Trending Wedding Cakes: What Couples Are Choosing Now

Wedding cakes have evolved from the traditional fruit cake to a variety of unique and exciting flavours. Couples are increasingly opting for more creative and personalised flavours, with vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet being the most popular choices. Vanilla cake, in particular, has been a consistent favourite since the 1960s, offering a versatile base for different fillings and frostings. Chocolate cake, the second most requested flavour, is often paired with buttercream, caramel, or raspberry. Meanwhile, red velvet cake, with its hints of chocolate and vanilla buttercream, is a close third.

However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to wedding cakes, and couples are embracing a range of other flavours to make their special day even more memorable. Lemon cake, with its refreshing citrus flavour, is a popular choice for spring and summer weddings. Carrot cake, with its light and moist texture, is another favourite, especially for rustic weddings. Almond cake, with its nutty flavours, is also in demand, often paired with salted caramel or caramel buttercream.

The wedding cake industry continues to innovate, offering a diverse range of flavours to cater to couples' unique preferences and dietary needs, ensuring that their wedding cake is a true reflection of their personalities and tastes.

Vanilla cake with berry fillings

Vanilla cake is a perennial favourite due to its understated elegance and light, buttery base. It serves as a blank canvas, allowing couples to get creative with fillings and frostings. Vanilla cake pairs well with mixed berry compote, strawberry buttercream, tequila buttercream swirled with passionfruit curd, lemon curd, and elderflower buttercream.

Berry fillings add a burst of colour and a tangy flavour to the vanilla cake. Raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, and blackberry fillings are all popular choices, offering a balance of sweetness and acidity. These fillings can be made from fresh or frozen berries, cooked down with sugar and lemon to concentrate the flavour and thicken the mixture.

Ingredients:

• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Granulated Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Cake Flour
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Milk (whole milk or alternative such as oat or almond milk)

Raspberry Filling Ingredients:

• Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• Granulated Sugar
• Lemon Juice

Vanilla Buttercream Ingredients:

• Butter
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Heavy Cream or Milk (room temperature)

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease and flour three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and oil until blended.
• Add sugar to the oil and butter mixture and mix on high speed until pale yellow and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Beat the mixture on high speed to incorporate as much air as possible.
• In a separate bowl, combine cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Alternately mix in the dry ingredients and milk in two batches, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. It's okay if the batter still has a few lumps.
• Split the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is a light golden brown.
• For the raspberry filling, add all ingredients to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced and thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• To make the vanilla buttercream, place softened butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat until combined.
• Switch to a beater attachment and add heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat for 5 minutes on high speed until light and fluffy.
• Allow the cake layers to cool completely before assembling the cake. You can wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for a few hours to make them easier to decorate.

This vanilla cake with berry filling is a delightful choice for a wedding cake, offering a balance of sweet and tangy flavours, a beautiful presentation, and a versatile option that can be customised to the couple's preferences.

Chocolate cake

One of the most requested combinations is a chocolate cake paired with salted caramel sauce and crème fraîche buttercream. For couples who want something a little different, a chocolate cake with espresso buttercream and dulce de leche is a popular choice.

If you're looking for a chocolate cake recipe that is sturdy enough for stacking and carving without sacrificing flavour and texture, a fluffy and buttery chocolate cake is a great option. This cake has a soft crumb, a concentrated chocolate flavour without being too sweet, and a moist texture. The secret to its intense chocolate flavour is the cocoa dissolved in boiling water. This recipe is also incredibly easy to whip up, making it a great choice for a wedding cake.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by spraying them with non-stick spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot water, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
• Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
• Divide the batter equally between the two pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Frost and decorate as desired.

A chocolate wedding cake is a delicious and beautiful choice for a wedding, and with its rich flavour and texture, it is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Lemon cake

Lemon and blueberry is another popular combination, as is lemon and vanilla. Lemon cake can also be paired with classic vanilla buttercream, or even a berry compote to cut through the acid.

Carrot cake

The classic carrot cake is often topped with cream cheese frosting, but it also goes well with whipped cream or a fluffy vanilla frosting with a drizzle of caramel sauce. You can choose a simpler carrot cake or pack it with mix-ins such as nuts or pineapple.

The carrot cake's spice and moisture come from ingredients like brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and freshly grated carrots. The cream cheese frosting is made with brick-style cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness.

Red velvet cake

For a unique twist on a red velvet cake, consider adding additional flavours such as chocolate or ganache. Alternatively, a red velvet cake can be made into a "naked" cake, with only a thin layer of frosting, for a rustic wedding theme.

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