Meat Lovers' Dream: Biltong Wedding Cake

Biltong cakes are a unique and custom-made delicacy, perfect for those who prefer savoury over sweet. This South African specialty is an eye-catching centrepiece, often adorned with a beautiful bow, and is sure to be a conversation starter at any wedding. Making a biltong cake involves carefully constructing layers of savoury cake, cream cheese icing, and decorations of biltong and droëwors. The process begins with baking a savoury muffin mix, which is then assembled and decorated with a creamy, spicy biltong dip. The result is a stunning and delicious alternative to a traditional wedding cake.

Choosing a cake topper

Biltong cakes are a unique and eye-catching centrepiece for any wedding table, and choosing the right cake topper will add a stylish and fun finishing touch. You can opt for a generic topper or have one custom-made. Here are some ideas to consider when choosing a cake topper for your biltong wedding cake:

Personalised Touches

Add a personalised touch to your wedding cake with a topper that showcases your shared surname or monogram of your combined initials. You could also include a photo of the happy couple, or opt for a laser-cut wooden cutout of your surname or initials. This is a great way to make your cake feel unique and special.

Love and Adventure

If you and your partner share a passion for travel and adventure, consider a vintage-style map cake topper or a topper with a sweet saying that reflects your love story. You could also include a quote about love and adventure, such as "The Adventure Begins".

Astrological Compatibility

For couples who are astrologically compatible, a personalised wooden cake topper with a celestial theme is a perfect choice. Include moons, stars, and other celestial motifs to symbolise your love written in the stars.

Rustic Chic

For a rustic-chic wedding, consider a cake topper made from natural wood and tree bark. This style is perfect for an outdoor wedding or a laid-back winery celebration. You could also incorporate laser-cut wooden figures or initials for a rustic touch.

Modern Elegance

If you're looking for a modern and elegant topper, consider a wire cake topper with your and your spouse's names or initials. Choose from a variety of wire colours to match your wedding aesthetic, such as gold, silver, or rose gold. Another modern option is an LED cake topper, which can be a show-stopping element that wows your guests.

Humour and Whimsy

Add a touch of humour and whimsy to your wedding cake with a fun cake topper. If you share a love for a book or movie series, such as Harry Potter, consider a subtle nod with a romantic cake topper featuring a quote or theme from the series.

When choosing a cake topper, consider your personal style and the overall aesthetic of your wedding. Whether you opt for a generic or personalised topper, it's a great way to infuse your personality and taste into your big day.

Selecting a colour scheme

When it comes to selecting a colour scheme for your biltong wedding cake, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, think about the overall theme or colour palette of your wedding. You may want to choose colours that complement your wedding colours or match a specific theme. For example, if your wedding colours are blush pink and navy, you could incorporate these colours into your cake design.

Another factor to consider is the time of year or season of your wedding. For instance, soft pastel colours might be more suited to a spring or summer wedding, while richer, more vibrant shades could be perfect for an autumn or winter celebration. You could also draw inspiration from the venue. If you're having an outdoor wedding, consider the colours of the natural surroundings, such as lush green foliage or vibrant wildflowers.

The type of biltong and dry wors used in the cake can also influence your colour choices. Biltong typically has a rich, reddish-brown colour, so you may want to select colours that complement this. Earth tones such as deep greens, browns, and rusts could work well. You could also add some contrast with neutral colours like beige or grey.

When selecting your colour scheme, don't be afraid to get creative and think outside the box. You can incorporate your chosen colours in a variety of ways, from the ribbon or bow used to decorate the cake to any additional toppings or decorations. If you want a more subtle approach, you could opt for a monochrome colour scheme, or if you prefer a bolder look, consider using complementary or contrasting colours.

Ultimately, the colour scheme you choose for your biltong wedding cake should reflect your personal style and taste. Whether you decide on a classic, elegant palette or something more playful and unique, make sure it represents you and your partner as a couple.

Preparing the biltong and droëwors

To prepare the biltong and droëwors for your wedding cake, you'll need to start by sourcing quality ingredients. Biltong and dry wors are readily available from reputable butchers, and you can even opt for Halal biltong if needed.

For the construction of the cake, you'll require enough dry wors to wrap around a small bowl, which will form the base of your cake. Cut the wors into equal-sized pieces to ensure a neat presentation. Place an elastic band around the bowl, and then carefully thread the wors pieces between the elastic and the bowl. This will be the foundation of your cake, so take your time to ensure it's secure and even.

Slowly remove the bowl, simultaneously filling the centre with biltong pieces to create a solid form. Cover the elastic band with a ribbon, taping it to secure the ends. Place the card base on a sheet of clear plastic, gathering the plastic together and securing it with another elastic band, which you can then cover with a bow.

The final step is to decorate the cake with biltong and droëwors. You can be creative here, perhaps adding tiers or incorporating additional decorations like chocolates or mini bottles. The biltong and droëwors will form the exterior of the cake, so arrange them neatly and artfully.

Your biltong wedding cake will be a unique and savoury centrepiece, offering a delightful alternative to traditional sweet wedding cakes.

Baking the cake tiers

The first step in making a biltong wedding cake is to decide on the number of tiers you would like. A single-tier cake is a simple option, but for a grand wedding, you may opt for two or three tiers. Once you've decided on the number of tiers, you can start baking the cake layers.

For a three-tier cake, you will need to bake three layers of cake. Each layer should be a different size, with the bottom layer being the largest and the top layer being the smallest. This will create a visually appealing and stable cake structure. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

For the cake batter, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 kg Golden Cloud savory muffin mix
• 2 cups grated cheese
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• Parsley
• Eggs
• Oil
• Milk

In a large bowl, mix together the savory muffin mix, grated cheese, cayenne pepper, and parsley. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and milk. Then, slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Grease three round cake pans of different sizes with food spray, ensuring they are the same height to ensure even baking. Divide the batter evenly among the pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Tap the pans gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking process to ensure even cooking. Once done, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for a few minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Once the cake layers have cooled, you can begin assembling your biltong wedding cake. Place the largest layer on a cake stand or serving plate and spread a layer of cream cheese icing on top. You can make the icing by beating two tubs of ordinary Lancewood cream cheese until spreadable, then adding one tub of Lancewood biltong dip, one tablespoon of sweet chilli, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Repeat this process for the remaining layers, stacking them on top of each other with a layer of icing in between. Once all the layers are stacked, use the remaining icing to cover the entire cake, creating a smooth finish. Finally, decorate the cake with biltong and droëwors as desired.

Assembling the cake

Firstly, you will need to decide on the number of tiers for your cake—one, two, or three. Then, choose a colour scheme and any additional decorations or toppers. You can add chocolates, mini bottles, or even hide a surprise gift inside the cake.

To start building the cake, you will need a dummy inner structure to ensure the cake keeps its shape. This is especially important if the cake needs to travel any distance. The biltong and dry wors are then built around this structure.

For a simple one-tier cake, you will need a small bowl and an elastic band. Place the elastic band around the bowl and then place pieces of dry wors between the elastic band and the bowl, ensuring they are all cut to the same size. Slowly remove the bowl and simultaneously fill the centre with biltong pieces. Cover the elastic band with a large piece of ribbon. Place the assembled tier on a large piece of card to form the base. You can then decorate the cake with a bow and any other desired toppings.

For a multi-tiered cake, repeat the above process for each tier, ensuring the tiers decrease in size. Place the largest tier on the card base and then carefully stack the other tiers on top, securing them with dry wors and/or ribbon.

Frequently asked questions