Creating A Wedding Cake: A Homemade Guide

Making a wedding cake at home is a great way to save money and add a personal touch to your special day. While it may seem daunting, making a wedding cake is achievable, even for novice bakers. The key to success is careful planning and allowing yourself plenty of time. It is also important to manage your expectations – a homemade wedding cake is unlikely to look like something from a magazine, but a simple, rustic design can be just as beautiful.

There are several considerations to keep in mind when planning your cake. Firstly, you will need to choose a recipe specifically designed for wedding cakes, as these will ensure your cake is sturdy enough and that you have the right amount of batter and icing. You will also need to decide on the size of your cake. A three-tier cake, for example, will require three cakes of 12, 9 and 6, as well as a large quantity of icing. In addition to standard baking equipment, you will also need cardboard cake boards, a large serrated knife, and a lazy Susan for decorating.

Once you have chosen your recipe and gathered your tools, it is a good idea to make a test cake and practise your decorating skills. This will help you refine your technique and ensure that your cake turns out perfectly on the big day. When it comes to decorating, fresh flowers, cake toppers, and simple piping can all be used to create a beautiful and elegant design.

Choosing a flavour

Firstly, consider the type of cake you want. Classic choices include vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, and carrot cake. These flavours are crowd-pleasers and can be dressed up or down depending on your preference. For example, a vanilla cake can be paired with various fillings and frostings, such as lemon curd, almond, or coconut extract.

If you want something more unique, there are plenty of creative options to explore. A few interesting flavour combinations include:

• Chocolate chip: Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter for a delightful surprise in every bite.
• Lemon cake: Opt for a zesty lemon cake, perhaps paired with a lemon cupcake batter for the top tier.
• Marble cake: Create a stunning visual effect with a marble cake, or even a zebra cake for the bottom tier.
• Rose water vanilla: A subtle and elegant twist on a classic vanilla cake.
• Apple-cinnamon: Perfect for an autumn-inspired wedding.
• Raspberry pink velvet: A pretty-in-pink cake, ideal for a spring wedding.
• Honey-lavender: A unique and delicate flavour combination.

Don't be afraid to mix and match flavours for each tier or even incorporate fresh fruits and flowers as decorations or fillings. Ultimately, choose flavours that you and your partner love and that reflect your personalities.

Remember, if you're making the cake yourself, it's essential to use a recipe specifically designed as a wedding cake to ensure it is sturdy enough and that you have the right amount of batter and icing. Happy baking and flavour experimenting!

Selecting decorations

Flowers

Fresh flowers are a popular choice for wedding cake decorations and can add a touch of elegance and romance to your cake. You can choose flowers that match your wedding colour palette or theme. For a rustic look, consider using wildflowers or greenery such as eucalyptus or olive branches. If you want to avoid fresh flowers, you can also make fondant flowers or use sugar flowers, which add a whimsical touch to your cake.

Fruit

Using fruit as a decoration is a great way to add a pop of colour and a hint of decadence to your cake. Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, are a popular choice and can be used whole or as a compote. You can also use sliced fruit like apricots, figs, or citrus fruits for a unique and vibrant touch.

Cake Toppers

Cake toppers can be a fun and personal way to decorate your wedding cake. You can choose something classic and elegant, like a monogram or a simple floral topper, or go for something more whimsical, like a fondant portrait of the couple or a cake topper inspired by your favourite book or TV show.

Icing and Fondant

The type of icing or fondant you use can also be a decorative element. A simple, smooth finish is elegant and timeless, while a textured or ruffled effect can add interest and dimension to your cake. You can also leave your cake "naked," with minimal icing, for a more rustic or bohemian vibe. If you're feeling adventurous, you can try your hand at painting your cake with watercolours or creating geometric patterns with fondant.

Multiple Cakes

Instead of a traditional tiered cake, you could opt for multiple single-tiered cakes or individual cakes for each guest. This gives you the opportunity to experiment with different decorations and flavours. You can coordinate the decorations on each cake so they complement each other, or you can mix and match for a more eclectic look.

Other Edible Decorations

There are endless possibilities when it comes to edible decorations for your wedding cake. Consider using macarons, meringues, or chocolate bars to decorate your cake. You can also incorporate nuts, such as macadamia nuts or pistachios, for added texture and flavour.

Remember to keep your decorations simple and elegant, especially if you're a beginner baker. Practice your decorating techniques beforehand, and don't be afraid to get creative and incorporate elements that reflect your unique style and personality.

Preparing the cake pans

Firstly, you will need to gather the necessary tools and ingredients. For this step, you will need: cake pans in the required sizes (12", 9", and 6", each 3" tall), parchment paper, non-stick spray or butter, and a pair of scissors.

