Designing Wedding Cakes: A Step-By-Step Guide To Baking Masterpieces

Designing a wedding cake can be a fun and creative process, but it can also be a daunting task. Whether you're a professional baker or a DIY enthusiast, the key to creating a stunning wedding cake lies in finding the perfect balance between simplicity and elegance. A classic wedding cake is typically white or ivory, symbolizing purity and innocence, with two to three tiers and a smooth finish. However, modern trends offer a wide range of possibilities, from minimalist designs to extravagant creations. The right cake should complement the wedding's theme and venue, whether it's a rustic celebration or a vintage-style ballroom affair.

Choosing a colour scheme

Match Your Wedding Colours and Décor

Your wedding cake is a great opportunity to reinforce your wedding colour scheme. Cutting the cake will be one of the highlights of your reception, so be sure that your colour choices are relevant to your overall colour scheme. For instance, if your colour scheme is cream and dark, cool colours, you might opt for a cream wedding cake with forest green and navy details.

Consider Your Wedding Venue

Your venue can help you decide on a colour scheme. Delicate pastels can lend romance to a garden wedding, elegant white and beige can illuminate a cozy chapel, and cool blue tones can evoke serenity at a seaside wedding. If your venue's existing decor is largely neutral, like a rustic barn or an open field, you have more freedom to make the colour scheme your own.

Take Inspiration from the Season

Using seasonal colours is an excellent way to elevate your wedding cake, especially if your venue is outdoors. Soft pink is beautiful for spring, cool blue tones can be refreshing for summer, warm reds, yellows and oranges are perfect for autumn, and rich burgundy is ideal for winter.

Be Inspired by Trends

Sometimes, the best way to inspire yourself is through current wedding trends. Sites like Instagram or Pinterest are a great source of colour palette inspiration. Look at what other couples have done and put your own spin on it.

Consider the Mood You'd Like to Create

Different colours can create different atmospheres. For example, dusty rose and mauve can create an atmosphere that's sweet and romantic, while earthy terracotta tones can evoke feelings of warmth and familiarity.

Be Realistic

If an amateur baker has offered to make your wedding cake, or if your budget is tight, you might want to opt for a simpler cake design. Simplicity can be quite elegant, so don't stress about spending a fortune on an extravagant cake.

Complementary Colours

If you're unsure where to start, a colour wheel can be a valuable tool. Colours that are opposite on the wheel are "complementary", like yellow and violet. Colours that are next to each other on the wheel are "analogous", like blue, blue-green and blue-violet. Three colours that are evenly spaced on the wheel are "triads", like red, blue and yellow. You can also create a monochromatic colour scheme using gradients and tints of the same colour.

Selecting decorations

Flowers

Flowers are a popular choice for wedding cake decorations and can be used to add a pop of colour and a touch of elegance. Fresh flowers, such as roses, orchids, and baby's breath, can be used to decorate the cake, or you could opt for edible flowers, which are almost too pretty to eat! If you're looking for a more long-lasting option, sugar flowers are a whimsical choice that can be made to match the colour of the frosting.

Greenery

For a minimalist and organic effect, consider draping your cake with greenery. Eucalyptus, olive leaves, and tropical leaves like monstera can add a natural and rustic charm to your cake.

Fruit

Fruit can be used as a hearty and rustic accent, perfect for a farm or countryside wedding. Apricots, figs, and olive branches, or strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries, can add a punch of colour and flavour.

Metallic Accents

For a glitzy touch, consider adding metallic accents to your cake. Gold, silver, or copper leaf can be used to create a bucolic or glamorous feel, depending on your wedding theme.

Ribbons and Beads

Satin ribbons and pearl-like beads are classic choices for wedding cake decorations, adding a subtle and tasteful touch of elegance.

Wafer Paper

If you're looking for something a little different, wafer paper can be moulded into various designs and shapes to add a unique 3D look to your cake.

Personal Touches

Don't be afraid to add a personal touch to your cake. This could include a fondant portrait of a pet or a cut-out bride and groom topper.

