom of your cake, you will need to support it. Place a metal cake support in the centre of the cheese and press down firmly until the bottom reaches the board and the top is almost flush with the surface. Place a cake board on top, then the next tier of cheese.
• After cutting the cake, disassemble it and cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, display the cheese with crackers, preserves, and fruit, and let guests serve themselves.
• If you want to ensure that all your guests can taste each cheese, order extra supplies of the smaller top-tier cheeses and store them elsewhere until the cake is served.
• If you want to save the top layer of your cheese cake for your first anniversary, keep the labels so you can buy fresh cheese to celebrate.
• To make serving easier, you could have someone slice all the cheese in advance.
• If you have multiple cakes, consider ordering smaller cheese cakes for each table to reduce queues at the cheese table.

Timing and storage

Timing is everything when it comes to serving a cheese wedding cake. You'll want to ensure the cheese is at its flavourful best, so be sure to take it out of the fridge a couple of hours before serving. This will ensure it's at room temperature when your guests eat it. However, don't leave it out for too long, as this could affect the quality and texture of the cheese.

If you're ordering a cheese wedding cake, it's a good idea to get it delivered a couple of days before the wedding. This will give you peace of mind that it's one less thing to worry about on the day. It also means you can store it safely in the fridge until it's time to bring it out.

When it comes to cutting the cake, you can do this as part of your wedding ceremony, just like a traditional cake. You might want to have someone designated to set up and assemble the cheese cake on the day, so you don't have to worry about it. They can also be in charge of storing and bringing out the cake at the right time.

After cutting the cake, the cheese can be disassembled and sliced into bite-sized pieces for guests to enjoy. If you're serving the cheese with accompaniments like crackers, fruit, or preserves, these can be laid out in advance, ready for guests to help themselves. Alternatively, the waitstaff can plate up individual portions for each guest, just like they would with a traditional wedding cake.

If you're serving the cheese as part of a range of evening foods, a portion size of 75g-110g per person is recommended. However, if the cheese is the main evening food, increase this to 150g-200g per person.

Frequently asked questions