Oh how lucky I am, todays Ask the Experts column is all about….cake. And the expert in question is Krishanthi, she of immense baking skills (seriously people, I regard myself as something of a connoisseur of treats and her delicious creations are top of my wish list).
As with all Ask the Experts columns please feel free to ask Krishanthi anything you fancy regarding your cake-y requirements for W-day, just leave your questions in the comments box below lovelies.
Choosing Your Cake
The wedding cake is typically the centrepiece at a wedding reception and a traditional element of the day. There are a wide array of styles, plenty of delicious flavours and different budgets to consider when it comes to choosing your cake.
The style of your wedding cake will very much depend on your theme, the venue, number of guests, budget and time of the year. If it is a large wedding set in grand surroundings a tall tiered cake would be most appropriate. For smaller informal weddings, you can opt for either a smaller tiered cake or miniature cakes or cupcakes. Styles can vary from the traditional/classic and vintage varieties to modern/quirky/arty (adorned with fresh flowers, sugar flowers, hand painted, ribbons).
A wedding cake should complement the theme of your wedding, colour scheme, flowers and personalities. It does not necessarily have to be in white or ivory and just square or round.
This year we are seeing a lot more colour being introduced to wedding cakes to reflect the trend for bold brights throughout the reception. Couples want to be creative and original. Inspirations for a wedding cake can be taken from your wedding invitation, your dress/bridesmaids dresses, jewellery, interior of the venue/décor, wedding flowers…virtually anything you want to be created can be achieved with a cake.
Nowadays many couples are often opting for sponges (e.g. vanilla, lemon, red velvet, chocolate, mocha) rather than the traditional fruit cake. Although there are plenty of flavours to choose from I would recommend that you narrow it down to 2-3 flavours – think about what flavours you love as a couple and also what works with the seasons i.e. lemon is a lovely light sponge for spring and summer weddings whereas fruit cake is perfect for a Christmas wedding. Fruit cake isn’t suitable for cupcakes or miniature cakes however, you could have a fruit cake as a cutting cake, if you wish.
Another nice alternative is to add fresh seasonal fruits to sponges such as strawberries and cream for naked cakes (cakes that are not covered in icing/sugar paste), which is becoming popular although fresh cream can be difficult for a hot summer day. In the hot summer months using cream in cakes can be difficult.
Tasting Sessions – What To Look For/Flavours/Ingredients
Ensure that your cake designer offers a consultation to allow you to discuss your requirements and sample the different varieties of cake. Usually the consultation is complimentary and a selection of cakes will be available to taste. The consultation is the time to discuss the design of the cake, budget, delivery and set up options.
Your cake designer should guide you on the different flavours and fillings that are available. During the tasting, make sure that the cakes are moist and bursting with flavour. You certainly don’t want to have a cake that looks good but is dry and tastes of artificial ingredients. All of our cakes are individually baked and handmade using organic, Fairtrade and free-range ingredients – this means that the cost is a little higher but the difference in quality and taste is huge!
The Size Of The Cake
The size of the cake will very much depend on the number of wedding guests and also your budget.
It’s also possible to add some iced dummy tiers to give your cake more height and make more of a statement so it is worth discussing this with your cake designer.
The Design Process
If you are opting for a bespoke cake, the design will be discussed during the consultation. The cake designer will work with you to discuss the detail, colours, ribbons, theme and season as well as anything that is symbolic to you as a couple. Some designers will sketch the cake designs to give you a good idea of the options and allow you to visualise the cake.
The design process can range from a day to a month, depending on the style of cake created.
Favours/Sweet Tables
Over the last few years we have seen sweet tables become increasingly more popular, with couples opting for a table of cakes and sweet treats. A fun and pretty addition to your wedding, a dessert table dressed with cookies, macarons, miniature cakes, cupcakes, profiteroles and other sweets is a great way to get your guests interacting and to take home sweet little favours.
We are always looking for new products to add to our range and happily accommodate any special requests for sweet treats.
