The Evolution Of Wedding Cakes: A Historical Perspective

Wedding cakes have been a part of marriage ceremonies for centuries, but they didn't always look like the tiered, frosted cakes of today. The first wedding cakes were probably made in ancient Greece, but the tradition also has roots in ancient Rome, where a cake of wheat or barley was broken over the bride's head to bring good luck and fertility to the couple. This ritual was adopted by the British when the Romans invaded in 43 CE, although the Brits added their own twist by throwing the bread at the bride.

Wedding cakes were first made in Ancient Rome

The Ancient Roman wedding cake was not just a tasty dessert but also a symbolic part of the marriage ceremony. The groom breaking bread over the bride's head was seen as a symbol of her submission and the end of her purity. The bride and groom eating the crumbs together was one of their first unified acts as a married couple.

The tradition of the wedding cake was carried on when the Romans invaded Britain in 43 CE. The British adapted the tradition by throwing the bread at the bride to symbolise fertility. During the Middle Ages, the plain wheat cake was replaced with stacked spiced buns, scones, and cookies. The bride and groom would attempt to kiss over the stacked treats, and if they succeeded without knocking them over, it was believed they would have a prosperous life together.

The first official wedding confection appeared in 1685 with the creation of "Bride's Pye". This was a large pie with a pastry crust filled with oysters, lamb testicles, throat, rooster comb, and pine kernels. While not exactly a cake, this marked the evolution towards the sweet wedding cakes we know today.

Cakes were broken over the bride's head

The tradition of wedding cakes as we know them today has evolved over centuries, with its origins dating back to ancient Rome. One of the earliest known traditions involving a "wedding cake" was not a cake at all in the modern sense, but rather a simple loaf of bread. During wedding ceremonies, Roman grooms would break this bread over the bride's head as a symbol of fertility and good fortune. The breaking of the bread represented the couple's wish for a fruitful future together, both in terms of children and material wealth.

This ritual, though seemingly odd to us now, was a significant part of the wedding celebration and set a precedent for the importance of food, and later cakes, in wedding traditions. The crumbs of the broken bread were believed to have lucky properties, and guests would scramble to collect them, much like catching the bouquet or garter today. Over time, this custom evolved, and the bread was replaced by something sweeter – small cakes or biscuits.

In the Middle Ages, wedding cakes began to more closely resemble the tiered cakes we are familiar with today. They were often stacked and made with dense fruitcake-like ingredients, which allowed them to be preserved for longer periods. The act of stacking the cakes represented prosperity and signified the couple's wish for abundance and a long, prosperous marriage. Guests would often bring small cakes to the wedding, and these would be stacked and placed in front of the bride and groom.

The custom of breaking cakes or bread over the bride's head eventually faded, but it left a lasting impact on wedding traditions. It transitioned into a more gentle act of placing the cake before the couple and blessing their union with wishes for fertility and prosperity. Over time, these cakes became more elaborate and decorative, with the introduction of icing and intricate designs.

The evolution of wedding cakes continued, and by the 17th and 18th centuries, they had become true works of art, often featuring intricate sugar paste decorations and multiple tiers. The Victorian era further refined the wedding cake tradition, with white icing becoming popular to symbolize purity, and elaborate decorations reflecting the couple's social status. Eventually, the tradition of a single grand wedding cake, often white and elaborately decorated, became the standard, replacing the earlier customs of breaking bread or stacking cakes.

So, while the act of breaking cakes over the bride's head may seem unusual to modern sensibilities, it played a crucial role in the development of wedding cake traditions. It symbolized the community's wishes for the couple's happiness, fertility, and abundance, setting a precedent for the importance of cake in wedding celebrations that continues to this day.

The bride and groom kiss over stacked cakes

The tradition of the bride and groom kissing over stacked cakes has its roots in Medieval England. Small spiced buns, scones, and cookies were stacked as high as possible, and the newlyweds would try to kiss over the top of the stack without knocking it over. If they succeeded, it was believed that they would be blessed with many children and have a long and happy marriage.

This tradition was a precursor to the tiered wedding cakes that became popular in the 18th century. The first tiered wedding cake was made in the mid-17th century during the reign of King Charles II. A French chef visiting London witnessed the cake-stacking ritual and decided to present the cakes as a solid whole, using small broomstick handles to separate the layers.

The custom of the bride and groom kissing over stacked cakes has evolved over time, with the original wheat or barley cakes of Ancient Rome being replaced by spiced buns, cookies, and scones in Medieval England. Today, wedding cakes come in a variety of sizes, flavours, and configurations, but the tradition of the couple kissing over the cake remains a symbolic part of the wedding ceremony.

Bride's Pye was the first official wedding cake

The first wedding cakes were probably made in ancient Greece, where the groom broke bread over the bride's head to symbolise her submission, the end of her purity, and to represent good luck and fertility. This tradition continued in ancient Rome, where a cake of wheat or barley was broken over the bride's head.

In medieval England, small spiced buns were stacked as high as possible, and the newlyweds would try to kiss over the top of them. If they succeeded without knocking the stack over, it was believed they would be blessed with many children.

The earliest British recipe specifically for a wedding is Bride's Pye, recorded by Robert May in the 1685 edition of The Accomplisht Cook. Bride's Pye was a large round pie with a decorated pastry crust, filled with oysters, pine kernels, cockscombs, lamb testicles, sweetbreads, and spices. There were also cheaper versions that contained minced meats or mutton.

Bride's Pye was served at most weddings from the 16th to the 17th century. It was considered very rude and bad luck not to eat a piece. A ring was placed in the pie, and the unmarried woman who found it would be the next to marry, similar to the modern tradition of catching the bouquet.

In the 17th century, Bride's Pye developed into the bride's cake, the predecessor of the modern wedding cake. Bride's cake was a sweet cake, whereas Bride's Pye was savoury. Bride's cake was usually covered in white icing, as white was a symbol of the bride's virginity and purity.

Therefore, Brides Pye was the first official wedding cake.

Tiered cakes were inspired by St. Bride Church

Tiered cakes were inspired by St Bride's Church, which is located off Fleet Street in London. The church's history is deeply intertwined with the city's history and has gone through at least seven incarnations.

The current building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was constructed in 1675 after the previous structure was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. The steeple, which was added in 1703, brought the church's height to 234 feet, making it the tallest church steeple in London, second only to St Paul's.

The story of the tiered wedding cake's origins goes back to the 1700s. According to legend, a baker named Thomas or William Rich, who lived nearby on Ludgate Hill, wanted to create an impressive wedding cake for his fiancée, Susannah Prichard, the daughter of his boss. Rich drew inspiration from the steeple of St Bride's Church, which was visible from his premises, and thus, the first tiered wedding cake was conceived.

Prior to this, wedding cakes during the 16th and 17th centuries were typically "bride pies," which could be either savoury meat pies or sweet mince pies. These pies often contained unusual ingredients, such as oysters, lamb testicles, pine kernels, and cock's combs.

While there is no documentary evidence to support the story of the baker and his inspiration, it remains a charming tale that may hold a grain of truth. The steeple of St Bride's Church continues to stand as a prominent landmark, even surviving the bombing during World War II.

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