Remember, when selecting decorations for your wedding cake, it's important to consider your wedding theme, colour palette, and personal style. The decorations should complement the cake's design and enhance its overall appearance without overwhelming it.

Picking a flavour

If you're a fan of chocolate, there are plenty of ways to incorporate it into your wedding cake. You could opt for a double chocolate chip cake with semi-naked layers and delicate rose accents for a rustic charm. Alternatively, a stylish half-naked chocolate cake with fresh peach and white florals will give an effortless, chic feel. For a destination wedding, a cake with layers of chocolate, salted caramel, and vanilla almond is a great option.

If you're looking for something a little more classic, a simple white wedding cake with a surprise banana flavour is always a good choice. You can adorn it with a swath of ferns and white blooms for a botanical touch. Or, for a more minimalist approach, a slender-tiered lemon cake with raspberry jam, decorated with dried lunaria and fresh roses, is a sleek and stunning option.

For those who want to stray from the traditional, a Funfetti cake is a fun and playful idea. Or, if you're feeling fruity, a buttercream cake with fresh apricots, figs, and olive branches will give your wedding cake a hearty, rustic vibe.

Cake size and shape

When it comes to wedding cake design, there are endless possibilities for customisation. The cake's shape is an important consideration, and there are several factors to keep in mind when making this decision.

Firstly, the number of guests attending the wedding will influence the size and shape of the cake. The cake should be proportionate to the guest count to ensure there is enough for everyone. A good rule of thumb is to cater to 90% of the total number of guests, as not everyone will want a slice. For example, a two-tier square cake can serve around 60 guests, while a four-tier round cake can serve 100-150 guests.

Secondly, the desired aesthetic of the wedding plays a role in choosing the cake's shape. Round cakes are the most traditional and classic option, with square cakes following as a close second. Other unique shapes such as hexagonal, oval, heart-shaped, and even bundt cakes are also possible, adding a modern and creative twist to the design. Mixing and matching different shapes and sizes for each tier can create a truly unique and artistic display.

Additionally, the level of difficulty and skill required to craft certain shapes should be considered. Square cakes, for instance, require more time and skill to create than round cakes due to the need for sharp corners. As a result, they may be more expensive, depending on the baker.

Finally, the cake's shape can influence the number of portions that can be served. Square cakes generally yield more slices than round cakes of a similar size. For example, a 10-inch round cake will serve around 30-38 guests, while a 10-inch square cake can serve up to 50.

Ultimately, the decision on the wedding cake's size and shape should reflect the couple's preferences, the overall aesthetic of the wedding, and the number of guests attending.

Adding a personal touch

Cake Toppers

Add a personalised cake topper with your names, wedding date, or a meaningful quote. You can choose from a variety of materials such as acrylic, wood, or metal, and even include your wedding colours or a fun theme.

Flowers and Greenery

Fresh flowers and greenery are a beautiful way to dress up your wedding cake. You can match the blooms to your bouquet or choose flowers with special meanings to you and your partner. For a rustic touch, consider using dried flowers or edible blooms.

Cake Flavours

Incorporate your favourite flavours or a recipe that holds a special meaning. If you're having a fall wedding, consider a cake with apple-cinnamon or pumpkin spice flavours. Or, for a summer celebration, a light and fruity cake with berries or citrus might be more suitable.

Cake Design

Think about incorporating your wedding theme or colours into the cake design. For example, if you're having a bohemian wedding, you could choose a cake with jewel-tone watercolours and gold accents. Or, if you're having a more intimate celebration, a simple, elegant design with buttercream frosting and fresh flowers might be more fitting.

Personalised Details

Include personalised details such as your initials, wedding date, or a meaningful quote on the cake itself. You can also add these details to the cake stand or surrounding decor for a truly unique touch.

Remember, your wedding cake is a reflection of your style and personality, so don't be afraid to get creative and think outside the box!

Frequently asked questions