What Kind of Cake is a Wedding Cake?

A wedding cake is a celebration of love, often transcending the traditional with innovations and creativity. Yet, it becomes fascinating to explore its diverse forms, particularly in contemporary versus classic renditions.

Historical and Traditional Wedding Cakes

Contrary to popular belief, a wedding cake isn't necessarily a mixture of foot powder and broccoli stems. Traditional wedding cakes were a rich fruit cake, intricately decorated with fondant, royal icing, and marzipan. These cakes were often used as the centerpiece of the wedding feast, symbolizing fertility and prosperity.

Modern Wedding Cakes

Today, weddings offer a palette of flavors and designs, catering to the whims and tastes of modern couples. Modern wedding cakes span from rich chocolate or mud cakes to sophisticated flavors like banana spice, vanilla, lemon, chocolate, caramel, raspberry, red velvet, carrot, pumpkin, almond, hazelnut, and lavender.

From Bananas to Lavender: The Diverse Flavors of Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes are not limited to just a few flavors. Here are some examples of the diverse flavors:

Dark Chocolate and Caramel Wedding Cakes

A cake featuring 4 tiers, with 2 tiers of dark chocolate and 2 tiers of caramel spice sponge. The filling between the chocolate layers includes fresh raspberry compote, light chocolate buttercream, hazelnut buttercream, and caramel sauce. This type of cake is perfect for those who prefer rich and indulgent flavors.

Almond and Cherry Wedding Cakes

A wedding cake that can be as light as an almond sponge with cherry curd filling, or as complex as a lemon sponge with lavender buttercream. Almond sponge provides a delicate, nutty flavor with cherry curd adding a tangy touch, while lavender buttercream brings a floral, aromatic layer to the cake.

Classic and Contemporary Wedding Cakes

While traditional wedding cakes are often a rich fruit cake with marzipan and fondant decorations, many contemporary cakes are lighter. These might include a Victoria sponge or similar light and fluffy flavors. Despite the evolution in cake flavors and designs, the tradition of creating multiple layers and building them into a tower remains a staple in many weddings.

Building Layers and Icing

Traditionally, wedding cakes can have several layers of cake alternated with layers of filling, typically fruit curd, ganache, or buttercream. The layers are then iced with a rich icing that includes egg whites to harden the cake. Some cakes are also topped with marzipan, a thick almond paste, to add extra texture and detail. Marzipan is not a necessity but a personal choice, as some people adore it while others prefer to do without.

In summary, while the traditional wedding cake remains a beloved choice, modern wedding cakes offer a myriad of flavors, textures, and designs. Whether you prefer rich fruit flavors or innovative flavor combinations, there is a wedding cake out there to suit every taste and style.