Wedding Advice - Here Comes the Blog » Cakes

Wedding Cake Trends

Sarah — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:49:50 +0000

The secret to the perfect wedding cake? Make it unique and personalized to your tastes. Gone are the days when you had to go all white with nothing but a bride and groom wedding cake toppers on top. Today’s cakes are over the top with color splashes and the most outrageous designs.

One big trend is to use bold colors that no one would expect. Brides are going with bright purple cakes or vivid green. Any color goes and a good bakery will do anything you ask.

Another trend is the toppling cake. These cakes are designed to look like they are about to tip but are actually very sturdy. Think Alice and the Mad Hatter’s party cake. These kooky cakes are actually lovely and can be done so that they stand out as a marvel of cake engineering.

Flowers on cakes have hit new heights. Brides have long added flowers to their cake tops. But now flowers are cascading down the entire cake, wrapping around it and even being done with a mix of real and silk flowers.

Jewelry is in style now. All the finest cakes are wearing it. Cake decorators are now using rhinestones and pearls on their cakes. The finished products are attractive and really have a bling to them that you can’t get any other way. Of course, the jewels are removed when the cake is cut, but it’s a lovely way to decorate a cake that’s different from anything your guests will expect.

The cupcake trend is huge these days. Brides are opting for tiers of cupcakes rather than a full wedding cake. When stacked, they actually do look like a big wedding cake. Up close, guests will see that they are actually cupcakes. Some brides opt for the cupcake display as part of a coffee bar and then have another wedding cake off to the side for cutting and decoration.

The ornately decorated fondant cake is still going strong. Martha Stewart made the smooth fondant cake into an art form that is being taken to new heights by bakers who seem more like fine artists. The Wedgewood cake is now very popular. Cakes are being covered in smooth blue fondant and decorated with white cherubs and latticework like a Wedgewood vase or tea cup. It’s stunning to look at.

Cakes in the shapes of animals are big now. If you’re a Texas couple, a long horn cake may be just the thing. Met at the zoo? Go for an elephant cake. These cakes aren’t just decorated with the animal, they are the animal. Cakes cut into odd shapes have been made popular by The Food Network’s show Ace of Cakes. Now brides are asking for cakes in the shape of their school mascots, their dog or cat, and even animals that the couple both favor or are meaningful to them. The bakery then carves out a cake shape to look like a 3D version of the animal and ices it to near real-life perfection. Air brushing frosting tints can add details that are stunningly realistic. You can also opt for a giant shoe or handbag or any shape that you like. The groom also can have a say with his motorcycle or favorite car done in icing.

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Beach Wedding Cupcake Ideas

DessertLover — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:17:48 +0000

Having trouble deciding on a cake theme for your beach wedding? Well there is no need to worry! In my previous post, I gave you some ideas as well as a photo collage of my favorite beach inspired wedding cakes. So in this post, I thought I'd share my thoughts and ideas regarding cupcakes for a beach wedding.

One of the biggest trends in wedding cakes this year is the fact that more and more brides are utilizing cupcakes instead of traditional layered wedding cakes. Generally cupcakes are less expensive and guests love getting their own individual dessert that they can either enjoy at the reception or take home with them in a little cupcake favor box.

Like the large beach cakes, small cupcakes tend to incorporate the same types of motifs to create a tropical or beach feel. Consider incorporating seashells or starfish, brightly colored tropical flowers, or palm trees constructed from chocolate or marzipan. The most popular color schemes for beach inspired cupcakes are a sandy neutral brown or an ocean blue.

In the photo collage below, you can see some of my favorite beach inspired cupcake displays. In all cases, I like the use of cupcake stands to create an impressive, tall display. As you can see, the most popular beach theme is seashells that are likely molded out of chocolate. You can use various shapes on each cupcake (you can even use the shapes to denote different cupcake flavors). For instance, you could use a starfish shape to indicate chocolate cupcakes, a seashell to denote vanilla cupcakes, and a seahorse shape to denote red velvet cupcakes. The possibilities are endless!

Photo Credit:
1. Beach Wedding CupCake Towers; Wilmington, NC Carolina Cakes & Confections, 2. Beach Themed Wedding Cupcakes, 3. Beach Themed Wedding Cupcakes., 4. Beach wedding cupcakes, 5. an alternative to wedding cake - cupcakes!, 6. Beach Cupcake Tower, 7. 4989_1073228919465_1488420009_30201004_5981428_n, 8. Beach theme wedding cupcake at the Sawmill creek golf resort and spa Camlachie 2, 9. Wedding cupcake tower

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Beach Wedding Cake Ideas

DessertLover — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:59:33 +0000

When it comes to creating a beach wedding cake that will wow your guests, consider the location of your wedding and use the local landscape and scenery as your inspiration. Will you be getting married in a more tropical setting full of hibiscus flowers or a more nautical setting near a cliff-side lighthouse? Take a cue from your surroundings and you are sure to have an impressive cake.

