Creating A Wedding Cake With Fake Tiers

A wedding cake is a beautiful centrepiece for any wedding, but they can be costly and time-consuming to make. A wedding cake with fake layers can be a great alternative, providing a stunning display without the high price tag. This type of cake uses faux layers, often made from styrofoam, which can be decorated to look like real cake layers. The benefits of a fake wedding cake include cost savings, ease of assembly and transport, and the ability to display a large, elegant cake even with a small guest list. In this article, we will explore the steps to create a beautiful and realistic wedding cake with fake layers, including the materials needed and decorating tips to achieve the desired look.

Choosing a fake cake over a real one saves money and time

Wedding cakes can be costly, and choosing a fake cake over a real one can save you money. The average wedding cake costs between $300 and $1500, with the price depending on location, design, and materials. However, you can create a faux wedding cake for as little as $50. This is a significant cost saving, especially if you have a small guest list or a tight budget.

A fake wedding cake also saves you time. A real wedding cake requires baking and assembling multiple layers, which can be a complex and time-consuming process. With a faux cake, you can simply purchase or make styrofoam layers and decorate them to your liking. This eliminates the need for baking and allows you to focus on the design and presentation of your cake.

Additionally, a fake cake can be prepared well in advance of your wedding, unlike a real cake, which needs to be baked and assembled close to the event to ensure freshness. This means one less thing to worry about in the days leading up to your wedding.

Another advantage of choosing a faux cake is that it can be displayed throughout your entire reception. A real wedding cake is typically cut and served soon after it is presented, leaving you with only a short time to admire and capture photos of it. With a fake cake, you can enjoy its beauty and share it with your guests for the entire duration of your celebration.

While a faux wedding cake may not provide the same taste experience as a real cake, it can be a practical and cost-effective option, especially if you plan to serve other desserts or cake to your guests. By choosing a fake cake, you can have the best of both worlds – a stunning display cake and delicious, affordable treats for your guests to enjoy.

Styrofoam is a good material for fake layers

One of the benefits of using Styrofoam for fake layers is that it eliminates the need for internal support structures, such as dowel rods or bubble tea straws, which are necessary when using real cake tiers. This simplifies the construction process and reduces the overall weight of the cake. Additionally, Styrofoam layers can be securely stacked to create a stable tiered cake without the risk of collapse.

Another advantage of Styrofoam layers is their longevity. They can be decorated and displayed for extended periods without spoilage, making them ideal for competition entries or display pieces in bakeries. The ability to reuse Styrofoam blocks for multiple projects further adds to their cost-effectiveness. However, it is important to properly store decorated Styrofoam cakes to prevent damage, especially in environments where pests like house lizards may be an issue.

While Styrofoam fake layers may not always result in significant cost savings compared to real cake tiers, they offer other benefits. They are a practical solution for creating large, beautiful cakes for small weddings or events with a limited number of guests. By using Styrofoam layers, couples can have the wedding cake of their dreams without worrying about excessive cake waste. Additionally, Styrofoam layers can help stabilize real cake tiers in difficult climates with high heat or humidity, ensuring a more consistent cake-cutting experience.

Use a combination of real and fake layers

A combination of real and fake layers can be a great option if you want to display a large, beautiful cake but have a smaller guest list. This approach also allows you to cut the top tier during your cake-cutting ceremony while serving slices of cake from a sheet cake to your guests.

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a wedding cake with a combination of real and fake layers:

Step 1: Plan your cake design

Before you start assembling your cake, it's important to have a clear idea of what you want it to look like. Decide on the number of tiers, the size of each tier, and the overall design or theme. This will help you determine how many real and fake layers you need.

Step 2: Prepare the fake layers

The base of your fake layers can be made from various materials, such as styrofoam, foam, or pre-cut cake forms. You can find these materials at specialty kitchen or craft stores, or online. Cut and shape the material to your desired size and shape for each tier.

Step 3: Apply the "frosting" to the fake layers

Use a lightweight spackling or joint compound to create the look of frosting on your fake layers. You can also add paint to the spackling to create the desired colour. Apply it with a spatula or a knife, creating swirls and textures to make it look like real frosting. Let the "frosting" dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Step 4: Assemble the fake layers

Use styrofoam glue or hot glue to stack and assemble your fake layers, centring each tier carefully. You can also add decorative elements, such as different colours of spackle to create a layered cake effect or food colouring to create a chocolate cake look.

Step 5: Prepare the real cake layer(s)

Bake and assemble your real cake layer(s) according to your recipe. You can make a single tier or multiple tiers, depending on your design. Frost the real cake layer(s) with edible frosting, ensuring it matches the colour and texture of the "frosting" on your fake layers.