Budget
Budgets are always a huge factor in deciding the style of the wedding cake. Prices can vary enormously, depending on the size and the design. The more detailed/ornate the wedding cake the more it will cost. Bespoke designs are also more than cake designs within a cake collection due to the time taken to create the design.
Cupcakes are usually more budget friendly than tiered cakes. However, if you would prefer a tiered cake you could add fresh flowers instead of having lots of sugar flowers. Alternatively, you could opt to have one large sugar flower in order to keep the cost down.
Delivery/Set-up Process
During the consultation, make sure you discuss the delivery and set up arrangements with your cake designer. Wedding cakes can be very large and heavy so it is important to consider this when arranging delivery and set up.
For a small fee, the cake designer should be able to liaise with the venue directly and organise delivery and set up so that you can relax and enjoy the day. Alternatively, some couples prefer to collect their own cake to keep costs to a minimum.
For further information and to admire some more of Krishanthi’s beautiful designs please visit her website Cakes By Krishanthi.
And can I ask a question? does anyone else crave sugar the most at breakfast time? as in literally cake for breakfast….
Hope it’s not just me.
Particularly a fan of those two tier numbers……a slice right now would be nice.
Big Have Been Known To Indulge In A Bit Of Lemon Drizzle Before 8am Love
Charlotte xxx
Hello! Your cakes look amazing! My mum is going to be making our wedding cake and we have decided on chocolate muffins with a ganache on top. I would really love to be able to decorate the muffins with fruit, but she will be setting the cake up very early and we won’t be eating them until late so we are worried about the fruit staying fresh. Can you suggest a fruit which won’t go mushy?! Also we are looking at lace effect bun/muffin cases, can you recommend a supplier?
Hello, thats some srious cake-spiration up there!
My Aunt is a cake maker and has offered to make us ANYTHING WE WANT as our wedding present from her and my uncle – lucky us!
As you mentioned in your post cream is not a good filling for a summers wedding – we’re 2nd August 2013. My other half is quite keen on Cupcakes with a top tier to cut into. I’m worried that the buttercream frosting will melt in the summer heat.
Do you think plain icing (is it royal icing or is that runny?!) on cupcakes will be as impactful?
Also, do you have any innovative suggestions on how to display cupcakes with a top tier as I’m not a fan of traditional ‘cake stands’ where you can see the pole/stand bits!!
Thanks!
Hi Krishanthi! Wow what beautiful cakes!
I am thinking of a two tier cake but one of my friends told me that the bottom layer always has to be fruit because of the weight of the other tier? is this correct! really not a fan of fruit cake at all!
Lucy x
@Charlotte – I always need sugar first thing! Hence why my breakfast always consists of a bowl of Frosties or Ricicles…it’s still cereal so kind of good…but also heavily coated in sweetness…
I am really anti having any kind of fruit cake layer at the wedding because I know certain people will be making comments about babies…which is going to make me pretty darn cross…
The Big C really wants one though so I have allowed him to have the teeny tiny top layer fruit on the proviso that ‘every single last bit gets eaten on the night, and if it doesn’t then I shall be shoving it in your face in the taxi on the way to the hotel’ and ‘if anyone makes any kind of comment about me having a baby then they have to go home straight away’.
I wanted ice pops.
Or one of the new Haribo ice lollies that are about to come out…my dream.
Just want to make a clarification to my third paragraph there…
The Big C wants a fruit cake layer…not a baby!
x
Morning to you all (also those hardworking bunch at RMW HQ!)
So here we go -
Bryony: you could ask the caterers to put the fresh fruits on muffins just before guests arrive. Usually caterers are very accommodating. If not, you could try red/blackcurrants, whole fresh strawberries – you should pick them yourself from a farm and not shop bought.
With regard to muffin cases, try Squires Kitchen, Blue Ribbon, Surbiton Sugarcraft, Sugarshack or Ebay. There are lots of online offers. Hope this helps!
