6 tasty wedding cakes
While other wedding desserts have recently risen in popularity, there’s a reason why the cake is still a staple. It’s fluffy, sweet – and nothing says celebration like cake!
Cakes are also the perfect blank canvas for expressing your aesthetic as a couple, according to Rachael Teufel, cake artist and owner of Intricate Icings Cake Design in Denver, Colorado.
“I truly believe couples should choose or design a cake that they love both aesthetically and from a flavor perspective. Truly anything goes these days!” she adds.
Unsure of how your dream cake looks? Here are some of the latest trends to help inspire your sweet tooth:
1. True blue
“One of the trends we are seeing in 2020 is the use of color!” says Teufel. “We'll always see the classic white on white wedding cake, but couples are not shying away from color this year.”
Among the more popular choices: Classic Blue, Pantone’s latest Color of the Year. This shade of blue is an elegant, yet bold choice that can either be used as an accent on an otherwise white cake or the star of the show.
2. Fun flavors
It’s not just the outside of the cake that’s customizable; the inside, too, is another great way to reflect your personalities and tastes. So, if you’re not a vanilla person, why serve vanilla cake?
“In reality, no matter how many flavors of cake you serve, you are not going to please every single guest, so have a little fun with it, it is dessert after all!” says Bria Helgerson, executive chef and creative director of Flourish Cake Design in Chicago.
3. Fabric-esque textures
“Utilizing texture in a variety of ways is another big trend. Think of texture on top of texture, with more texture!” says Teufel.
Macramé and crochet inspired details, in particular, have made their way from fashion to cakes in the form of intricate piped buttercream or icing that’s perfect for a bohemian wedding.
If your style is more classic than boho, then consider another fabric inspired texture: ruffles. Deckled edge cakes create the illusion of dress-like ruffles made with layers of fondant with rough, unfinished edges.
4. Geometric shapes
Geometric shapes are shaping up to be a popular choice for wedding cakes in 2020. This trend is incredibly flexible, which makes it ideal for all types of events. Hosting a super sleek and modern style wedding? Consider creating a chic marbled cake with gold geometric piping. For a more romantic look, you might choose a cake with intricate patterns inspired by mosaic tiles.
5. Edible flowers
Flowers have always been in style as a cake accessory, but this trend allows you to eat your cake – and flowers, too. Many types of naturally occurring flowers, like violets, pansies and varieties of roses, are all beautiful as well as edible.
If snacking on petals doesn’t sound appetizing, you can get the same motif with flowers made from sugar.
“I’d love couples to consider more is incorporating sugar flowers either in combination with or instead of fresh flowers. Sugar flowers can be matched exactly to colors in your wedding that may not exist in nature, they can be arranged in ways that may not be possible with fresh [flowers],” says Helgerson. “They add a truly bespoke element to even the simplest wedding cake.”
6. Showstopper cakes
Modern weddings are all about the guest experience, which is why many couples are rethinking what a wedding cake can be. Rather than just serving as a sweet treat for guests, cakes are edible works of art that entertain as well as nourish.
“Cakes that hang, spin, light up and even serve champagne are becoming the focal point of reception that really wows the guests,” adds Teufel.