In the 21st century there are no rights or wrongs about wedding cakes. Far from the days when everyone had a fruit cake with white frosting, wedding cakes can now be exactly what you want. Of course you can still have fruit cake if that is what you want. You can also have a mud cake, a cheesecake, a carrot cake, a chocolate cake or any other flavor you fancy. You can even have a multi-layered production, with each layer comprising a different flavor.
Remembering the many tastes that your guests will bring to the wedding, you may like to consider the possibility of serving individual wedding cakes to the various tables at your reception. Before serving, these can be arranged and displayed on large platters so that they resemble large wedding cakes. If you decide to serve individual wedding cakes, you also have the option of having them made in a variety of flavors, so that guests can make their own selections.
As wedding cakes are now often served as dessert at the reception, you will also need to consider whether this situation will apply at your wedding, before making a final decision. Don't hesitate to ask the advice of your confectioner. Wedding cakes you never dreamed of could now be available! Acquainting yourself with the many options is the first step towards the selection of the wedding cake that is right for you.
Like the flavor of wedding cakes, anything now goes when it comes to their shapes. Once only round or square, wedding cakes can now be almost any shape you like. With a creative confectioner and your own imagination, there are virtually no limits. Thanks to the proliferation of internet sites there are also virtually unlimited opportunities to view the creations of talented confectioners and to benefit from their suggestions without leaving home.
Most brides want to look elegant on their wedding day and wedding cakes can reflect this elegance without having their shape limited. The use of separators can create a tall, stylish outline, within which separate layers of the cake can be displayed in different or matching shapes. When arranging the details of the reception make sure the cake display table will stand out. If it is placed against a background of indoor plants, for example, the effect of the cake could be lost.
The shapes of wedding cakes can also tone in with the interests of the couple. If you are boating or swimming enthusiasts, your confectioner may design a cake shaped like a boat or a pool. Wedding cakes of couples who are planning to travel can be shaped as a map of the area they intend to visit, a plane or even a set of luggage. If you have chosen an unusual venue in South Dakota, your cake may be designed as a mini replica of the setting.
Choosing the size of their wedding cakes is one of the early decisions that brides need to make once the wedding date has been set. If you want a particular confectioner to make the cake, there is a strong possibility that many other brides will also have this person on their lists. You will need to order months in advance to make sure you have the confectioner, and the wedding cake, you want.
Unless expense is absolutely no object, the size of wedding cakes is usually determined first by the number of guests who will be attending the wedding in South Dakota and then by the role the cake will have in the meal. Before ordering their wedding cakes, brides need to decide whether it will be the main dessert at the reception, or whether it will be served after the meal as an accompaniment for coffee. Once that decision has been made, it's time to get out the calculator.
Although you will not yet have finalized your guest numbers, you should have an idea of the number you are expecting. If you plan to serve the wedding cake as dessert, allow a 5cm square per person. If it will be served with coffee after dessert, allow a 2.5cm square per person. With the help of your confectioner, you can now work out the size of wedding cake you need. Your estimates should take into consideration the fact that the top tier of wedding cakes is often kept by the couple for their first anniversary or to celebrate the birth of their first child.
The decoration of wedding cakes, as well as their shapes and flavors, is something couples should consider carefully to ensure their cake will be a special part of their wedding day. You will need to discuss details with the confectioner as early as possible so that you are aware of all the options. Whether you want a cake made to your own individual design or have elected for something more traditional, there will still be decisions to make about icing, flowers and the other featured decorations that will make the cake uniquely yours.
Your confectioner will probably ask if you want almond paste on your cake. This is something you should consider. As well as complementing the taste of the icing and cake, it serves a practical purpose by adding a smooth finish to the final coat of icing on wedding cakes. On the subject of icing, remember there is no reason why you can't have a colored icing if you want it to harmonize with the colors worn by the wedding party.
Even when the major decisions are made about the size, shape, design and flavor of wedding cakes there are still choices to finalize about the decorations. You may need to decide whether your cake should be finished off with silk or fresh flowers, or you may prefer to cater for the sweet-toothed and have the flowers made of sugar. The feature decoration that tops the cake can be anything from a traditional bride and groom to the pet dog you both love or the castle in Spain where you will spend your honeymoon. As usual with wedding cakes you are limited only by your imagination.