Creating A Rich Wedding Cake Flavor Experience

Wedding cakes can be any flavour, but traditionally, they are fruit cakes covered in marzipan and fondant icing. Nowadays, couples tend to opt for vanilla, chocolate, lemon, red velvet, or even carrot cake.

If you're looking for something a little more unique, how about a pistachio and dark chocolate cake, or a banana, coconut, and white chocolate cake? The possibilities are endless!

Choosing a traditional wedding cake flavour

Choosing a wedding cake flavour can be a daunting task, with so many options available. If you're looking for something traditional, here are some classic flavours to consider:

Fruit Cake

Fruit cake is a traditional wedding cake flavour that has been around for centuries. It is typically made with dried fruits such as sultanas, currants, and other fruits, and is often "fed" with alcohol to keep it moist and decadent. This type of cake has a long shelf life, which is why it was traditionally saved for the christening of the couple's firstborn child. Fruit cakes are also heavier and sturdier than sponge cakes, making them a stable base for tiered wedding cakes.

Vanilla

Vanilla is a classic and versatile flavour that can be paired with various fillings and icings. It is a perennial favourite due to its light, buttery base, which can be easily customized to fit any wedding theme. Vanilla cake is often paired with passionfruit curd, raspberry filling, or a heavy vanilla cream for a delicious treat.

Chocolate

Chocolate cake is a rich and indulgent choice, perfect for an evening or winter wedding. It can be layered with different fillings like cherries, peanut butter, strawberries, and more. For a unique twist, try adding orange liqueur or pairing it with coffee caramel.

Red Velvet

Red velvet cake is a rich and decadent option, often served with cream cheese frosting. The distinct red colour brings a splash of drama and luxury to the wedding.

Lemon

Lemon zest cake is a perfect choice for a fresh and light option, especially for spring and summer weddings. It is often paired with lemon buttercream, classic vanilla buttercream, or a berry compote to balance the acidity.

Carrot Cake

Carrot cake has gained popularity as a wedding cake flavour due to its rich, moist base and mix of warm spices. It is usually topped with a cream cheese frosting, similar to red velvet cake. Carrot cakes are particularly well-suited for rustic-themed weddings.

These traditional flavours offer a sense of familiarity and comfort while still being delicious and elegant. However, don't be afraid to put a unique twist on these classics to make them your own!

How to make a chocolate wedding cake

Chocolate is a classic flavor for a wedding cake, and it's a great choice if you want to serve your guests a decadent dessert with a unique twist. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make a chocolate wedding cake, with tips on ingredients, flavors, and decorations to create a stunning and delicious centerpiece for your special day.

Ingredients and Preparation:

For a rich, dark chocolate wedding cake, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Unsalted butter
• Plain chocolate
• Strong coffee or espresso
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Light soft brown sugar
• Sour cream
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Eggs

Start by preheating your oven to 160°C/140°C fan. Prepare a 30cm deep-round cake tin by buttering, double-lining, and wrapping the sides. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together over low heat, stirring until smooth. Add the coffee and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture.

In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the sugar, breaking down any lumps with your fingertips. In a jug or bowl, beat the eggs and sour cream together, then pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Finally, pour in the melted chocolate mixture and stir until you have a thick, even chocolate batter.

Baking and Assembly:

Pour the batter into your prepared tin and bake for about 2 and a half hours. It's important not to open the oven door before 2 hours to prevent the cake from sinking. Once cooked, leave the cake in the tin to cool completely. You can make this cake in advance and store it wrapped for up to four days or freeze it for a month.

Flavor Pairings and Fillings:

Chocolate is a versatile flavor that pairs well with various fillings. Consider adding a touch of cream, cherries, peanut butter, strawberries, or even a hint of chili powder to your chocolate cake. If you want to get creative, Moriah Tulier, owner of Wildflower Cakes, suggests some unique flavor pairings such as raspberry, hazelnut, matcha, coffee, mint, or lavender to complement the chocolate.

Decoration and Presentation:

When it comes to decorating your chocolate wedding cake, the possibilities are endless. You can keep it classic with fresh flowers, or go for a more glamorous look with gilded gold leaf. Hand-painted details, monograms, and sugar flowers are also beautiful options. If you want to combine chocolate with a classic white cake aesthetic, consider using vanilla buttercream or fondant as a coating.

For a truly unique presentation, consider a "naked cake," which highlights the chocolate layers without being fully covered in frosting. Alternatively, a "drip cake" with ganache or caramel artistically dripping down the sides creates a modern and visually striking effect.