Hi! All these cakes look amazing. Def want a cake breakfast now. I’m getting married abroad so just having an evening reception over here, which we’re catering ourselves. This means there will be no-one to cut our cake into portions. What is the best way to do it ourselves? I don’t want to end up with massive slices of cake!
Thanks
Jx
Helen, using buttercream in cupcakes is not a problem in the summer as long as the cakes are kept in a cool place. You could set up the cakes closer to your event. Royal icing is too brittle for cupcakes. Did you mean liquid fondant which is runny but will firm up a little bit? I do think this looks good but tastes too sweet.
As for displaying the cakes, you could place them on various cakes stands (differing heights – you can put some of these stands on top of each other). Idyllic Days have a really good selection.
Lucy, I haven’t made a fruit cake in years for a wedding. You can have sponge cakes in both tiers, but make sure the denser cake goes at the bottom, e.g. chocolate torte, carrot cake and vanilla or lemon on top.
Jenny, if you want to cut the cake yourself make sure the knife is sharp. Place the knife in hot water before every slice and wipe it clean every time. Good luck with this because I think this is the difficult part.
I am considering having real flowers on my cake, I was just wondering how early in the day you can add them before they start to wilt? I have not confirmed my bouquet yet but was thinking of peonies x
Hi Krishanthi, great post your cakes are gorgeous. We are having a dessert table for 60 guests. How many cakes do you think there should be? Should I allow for seconds? Also do you have any recommendations on what type of cakes? thank you so much! xx
Faye: If you are worried about flowers wilting and they do sometimes, ask the caterers to place them on the cake. Caterers can multi-task. Alternatively, talk to your florist about what would be the best option.
These cakes are exquisite. So contemporary! I love it.
Hi Maddi, dessert tables are great way to display the goodies. I would suggest that you go for 2-3 (5″ or 6″) cakes, some cupcakes and other sweeties, e.g. meringues/macarons, brownies/blondies, etc. It would be great if guests can have seconds – some of us have sweet tooth and some don’t.
Racheyta – Thank you! I’m pleased that you like them.
Gorgeous cakes!
I have seen a lot of this ombre shading on blogs recently, would you say this is a bit of a trend though and I should opt for something classic instead? Xx
Hi Claire, As with fashion and most other things, trends change. If you feel happy with ombre shading and the cake will complement the rest of the theme/style I would say go for it.
Thanks Krishanthi………….I’m off to find out what Idyllic Days is!!
Helen, here’s their link: http://www.idyllicdays.com/
Thanks Krishanthi very helpful! x
Thanks Krishanthi! I do love Ombre
Just a word of warning on picking the cake up yourself. DON’T transport a tiered cake already assembled. My dad did this for my wedding after he was assured that it would be fine. He arrived home to find that half the cake had collapsed during the car ride home. Although I wasn’t too fussed, my parents were devastated as it was their gift to us. Luckily they managed to rescue the cake and get replacement layers for the ones that collapsed, but it was pretty stressful just before the wedding.
Hi Stephanie, Sorry to hear about your wedding cake. If a client chooses to collect the cake themselves then it is done at their own risk. Cakes need to be put on a flat surface with a lot of care and attention – don’t tilt the box! Drive carefully, esp. around the corners. It is best to transport cakes individually and assemble at the venue, which the caterers do for you.
Just beautiful – it really is an art.
@Charlotte – I would happily do this but only allow myself to have cake for breakfast on my birthday. Although muffins are cunningly cakes in disguise as breakfast. But I’m wise to their wiles.
Had a cake tasting last night – AMAZING! Best cake I have EVER had.
Hi Krishanthi,
My mum is going to make our wedding cake (with as much help as I can offer). However, with all the other stresses leading up to the wedding (and the fact that my mum will have to come from across the water for the wedding) we are a bit worried about timing. We would like to have the cake baked by at least 2 days before the wedding but, as we’re having sponge, we’re thinking of freezing it to keep it fresh and then decorating it closer to the wedding. Would you recommend this or can you offer any other suggestions, please?
