Who First Frosted A Wedding Cake?

Wedding cakes have evolved over the years, from the early Romans' practice of breaking a cake over the bride's head to the modern-day tiered white cakes. In the 17th century, the French brought their confectionery skills to England, leading to the creation of the pile of cakes covered in icing and decoration. Wedding cakes in England and early America were traditionally fruit cakes, often tiered and topped with marzipan and icing. The bride's cake, usually a simple pound cake with white icing, symbolised virginity and purity, while the groom's cake was a dark, liquor-soaked fruit cake. When Queen Victoria used white icing on her cake, it gained a new title: royal icing. This tradition of white icing on wedding cakes has persisted, with many couples today opting for all-white tiered cakes.

Wedding cakes in England and early America

The tradition of the groom's cake in England dates back to the 17th century, when it was cut into small squares and placed in boxes for guests to take home as a memento. This custom gradually died out in Britain but was revived in the United States, where the groom's cake serves as a wedding favour for guests.

The evolution of wedding cakes in England and early America can be traced through the centuries. In the 17th century, French confectionery skills and influences in England led to the covering of cakes with icing and decoration. In the early 19th century, sugar became more accessible, coinciding with the growing popularity of the bride's cake. However, the more refined and whiter sugars remained expensive. When Queen Victoria used white icing on her cake, it gained the title of royal icing. During Victorian times, moulded cakes and fancy ices reached their peak, with white icing becoming a symbol of money and social importance.

By the 1980s, British wedding cakes began to move away from the intricate royal icing towards softer icings, often draped and frilled, and embellished with sugar-paste flowers. At the same time, American-style layer cakes, such as carrot cake with cream cheese filling or key lime coconut cake with lime curd, gained popularity in Britain. Today, wedding cakes in both England and America can be found in a variety of colours, flavours, and shapes, with traditional and modern interpretations coexisting.

White icing symbolising virginity and purity

The tradition of using white icing on wedding cakes appears to have originated in England and was then brought over to early America by colonists. The bride's cake was typically a simple pound cake with white icing, as the colour white symbolised virginity and purity. In addition, the whiter the icing, the more refined and expensive the sugar used, so only wealthy families could afford very pure white frosting. This display of a white cake thus became a symbol of wealth and social status.

In the Victorian era, white icing continued to be a symbol of money and social importance, and when Queen Victoria used white icing on her cake, it became known as "royal icing". The tradition of a white-iced bride's cake was continued by the American colonists, who considered it a light cake suitable for women's tastes. In contrast, a darker groom's cake was introduced, often a liquor-soaked fruitcake, which has evolved into chocolate or another flavour preferred by the groom.

Today, while the traditional all-white tiered cake is still popular, many other flavours and configurations are also used, reflecting a shift away from the symbolic significance of the white icing.

Royal icing

The origins of royal icing are a little mysterious, but it is known that icing has been used on wedding cakes for centuries. In ancient Rome, there was a marriage practice involving the breaking of a cake over the bride's head. In England, over a thousand years later, there was evidence of a similar tradition of pouring or throwing grain.

In the 1840s, German culinary innovators drove the trend of piping with royal icing, which replaced earlier styles of moulded pastillage or sugarpaste.

Wedding cakes as luxury items

Wedding cakes have long been considered a luxury item and a symbol of celebration and social status. The tradition of wedding cakes can be traced back to ancient Rome, where a simple cake was broken over the bride's head as part of the marriage ceremony. In England during the 17th century, the influence of French confectionery skills led to the creation of more elaborate cakes, often covered in icing and decoration.

The bride's cake, a tradition brought to America by early English colonists, was typically a simple pound cake with white icing. The colour white was chosen to symbolise the bride's virginity and purity, and it also served as a display of wealth and social status, as the more refined and whiter sugars were expensive and difficult to obtain. Only wealthy families could afford the very pure white frosting that came to be known as royal icing after Queen Victoria used it on her wedding cake.

In the American South, it became customary to present two cakes at weddings: the bride's cake, which was usually a large, white-tiered cake with white frosting, and the groom's cake, which offered a second flavour choice, often a dark, liquor-soaked fruitcake. The tradition of a groom's cake was born out of the belief that the bride's cake was too light for men's tastes. Today, groom's cakes typically feature chocolate or other flavours that reflect the groom's preferences and may be decorated or shaped to represent something significant to him.

The size and opulence of a wedding cake continue to be a way to showcase the financial means and social standing of the families involved. The cutting of the cake is a significant part of the wedding reception, and the cake itself serves as a luxurious centrepiece for the celebration. While traditional all-white tiered cakes remain popular, modern couples have a wide range of flavours and configurations to choose from to create a unique and memorable wedding cake.

Groom's cake

The tradition of the groom's cake began in late 19th-century England and was later brought over to the American South by British colonists. The groom's cake was originally created to provide a more masculine option, as the traditional white-iced bride's cake was considered too feminine or too light for men's tastes. The original groom's cake was a liquor-infused fruit cake, but today they are usually chocolate or another flavour that reflects the groom's preferences.

The groom's cake is typically served at the rehearsal dinner or alongside the main wedding cake at the reception. It is designed to celebrate the groom's individuality, with bold designs and rich, indulgent flavours that often contrast with the lighter tones of the main wedding cake. The cake might be decorated or shaped like something significant to the groom, such as a hobby, a sports team, or a symbol of his profession or passion. For example, a football helmet cake for a sports enthusiast or a cake shaped like a stack of video game consoles for a gaming enthusiast.

The groom's cake is a fun and creative way to add a unique, personalised touch to a wedding. It offers a way to incorporate the groom's personality into the celebration and is a delightful tradition designed to honour the groom on his wedding day. While only about 30% of couples still include a groom's cake in their weddings, it is a wonderful option for those who want to add an extra layer of fun and personalisation.

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