Seashells
Without a doubt, the most popular motif for a beach wedding cake is seashells. Television shows like Cake Boss demonstrate just how creative and talented cake bakers across the U.S. are these days. If you give your baker some shells that you love as inspiration, they should be able to create similar "shells" out of marzipan, chocolate, and other tools at their disposal. I've found that it is best to try and get the shells to look as natural as possible using colors that you find on the actual real shells.

Besides shells, you can consider using other sea creatures on your cake as well. Things such as sand dollars, starfish, and seahorses always tie in well with a shell and beach-inspired cake theme.

Sandcastles
If you've ever been to Virginia Beach during the sand castle building contest or to the malecon in Puerto Vallarta, you've seen some of the amazing sculptures that can be created using beach sand. You can have your baker create an elaborate sand castle cake just for you. They simply use brown sugar to create the "sand".

Tropical Flowers
You can always choose to keep your cake classic and simple by utilizing some tropical flowers such as hibiscus, bromeliads, birds of paradise, etc. around the base of your cake. You can also get your baker to create edible tropical flowers out of gum paste, marzipan, or icing for the top and sides of your cake.

If you are having difficulty choosing a cake design, I recommend looking around online for inspiration. Below I've put together a collage of some of my favorite beach cake designs....maybe one of them will be just what you want for your big day! Now, what on earth are you going to do for your wedding favors?

Photo Credit:
1. Seashell Wedding Cake, 2. "Coral and Shells" with ruffled cupcakes, 3. Seashells & Bows Wedding Cake, 4. Mindy's Beach Cake, 5. Beach Theme Bridal Shower Cake 2, 6. Chocolate Sea Themed Wedding Cake, 7. Beach themed Seashell cake, 8. Sandcastle Wedding Cake, 9. beach wedding cake

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Black, White, and Pink Wedding Cakes

DessertLover — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:04:22 +0000

Black, White & Pink....the perfect color scheme for the bride that loves pink, but doesn't want to overwhelm her groom and guests with too much of the "girly" color. The great thing about pink is the variety of shades available ranging from fuchsia to dainty light pink to a bright hot pink and best of all, they all go with black and white perfectly. Adding a splash of your favorite shade of pink to things like the floral bouquets, wedding favors, and of course, the wedding cake is the perfect way to incorporate pink into the color scheme without going over the top.

In search of the perfect wedding cake....a picture is worth a thousand words so I've put together a montage of photos of some of my favorite black, pink and white wedding cakes (and cupcakes too). As you can see in the collage below, the options for incorporating pink into the cake are limitless. Want some whimsy? Try a retro black polka dot on top a bright white or pink fondant or how about a topsy-turvy style cake that incorporates round, square and tilted cake layers. For a more traditional look, use pink roses, black and white damask, or classic scroll work with pink ribbons on your cake. My personal favorite is the square tiered cake that incorporates a monogram initial within a large hot pink circle on the top layer....unique and fun all at the same time!

Having a cherry blossom themed wedding? The black, white and pink color scheme may be the perfect choice for you. Be sure to also check out my cherry blossom themed cake ideas in a previous post, and be sure to browse some cherry blossom wedding favors. There a lot to choose from these days, and many of them are just too cute to miss!

Photo Credit: Black White and Pink Wedding Cakes

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Black, Yellow & White Wedding Cakes

DessertLover — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:42:41 +0000

Calling all modern brides! This fresh and cheerful color scheme should be right up your alley. The traditional black and white color scheme can be brought into the 21st century by pairing it with bright sunny yellow accents. I absolutely love this color scheme for spring and summer weddings!

If you've been a Here Comes The Blog follower, you know that I'm all about the dessert so I went on a quest to find my favorite black and white wedding cakes that featured bold yellow accents. What I found was a fantastic mix of both traditional and modern wedding cakes that I wanted to share with you. Check out the collection of cake ideas below. Notice how black and white is used as the primary color scheme, but all of the cakes utilize bright yellow dots, colorful daisies, yellow roses, or yellow icing patterns to create this amazing array of images. I believe that sunflowers with a dark black center would also be a fantastic accent flower choice for this color scheme. If you love any of these cake designs, be sure to print out the photo and take it along to your wedding cake designer so they can get a feel for your style and color preferences.

Finally, check out the amazing black, white and yellow wedding inspiration boards at Wedding Fanatic. They have ideas for all aspects of wedding planning.

Photo Credit:
1. black scroll wedding cake, 2. Yellow Invitation Suite, Menu, Program and Matching Cake, 3. yellow and black, 4. Big yellow daisey cake, 5. Simpson wedding cake, 6. Black and Yellow Cake, 7. Silhouette, 8. Sandy_wedding cake, 9. yellow flowers wedding cupcake stand

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Black, White & Green Wedding Cakes

DessertLover — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:21:47 +0000

Black and white is truly a classic wedding color scheme that has been used again and again by brides over the years. That said, a recent trend amongst brides is to add a great accent color such as green or yellow to the mix. And why not? A timeless classic spiced up with a punch of color is a great way to modernize a wedding.