Thanks!
My mum’s making our cake, she makes amazing cake but decorating isn’t her strong point!
I went to a wedding fair earlier this year and tried cakes from a few suppliers and they were nasty! So glad my mum’s such a good baker!
Damn it… now I want to eat cake..
Hi I wondering if you knew of any type of cake which can be made without egg? I have a really serious egg allergy but still wanted to have some of my own wedding cake.
Hi Sharon, best flavours for eggless cakes are vanilla and lemon. Are you planning to make the cake yourself? If so, there are some very good websites, in partic. Maduram’s Eggless cooking and also look at some vegan websites. Hope this is useful.
Hi MissT/MrsC, sorry I missed your message. Sponge cakes can be baked 5-7 days ahead of your wedding. After they are cooled wrap them up in greaseproof paper and keep them in airtight containers. Next day, you can buttercream the cakes and the following day you can sugarpaste (if you are having this) otherwise keep the cakes airtight until wedding day. After you’ve covered the cakes with sugarpaste the cakes will keep for further 5-7 days. Good luck!
Thanks Krishanti that’s a great help, a friend of the family is making our cake for us, so wasn’t sure what to ask for and didn’t want to make it too difficult for her to do but the recipes on the website don’t look so scary so prob direct her to it, even just for the top tier. Thanks again for you suggestions massive help.
Thanks Krishanthi, that’s a great help!
Hi, a friend of the family is making our cake for our wedding day, and from inspiration from this wedding on RMW http://www.rockmywedding.co.uk/tag/kew-gardens-wedding-venue/ I have asked her to make a cake quite similar. Could you tell me how the lace effect has been created on this cake? Some trials have been done with free hand but they haven’t quite had the same effect. I am having lace on my dress so have sent her a sample to see if she could trace the pattern. Is there another method to do this?
Thank you, (btw your cakes look amazing!!)
Hi, could you tell me how the lace effect has been created in this wedding? http://www.rockmywedding.co.uk/tag/kew-gardens-wedding-venue/ Thank you.
I really hope I’m not too late for this! We have decided against having a traditional wedding cake, and as we love cheesecake are instead having 2 or 3 of those in vanilla, lemon and passionfruit flavours. They are also cheaper and a lot lighter later in the evening when much food and drink has been consumed. My only concern is how to decorate them and make them look pretty? A vanilla cheesecake, however tasty, does look quite plain. They are too squidgy to take anything too heavy or a cake topper. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you!
Hi Rachel, I can’t really see the exact details. It is either brush embroidery, which is done with piped royal icing and then skillfully brushed with a paintbrush or simply piped with royal icing.
Hi WonderEm, if you want the cheese cakes to look good you can add some fresh fruits or even one large fresh flowers. Have you thought about having the cheese cakes on pedestal glass/ceramic stands, varying heights and amongst them you could place a tall glass candle standholder (wide brim) to put the cake topper on top? Hope this helps.
We had orange cheesecake with chocolate orange curls on top. We bought a lightweight acrylic cake topper but forgot to actually have it on the cake in the end. Our cheesecake maker gave us lots of options for the toppings – a set fruit compote, layered fresh fruit, flowers etc. There are lots of options!
Hello,
We are having 5 tiers and will have fruit, vanilla and lemon for 3 of the tiers. We wanted to have something unusual for the other 2. We are having a summer wedding. Could you make a suggestion?
Hello,
We are having 5 tiers and will have fruit, vanilla and lemon for 3 of the tiers. We wanted to have something unusual for the other 2. We are having a summer wedding. Could you make a suggestion??
Hi Lisa,
How about redvelvet and mocha or dark chocolate torte?
Thanks so much for that article, it is a big help as my next ‘big’ job is sorting out my cake! I think I know what flavours I am wanting but am struggling to decide on a style so this has been helpful in knowing what to discuss with the cake designers!