George Boyle
Making your own wedding cake is a big project, but it can save you a lot of money. It's also a fun and creative way to celebrate your nuptials. There are five steps to making a DIY wedding cake: baking the cakes, making the frosting, frosting the cakes, layering the tiers, and then decorating the final cake. You can break these steps up to reduce your stress leading up to the wedding. You'll need a few pieces of specialised equipment, such as a cake turntable, but you can also make your own ingredients, like vegetable oil, using granulated sugar and cornstarch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Sugar, cake flour, egg(s), extra egg whites, sour cream, whole milk, room temperature butter, vegetable oil, vanilla, almond, buttercream frosting, fresh flowers, berries |
| Equipment | Cake turntable, oven(s) with enough space, mixer |
| Steps | Baking the cakes, making the frosting, frosting the cakes, layering the tiers, decorating the final cake |
| Tips | Make each cake separately, make each batch of frosting separately, cool the cakes completely before assembling and decorating, break the steps up to reduce stress |
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What You'll Learn
Baking the cakes
To avoid overwhelming your mixer and over or under-mixing the batter, make each cake separately. Unless you have extra ovens or oven space, prepare the cake batters and bake the layer cakes one at a time. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling and decorating.
If you are making a two-tiered cake, both tiers should be buttery, soft, and moist. This can be achieved by using a vanilla buttercream frosting instead of traditional fondant.
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Making the frosting
To make the frosting, you'll need to whip the butter and salt for about a minute using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer. Sift in the sugar in several batches, beating on low after each addition. Scrape the bowl down and repeat the process.
Next, add a tablespoon of cream while mixing on low, then add the vanilla. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency. You can add more cream or milk if you want a thinner consistency. If the buttercream seems too runny, try adding in all of the sugar or chilling the mixing bowl in the fridge.
Once you're happy with the consistency, you can use the frosting to pipe onto cupcakes or frost a cake. If you're not ready to use it yet, cover it tightly and refrigerate until you need it.
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Frosting the cakes
For a two-tiered wedding cake, you'll need to make a higher quantity of frosting than you would for a single-tiered cake. It's best to make each batch of frosting separately to avoid overwhelming your mixer. You can use vanilla buttercream for a classic, crowd-pleasing favourite, or try a semi-naked frosting technique for a more modern look.
When frosting the cakes, start by placing one cake on your turntable or Lazy Susan. Spread a layer of frosting on top, making sure it's nice and even. Then, place the second cake on top and repeat the process. Once both cakes are frosted, you can start layering the tiers.
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Layering the tiers
- Start by baking your cakes. For a tiered cake, you will need to bake multiple cakes of different sizes. Ensure you have the right pan sizes for each tier. Follow your chosen recipe, but remember to bake each cake separately to avoid overwhelming your mixer and under or over-mixing the batter.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling. This step is essential to prevent the buttercream or frosting from melting.
- Prepare your frosting or buttercream. For a DIY wedding cake, a semi-naked frosting technique is a great option, as it is easier to achieve than a fully covered fondant cake. Make sure you have enough frosting by preparing it in batches.
- Use a cake turntable or a Lazy Susan for easy decorating. Place the largest tier in the centre of the turntable. This will be your base tier.
- Apply a thin layer of frosting to the top of the base tier. This will act as a 'glue' for the next layer.
- Carefully place the next largest tier on top of the frosted area. Centre it carefully to ensure stability.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each subsequent tier, working from largest to smallest.
- Once all the tiers are stacked, apply a crumb coat—a thin layer of frosting—to the entire cake. This will help seal in any crumbs and create a smooth surface for the final coat of frosting.
- Finally, apply the final coat of frosting to the entire cake, taking your time to achieve a smooth and uniform finish.
Remember, it is important to work carefully and slowly when layering the tiers. You can always add more frosting if needed, but it is harder to fix mistakes once the tiers are stacked.
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Decorating the final cake
One popular option is to use a semi-naked frosting technique, which is an easy, approachable design for any home cook to tackle. This technique involves using a thin layer of frosting to create a rustic, imperfect look. You can then add fresh flowers and berries to give your cake an elegant, natural feel.
If you prefer a more traditional look, you can use vanilla buttercream frosting to cover the entire cake. This will give your cake a soft, buttery appearance. You can also add decorations such as sugar flowers, pearls, or other edible embellishments.
Another option is to use fondant to cover your cake. Fondant creates a smooth, polished finish and can be coloured or flavoured as desired. You can then add decorations such as ribbons, bows, or fresh flowers.
Remember to keep your design simple and elegant, and don't be afraid to ask for help if needed. Decorating a wedding cake can be a fun and rewarding experience, and your guests will surely be impressed by your homemade creation!
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Frequently asked questions
You will need sugar, cake flour, egg(s), extra egg whites, sour cream, whole milk, and room temperature butter. You will also need vegetable oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, canola, corn, or peanut oil.
You will need a cake turntable or Lazy Susan, and extra oven(s) or oven space if you want to bake multiple cakes at once.
There are five steps to making a DIY wedding cake: baking the cakes, making the frosting, frosting the cakes, layering the tiers, and then decorating the final cake.
You can use a semi-naked frosting technique, fresh flowers, and berries.
