Wedding Cakes and Eating Them, Too

The wedding cake symbolizes happiness, good fortune and a sweet life together. The tiered wedding cake came from long ago when guests brought sweet buns as gifts to the bridal couple. They would stack these buns into a tower, as they received them. Later, this custom led to the single, tiered wedding cake. The trend today is a two-tiered cake, although the standard is three tiers. The most common cake is butter cake or sponge cake, with creamy white filling or white or ivory butter-cream frosting. There are other options including:

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Vanilla cake with chocolate mousse or chocolate cake with white chocolate mousse

Rum cake, with vanilla mousse filling  and rum glaze

Yellow cake, with cheesecake and caramel nut filling

Lemon pound cake, with butter-cream, raspberry or lemon mousse filling

Chocolate cake, with fresh fruit filling

Cheesecake, with apricot or lemon filling

Cake decorations can be as elaborate or artistic as the bride's (or groom's) imagination. Some examples include:

Satin ribbons and French-wired ribbons

Silver or gold candy balls

Edible gold and silver leaf

Royal icing made to look like flowers, fruits and other designs

Chocolate curls, ruffles, ribbons, sticks or leaves

Meringue mushrooms and swans

Chocolate gift boxes or place cards

Molded basket, cottage or vase sugar decorations

Fresh flowers or silk or edible flowers. If using fresh flowers, remove them before cutting the cake.

Average costs run between $1.00 and $6.00 per serving (USD) What you pay for is the detail work. Each flower or chocolate rose is priced individually.  The average cake is three-tiered that are, from bottom to top, twelve, nine and six inches high. This cake will serve between 125-150 people. The typical serving size is a two-inch square or an angled slice two inches wide and three inches high.

The following questions should be asked to the one who will make the wedding cake.

What size cake will be needed for the number of guests?

Will this cake be one that most guests will enjoy?

Do you have photographs of his or her creations?

Is a taste test possible?

What is the estimate cost for the designs and types of cakes?

Will there be additional charges for delivery, set-up, rental fees for stands, columns or supports?

Will there be a cake cutting charge?

Will the cake be transported in layers and assembled on site? Are there extra charges for assembly, delivery and cake plates?

What deposit is required? Is it refundable? When is final payment due? Usually bakers require a 50% deposit when you place your order.

The cutting of the cake symbolizes the beginning of the couple's shared life. The groom puts his right hand on the bride's and they cut the first slice together.

Custom is to take the top of the cake away for the bride and groom to save until their first anniversary. This depends on the amount of tiers and should be taken into consideration when ordering the cake.