Step 6: Combine the real and fake layers

Carefully stack and assemble the real and fake layers to create your final cake. Use sturdy metal spatulas or cake turners to lift and centre each layer. You can also add fresh flowers, ribbons, or other decorations to enhance the overall design.

Step 7: Display and serve

Your combination wedding cake is now ready to be displayed and enjoyed! You can cut the real cake layer(s) during your cake-cutting ceremony, while slices of sheet cake are served to your guests. Your beautiful creation will be a show-stopping centrepiece at your wedding reception.

Use fondant, spackling, or joint compound to decorate fake layers

Once you've assembled your faux wedding cake, it's time to decorate! Fondant, spackling, and joint compound are all great options for creating a realistic-looking "icing" layer on your cake. Here's a step-by-step guide to using these materials:

Fondant

Fondant is a sugar dough that is commonly used to cover and decorate cakes. It creates a smooth, elegant finish and can be purchased from cake supply stores or online. Simply roll out the fondant to the desired thickness and carefully drape it over your cake layers, smoothing it out with your hands or a fondant smoother. Fondant is a great option if you're looking for a flawless, polished look for your fake wedding cake.

Spackling

Spackling is a type of lightweight wall filler or putty that can be used to create a textured "frosting" look on your faux cake. Here's how you can use it:

• Transfer a generous amount of spackling into a mixing bowl and add your desired paint colour.
• Use a disposable spatula to mix the paint into the spackling, folding it in like you would with cake batter.
• Using a plastic knife, cover your cake layers with the coloured spackling. Don't worry about achieving a smooth finish – the texture will make it look more like real frosting!
• Set the cake aside to dry for 24-48 hours in a warm area.
• If you want to add decorative swirls, simply put some spackling into a disposable pastry bag and pipe it onto the cake as you would with real frosting.

Joint Compound

Joint compound, also known as drywall mud, is similar to spackling and can be used to achieve a similar textured "frosting" effect. Follow the same steps as you would for spackling. You can also use food colouring to tint the joint compound if you want a specific colour.

Remember, these "icing" layers can be combined with other decorations like flowers, ribbons, and trims to create a truly stunning faux wedding cake!

Add fresh flowers to the cake

Adding fresh flowers to a wedding cake with fake layers is a beautiful and elegant way to decorate it. Here are some tips to help you add fresh flowers to your cake safely and securely:

Choose the Right Flowers:

When selecting flowers for your cake, opt for edible or non-toxic varieties. Edible flowers include snapdragons, lavender, pansies, sunflowers, roses, and more. Meanwhile, non-toxic flowers are those that are non-edible but safe for cake decorating, such as freesia, gerbera, and lisianthus. Avoid toxic flowers like lily of the valley, daffodils, and hydrangeas.

Source Your Flowers:

You can source flowers from a florist, a local flower farm or market, or online. If you opt for a florist, ask if the flowers are locally grown, organic, and/or pesticide-free. Local flowers are likely to be fresher and last longer. If you pick them up in advance, store them in a cool place without adding any plant food to the water.

Prepare the Flowers:

Before adding the flowers to your cake, clean them by pruning the stems to the desired length, removing dead or wilted petals, and cutting away foliage. Wash the flowers with cool, soapy water, and gently dry them with a paper or cloth towel.

Wrap the Stems:

Wrapping flower stems is essential to prevent any fluids from the stems from leaking into the cake. Use floral tape, which sticks to itself and comes in different shades of green. Tightly wrap each stem with the tape, twisting the end to secure it. This is especially important if the stems will come into direct contact with the cake or frosting.

Add the Flowers to the Cake:

You can insert the wrapped stems directly into the cake, arranging them as you desire. If you want to add flowers to the sides of the cake or position them at specific angles, consider using bubble tea straws. Insert the straws into the cake at the desired angle, and then slip the flower stems into the straws. Clear straws are best to ensure they remain invisible.

Use a Cardboard Cake Round:

If you want to avoid the hassle of wrapping stems, you can place a cardboard cake round on top of the frosted cake and add flowers to it. This creates a barrier between the flowers and the cake, ensuring that none of the flowers come into direct contact with the cake. When it's time to cut the cake, simply slide an offset spatula under the cardboard round to remove it easily.

Timing:

Fresh flowers are best added to the cake on the same day as the event. Flowers need water to stay fresh, and if added too far in advance, they may wilt.

Alternative Ideas:

If you have flowers that you want to use but are unsure about their safety, you can place them around the cake as a garland or in vases. Another option is to add flowers to a piece of foam between the layers of a multi-tiered cake, ensuring the petals are safe for food contact.

Frequently asked questions