Cutting Your Cheese Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

Cheese wedding cakes are a fun and unique alternative to traditional wedding cakes. They can be decorated to match the theme of your wedding and are a great option if you want to offer your guests something savoury. When it comes to cutting a cheese wedding cake, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, you'll need to decide whether to cut the cake yourself or have a day-of cheese coordinator to handle the setup and cutting of the cake. You'll also need to consider the type of cheese you're using and whether it needs any additional support, such as an egg cup, to hold the layers together. Finally, you'll want to make sure you have the right tools, such as a sharp knife, to cut the cake smoothly and efficiently.

How to cut a soft cheese wedding cake

Soft cheese wedding cakes can be cut with a standard knife, but if you're cutting a large tier, a double-handled knife designed for cutting wheels of cheese will be easier. If you're cutting a soft wheel, you can use wooden skewers as internal supports. Cut the skewers flush with the top of the cheese, then top with a cardboard cake round.

You can either cut the cake yourself and serve it to your guests, or you can disassemble the cake and display the whole cheeses individually, allowing guests to cut their own slices. If you're short on time, you can slice the cheese in advance.

How to cut a hard cheese wedding cake

A hard cheese wedding cake can be cut in a similar way to a traditional wedding cake, due to its tiered display. You can either allow guests to cut the cheese and serve themselves, or you can separate the layers of the cake and place the cheeses on boards for guests to take a slice. Alternatively, you can ask your caterers to hand out pre-cut slices of cheese.

To cut a hard cheese wedding cake, you will need a double-handled knife designed for cutting wheels of cheese. These are easier to use than a standard knife for large tiers and hard cheeses. Before cutting, make sure the top of each wheel is flat; you can trim with a sharp knife if they are a bit domed. Simply stack the hard and semi-hard cheese wheels on top of each other.

On the day of the wedding, take the cheese out of the fridge while lunch is being served. Stack and decorate the cake, and set out platters, utensils and accompaniments. Cut the cake immediately before taking it into the kitchen, disassembling it and slicing it into bite-size pieces for guests to enjoy.

How to disassemble a cheese wedding cake

If you're planning on having a cheese wedding cake, it's important to know how to disassemble it so that it can be served to your guests. Here's a step-by-step guide:

• Take a sharp knife and run it around the edge of the metal support.
• As you do this, carefully lift the support out of the cheese. This step should be done slowly, easing the cheese away from the edges of the support as you go.
• Once the support has been removed, gently press down the edges of the cut circle. The cheese will come together again, and you can cut wedges as normal.
• If you're using softer cheeses, build in support by cutting out a circle of cheese in the middle and replacing it with an egg cup. You can then rest the next layer on top. If it's a wide cheese, use three egg cups with a cake plate on top.
• Make sure you have enough cheese. 1.5-2 ounces per person is ideal, but you can get away with less if you're serving an additional dessert.
• Keep the cake to five layers or fewer if you want to avoid it toppling.

How to decorate a cheese wedding cake

To decorate a cheese wedding cake, you should consider the shape, colour and texture of the cheeses you use. A trio of bloomy-rind cheeses can evoke a traditional white wedding cake, while wine-soaked, ash-coated, and leaf-wrapped cheeses make a bold, modern statement. You can also decorate a small wheel of chèvre with pressed flowers.

If you want to avoid toppling, keep the cake to five layers or fewer. You can put softer cheeses in the lower layers by building in support so they can take the weight of the cheeses above. To do this, cut out a circle of cheese in the middle and replace it with an eggcup and a cake plate on top. If it's a wide cheese, use three egg cups with a cake plate on top.

You can also buy a fresh wheel of cheese to celebrate your marriage and keep the labels from your wedding cake.

How to serve a cheese wedding cake

To serve a cheese wedding cake, you'll need to think about the type of cheese you want to use. A trio of bloomy-rind cheeses will evoke a traditional white wedding cake, while wine-soaked, ash-coated, and leaf-wrapped cheeses make a bold, modern statement. You'll need 1.5-2 ounces of cheese per person, but you can get away with less if you're serving another dessert. Keep the cake to five layers or fewer to avoid toppling.

If you're using softer cheeses, you can build in support by cutting out a circle of cheese in the middle and replacing it with an eggcup and a cake plate on top. If it's a wide cheese, use three egg cups. You can also put the softer cheeses on the lower layers so they can take the weight of the cheeses above.

On the day, take the cheese out of the fridge while lunch is being served. Stack and decorate the cake, and set out platters, utensils, and accompaniments. Cut the cake, then take it into the kitchen, disassemble it, and slice it into bite-size pieces for guests. To disassemble the cake, take a sharp knife and run it around the edge of the metal support. As you do this, carefully lift the support out of the cheese. Ease the cheese away from the edges of the support as you go. Once the support is removed, gently press down the edges of the cut circle. The cheese will come together again and you can cut wedges as normal.

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