The Sweetest Wedding: Cake Review

Wedding cakes have been a part of the ceremony since ancient times, with the first wedding cakes probably originating in ancient Greece. In ancient Rome, grooms would break bread or a barley cake over the bride's head to symbolize her submission, the end of her purity, and to bring good luck and fertility to the couple. In medieval England, the bride and groom would kiss over a pile of buns, and if they didn't knock the pile over, it was believed they would have good fortune and many children.

Wedding cakes as we know them today began to emerge in the 17th century, when bakers would bake two pastry crusts and fill them with currants and sugar. In the 18th century, refined sugar started to become more affordable, and white icing became popular as a symbol of the bride's virginity and the wealth of her family. The first completely edible wedding cake was served at the wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, in 1882.

Wedding cakes were originally made to bring good luck to the couple and their guests

Wedding cakes have a long history, and while they are now seen as a centrepiece, they were originally made to bring good luck to the couple and their guests.

The tradition of wedding cakes began in Ancient Rome, where a cake of wheat or barley was broken over the bride's head to symbolise good fortune and fertility. The bride and groom would then eat a few crumbs together, as one of their first acts as a married couple, and guests would scoop up the leftover crumbs for good luck.

In Medieval England, the tradition evolved, and cakes were stacked as high as possible for the bride and groom to kiss over. If they managed to kiss without knocking the cake over, it was believed they would have a prosperous life together.

The colour of the icing also had significance. In the Victorian era, white icing became popular as it symbolised the bride's purity and virginity. It also showed off the wealth of the bride's family, as refined white sugar was expensive.

The superstitions around wedding cakes continued, with unmarried guests taking a piece of cake home to place under their pillow. It was also considered good luck to eat the crumbs of the wedding cake, as it was believed to bring happiness and a good life to the newlyweds.

In Ancient Rome, grooms would break a cake over the bride's head

Wedding cake traditions have evolved over the centuries, with the contemporary wedding cake growing out of several different ethnic traditions. One of the earliest traditions began in Ancient Rome, where a cake of wheat or barley, known as "mustaceum", was broken over the bride's head by the groom to bring good fortune to the couple. This practice, known as "confarreatio", also symbolised the breaking of the bride's virginal state and the groom's subsequent dominance over her.

The Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius described the ceremony in his work "De Rerum Natura" (On the Nature of Things), where he wrote that the breaking of the cake over the bride's head evolved into crumbling sweet wheat cakes over her. The newly married couple then ate a few crumbs together, with the wedding guests gathering up the remaining crumbs as tokens of good luck.

In addition to the symbolic value of the cake-breaking ritual, the type of cake used also held significance. The wheat or barley cake represented the simplicity of ancient Roman wedding food, in contrast to the elaborate confections of later centuries. The use of wheat or barley may have also been chosen for their associations with fertility and prosperity, as evidenced by the later Medieval tradition of using fruited cakes to symbolise these concepts.

The Ancient Roman tradition of breaking a cake over the bride's head has evolved and diversified over time, with variations appearing in different cultures and regions. For example, in Yorkshire, England, a similar tradition involved the groom placing a linen napkin over the bride's head before breaking the cake, with guests scrambling for their portions as the cake fell. This practice combined elements of the Roman tradition with the scrambling for crumbs by guests.

The cake-breaking ritual has also been interpreted in other ways, such as in Medieval England, where cakes were stacked as high as possible for the bride and groom to kiss over. This custom is believed to have inspired the creation of the Croquembouche, a traditional French wedding cake made of stacked profiteroles and given a halo of spun sugar.

While the specific traditions surrounding wedding cakes have evolved, the essential role of the cake in wedding ceremonies has endured. Wedding cakes continue to be a focal point of celebrations, carrying symbolic value and bringing people together to share in the joy of the occasion.

In the Victorian era, white icing became popular as it symbolised purity and virginity

Wedding cakes have been a part of the ceremony since ancient times, with the ancient Greeks and Romans breaking bread or a cake over the bride's head to symbolise her submission and the end of her purity, as well as to bring good luck and fertility to the couple.

The use of white icing also served as a status symbol, indicating the wealth and social status of the bride's family. Refined and pure white sugars were expensive, so only wealthy families could afford very pure white frosting. Thus, a bright white cake was highly desired not only for its symbolic association with purity but also as a display of social importance.

The wedding cake, originally known as the "bride's cake", was typically a simple pound or plum cake with white icing. Over time, the cake evolved into the modern multi-tiered wedding cake that we know today, with the first completely edible wedding cake appearing at the wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, in 1882.

In the 18th century, families began stacking cakes as a sign of prosperity

In the 18th century, wedding cakes were typically fruitcakes with white icing. The whiter the icing, the more expensive the cake, as pure white sugar was costly and hard to come by. This icing was used to symbolise the bride's virginity and also served as a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

The tradition of stacking cakes to form tiers is thought to have originated in 1703 when a baker's apprentice in London, Thomas Rich, drew inspiration from St Bride's Church on Fleet Street to create an extravagant wedding cake for his bride-to-be, his employer's daughter. The use of pillars to create taller cakes was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century when broomstick handles were covered in icing.

Fruit cakes were also considered a sign of fertility and prosperity, as the potential for children was something a man desired from his wife. This could be why families began stacking cakes as a sign of prosperity. The larger the cake, the more fruit it would contain, and the more prosperous it would appear.

The tradition of stacking cakes can be traced back to medieval times, when cakes were stacked as high as possible for the bride and groom to kiss over. If they successfully kissed without knocking the stack over, they were guaranteed a prosperous life together.

In the 18th century, newlywed couples would try to keep their wedding cake until their first anniversary, perhaps to continue to display their prosperity. To prevent the cake from spoiling, it was often made with fruits blended with wine.

Wedding cakes are often not served to guests, instead acting as a centrepiece

Wedding cakes have been a part of the ceremony since ancient times, but they have not always been served to the guests. In modern times, the wedding cake often acts as a centrepiece and is not always eaten by the guests. This is a departure from the traditional belief that wedding cakes bring good luck to all guests and the couple.

In ancient Rome, grooms would break a cake of wheat or barley over the bride's head to bring good fortune to the couple. This tradition continued when the Romans conquered Britain in 43 CE, with the Brits adding their twist by throwing the bread at the bride to symbolise her fertility.

In medieval England, the wedding cake took on a new form, with high-stacked spiced buns, scones, and cookies. The bride and groom would try to kiss over the stack of treats, and if they succeeded without knocking it over, it was believed they would have a prosperous future with many children.

The first official wedding confection, known as "Bride's Pye", appeared in a 1685 recipe. This savoury pie included unusual ingredients such as oysters, lamb testicles, throat, rooster comb, and pine kernels. It was considered rude and bad luck not to eat a piece of the bride's pie, and it included traditions like hiding a ring inside for a maiden to find, foretelling her future marriage.

By the 17th century, wedding cakes started to replace bridal pies, and the bride's cake became the main cake for the event. The groom's cake, a darker and smaller fruit cake, eventually fell out of favour. The bride's cake was usually a simple pound or plum fruit cake with white icing, symbolising the bride's virginity and purity.

As sugar became more refined and accessible in the early 19th century, pure white icing became a staple of wedding cakes, symbolising wealth and social status. The whiter the icing, the more expensive and refined the sugar, and only wealthy families could afford it. Queen Victoria's use of white icing on her cake led to it being named "royal icing".

Today, wedding cakes are often elaborately designed and decorated, reflecting the personalities of the couple. While they may still be served to guests, they also serve as a centrepiece, sometimes crafted from Styrofoam with only a single edible slice for the cake-cutting ceremony.

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