Tiered Cake Considerations:

If you're making a tiered wedding cake, you can bake multiple tins of the same chocolate cake recipe in different sizes. Alternatively, you can make each tier a different flavor to cater to a variety of tastes. Just remember to adjust the baking time accordingly for smaller or larger cakes.

Final Thoughts:

A chocolate wedding cake is a wonderful way to indulge your guests and add a touch of sweetness to your celebration. Feel free to experiment with flavors and decorations to make your cake unique and memorable.

Happy baking, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

How to make a fruity wedding cake

A fruity wedding cake is a great choice for a summer wedding, adding colour and creativity to your big day. Here is a guide to making a fruity wedding cake.

Choosing your fruit

Firstly, you need to decide which fruit to use. Berries are a popular choice, with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries all making an appearance on summer wedding cakes. You could also opt for citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, or even blood oranges. Figs are another summer fruit that can add an elegant touch to your cake. If you want to stick to more traditional wedding cake flavours, you could use cherries, or dried fruit such as raisins and sultanas.

Cake flavour

The next step is to choose a flavour for your cake sponge. Vanilla is a versatile option that pairs well with fruit, or you could go for a lemon zest cake to complement your chosen fruit. Chocolate and fruit is also a surprisingly good combination, or you could try something more unusual like olive oil and rosemary, or pistachio.

Assembly

Once you have chosen your fruit and cake flavour, it's time to assemble your cake. You can either bake one large cake or create a multi-tiered cake with different flavours for each tier. If you want to include a lot of fruit, you might want to opt for a naked cake, which showcases the fruit and has less icing. Alternatively, you could ice the cake and then decorate it with fruit, either fresh or candied.

Decoration

Finally, you can decorate your cake with flowers, either real or made from icing or marzipan. You could also add a special cake topper, or even a small bunch of grapes or other fruit.

How to make a vanilla wedding cake

Vanilla is a classic versatile flavour for a wedding cake. Here is a guide on how to make a vanilla wedding cake.

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make the cake batter:

• Cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
• Eggs
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Buttermilk (or a DIY substitute)
• Pure vanilla extract
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar

For the vanilla buttercream, you will need:

• Unsalted butter
• Confectioners' sugar
• Whole milk or heavy cream
• Pure vanilla extract

Method

First, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line them with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment paper.

Next, whisk together the dry ingredients (cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) in a separate bowl and set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, which should take around 3 minutes. Then, beat in the eggs and vanilla extract on high speed for about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and, with the mixer still running, pour in the buttermilk and mix until combined.

Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans, and bake for around 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans before assembling.

To make the vanilla buttercream, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, which should take about 2 minutes. Then, add the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for another 2 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding more confectioners' sugar or milk as needed.

To assemble the cake, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place one cake layer on a stand, turntable, or serving plate, and cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Repeat with the second cake layer, and then add the third cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Finally, refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. This will help the cake hold its shape when cutting.

How to make a lemon wedding cake

Lemon is a popular choice for wedding cakes, especially for spring and summer weddings. It is a refreshing, light, and zingy flavour that pairs well with elderflower, lavender, and other berries.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest from one large lemon
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from one medium lemon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from one large lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest from one large lemon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Elderflower Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2-4 tablespoons elderflower cordial, to taste
• Elderflower cordial/syrup

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8" cake rounds and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and lemon zest until smooth.
• Add sugar and beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (approx. 3 mins).
• Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
• Alternate adding flour mixture with milk & lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk & lemon juice). Fully incorporate after each addition.
• Spread batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake for approx. 35 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean.
• Place cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Curd:

Place eggs and sugar into a small pot and whisk to combine.

• Add lemon juice, zest, and butter.
• Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Transfer to a glass bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for 3 hours to set.

Elderflower Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

• Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until combined.
• Place the bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160°F on a candy thermometer (approx. 3 mins).
• Place the bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on medium-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (approx. 5-10 mins).
• Switch to the paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
• Add 2-4 tablespoons of elderflower cordial (to taste) one tablespoon at a time and whip until smooth.

Assembly:

• Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Poke holes into the cake using a bamboo skewer. Brush with elderflower cordial.
• Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top of the layer and pipe a border around the outside to hold the lemon curd. Fill with approx 3/4 cup of lemon curd. Repeat with the next layer.
• Place the final layer on top and do a thin crumb coat on the cake. Chill for 20 mins.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting in a rustic manner.
• Top with fresh peonies or other flowers of your choice, but be sure to wrap the stems in floral tape.

This cake serves 12-24 people, depending on the size of the slices. The cake can be made ahead of time and frozen, and the cooled cake layers can be baked, double-wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to three months.

Frequently asked questions