Once you have gathered your tools, you can begin preparing the cake pans. Start by lightly spraying the bottoms and sides of each pan with non-stick spray or greasing them with butter. This will ensure that your cakes don't stick to the pans and will help with the release of the baked cakes.

Next, take your parchment paper and cut out rounds that fit the bottom of your cake pans. You can do this by tracing the bottom of your cake pan onto the parchment paper and then cutting out the rounds. These parchment paper rounds will further ensure that your cakes don't stick and will create a seamless release from the pans. Place the parchment paper rounds into the greased pans and grease them as well.

Repeat this process for all your cake pans, and you will have successfully prepared your cake pans for baking!

Making the batter

Firstly, gather all the necessary ingredients for the batter. The specific ingredients may vary depending on the recipe you choose, but typically, you will need sugar, cake flour, eggs, extra egg whites, sour cream, whole milk, and room-temperature butter. You may also need additional ingredients such as baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt. Ensure that all your ingredients are at room temperature to ensure they mix easily and evenly.

Next, prepare your baking pans. Line your round pans with parchment paper to ensure the cakes release seamlessly from the pans. You will need three pans each for the 12", 9", and 6" cakes. Grease the bottoms and sides of the pans with non-stick spray or butter before adding the parchment paper rounds. Cut the parchment paper to fit the bottom of your pans, then grease the parchment as well.

Now, it's time to make the batter. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients, including the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set this mixture aside. In a separate bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy. This process should take around 3 minutes. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally to ensure even mixing.

Once the butter and sugar are well combined, it's time to add the eggs. Beat in the eggs, extra egg whites, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. The mixture may look curdled at this stage due to the combination of liquid and solid ingredients.

After that, beat in the sour cream. Again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure a thorough mix. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until just incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix at this stage.

Finally, with the mixer still running on low speed, gradually pour in the milk and mix until combined. Give the batter a final whisk by hand to ensure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Your batter is now ready!

Remember, the key to successful batter-making is careful measurement of ingredients, thorough mixing, and attention to the specific instructions of your chosen recipe. Good luck with creating your wedding cake!

Baking and assembling

Baking a wedding cake is not as difficult as one might think, but it does require significant planning and effort. It is important to manage your expectations – a homemade wedding cake is unlikely to look like a professional one. Simple, rustic decorations are more achievable.

You should use a recipe specifically designed to be a wedding cake to ensure it is sturdy enough and that it makes the right amount of batter and icing. For a three-tier cake, you will need to make three cakes of 12", 9" and 6", as well as a large quantity of icing. Most three-tier cake recipes have a step-by-step schedule for when you will need to bake and assemble each part.

Before you begin, assemble all the tools you will need. This includes:

• All ingredients for baking and icing the cake
• 12", 9" and 6" cake pans, each 3" tall
• Parchment paper to line the pans
• Large serrated knife
• Cardboard cake boards in 12", 9" and 6"
• 10 non-flexible straws
• A platter to serve the cake on
• A pastry bag with a round tip between size 3 and 7 for piping, and a toothpick for tracing
• Decorations like fresh flowers, cake toppers, etc.
• Lazy Susan to use when decorating the cake

When baking, it is important to prepare the pans properly. Always line your round pans with parchment paper rounds before adding the batter. Begin by lightly spraying the bottoms and sides of each with non-stick spray or greasing with butter. Add a parchment paper round, then grease the round as well. Parchment paper rounds guarantee the cooled cakes will seamlessly release from the pans.

Once the cakes are baked, they must be completely cool before assembling and decorating. Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. This is called levelling off the cakes.

To assemble the cake, you will be placing one cake on top of the other. For guaranteed support and stability, place 4 cake dowels in the bottom tier. Cake dowels are sticks that will support the top tier. You’ll have to measure and cut the dowels so they are flush with the surface of the bottom cake. Place the small tier on top. A 6-inch cake board is crucial between the tiers for added support.

Crumb coat both cakes separately before layering the tiers. A crumb coat is a very thin layer of frosting around the cake before the exterior frosting is applied. Refrigerate the cakes to help "set" the crumb coat.

After crumb coating, use a small icing spatula and run it around the cakes while spinning them to create a textured, ruffled look.

After placing the small tier on top, you can pipe frosting around the bottom to cover up any smears or spaces. You can also pipe dots of frosting with a round piping tip between the tiers and around the bottom of the whole cake to resemble pretty pearls.

Transporting and Storing the Cake

You will need to clear a large space in the refrigerator, perhaps taking out a shelf for the cake. You'll also need to arrange transport for the cake to the wedding venue. Speak to the caterer or venue manager about cake transport and refrigeration details at the event.

Frequently asked questions