Planning a Spring Wedding? Nothing symbolizes spring more than the emergence of green foliage so why not tie a fresh Springtime green into your wedding color scheme! One of my favorite things about green is the wide range of hues to choose from....lime, a yellow-green chartreuse, or a bright grass green are my favorite shades to pair with black and white.

If you are looking for some inspiration, check out the collage of wedding cake photos below. I've pulled together some of my favorite black and white cakes that feature green accents. Whether you are going for a fun whimsical look or an elegant more traditional look, you can utilize green to achieve amazing results. Patterns such as polka dots, stripes or tilted layers can be used to create more laid-back cake designs while patterns such as damask, quilting, and flourish can be used for traditional cakes. Accenting with green bows or flowers such as calla lilies or orchids can also add a bit of pop to a beautiful wedding cake.

For more great green, white and black wedding ideas, check out this post on the What Junebug Loves Blog. You'll find all kinds of amazing photos to help plan your big day! You can also find a wide range of black and white wedding favors at Wedding Favors Unlimited.

Photo Credit: Black and White Wedding Cake Ideas

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Black, White & Red Wedding Cakes

DessertLover — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:12:50 +0000

Add a Splash of Romance to your black and white wedding... Use red accents on your wedding accessories and of course, on your wedding cake! A classic black and white color scheme can sometimes be a bit stark and boring if it isn't done correctly, but you can avoid the "boring" label by using an accent color like red. You can see in the montage of photos below that when it comes to the cake you can go in a wide range of directions.

Want a bit of whimsy? Consider a topsy-turvy style wedding cake where the layers appear misaligned and seem to tilt as though they might fall over at any minute. For good cake bakers, the threat of a great topple is truly an illusion. Another way to bring in a whimsical touch is through the use of interesting patterns such as retro polka dots, diamonds, or stripes.

Prefer to have a classic style? No problem, use red roses as accents on and around the cake. Or use a classic pattern that is applied on the white fondant such as toile, damask or any type of elegant scrollwork. The cake in the lower left corner of the collage that utilizes pearl-shaped modeling chocolate along with black bows around each layer would be a great choice for a classic, elegant black and white wedding.

If you had a Las Vegas wedding and are throwing a celebration party when you get home, a black and white cake with red accents will tie in the Vegas theme perfectly. After all cards, dice, and poker chips all play off a black, white and red color scheme.

A classic cake or one with a bit of whimsy?
No matter which one you choose, red is always a great choice with black and white.

Photo Credit: Black & White Wedding Cake Ideas

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Cherry Blossom Theme Wedding Cakes

DessertLover — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:12:18 +0000

Spring is just around the corner which means that it will soon be time for the cherry blossoms around the Washington D.C. tidal basin to be in full bloom. It just so happens that Spring is the season when brides choose cherry blossoms as the central theme for their wedding. These days brides incorporate cherry blossoms into the reception centerpieces, bridal bouquets, wedding favors and of course, the wedding cake. Traditionally, cherry blossom cakes feature brown stems with light pink to almost white blooms on the branches that meander gracefully up and down the cake tiers. Recently though, many brides are still using the cherry blossom motif, but they are incorporating other colors such as purple, teal green, light blue, and mauve into the color scheme for the cake. Below are just a few of my favorite cherry blossom cake designs (be sure to scroll to the bottom to find the resource link for each photo in the collage). If you are utilizing this theme at your wedding, be sure to check out this Cherry Blossom wedding idea lens at Squidoo for tons of great ideas for dresses, decorations, cherry blossom wedding favors, and more!

Image Resources:
1. Asian Inspired Cherry Blossom Wedding Cake, 2. Red Cherry Blossoms Wedding Cake, 3. Purple Cherry Blossom wedding Cake, 4. Stacey's Cherry Blossom Wedding Cake, 5. Cherry Blossom Wedding cake, 6. white cherry blossom wedding cake, 7. Cherry Blossom Cake, 8. Wedding - 4-tier cherry blossom, 9. Cherry Blossoms and Pears Wedding Cake, 10. Cherry blossom wedding cake, 11. cherry blossom wedding cake, 12. Blue Cherry Blossom Wedding Cake, 13. Cherry Blossom Wedding Cake 2

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Black & White Wedding Cakes

DessertLover — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:57:22 +0000

Many brides and grooms think that a purely black and white monochrome wedding cake design might be boring, but I'm here to tell you that is definitely not the case. There are so many design variations available that you can have a unique and extraordinary black and white cake that has an air of sophistication too. In the photo collage below, you can see some of my favorite black and white wedding cakes. I've tried to choose a good cross-section of different designs so that you can see all the great options, patterns, and themes. Consider a white fondant or icing base with black accents such as swirls, polka dots, black ribbon, a silhouette of the bride and groom, stripes and even silver/black/faux diamond jewels. If you want some whimsy or drama, how about zebra stripes or large black feathers? The options are really endless.

And don't forget that black and white pairs perfectly with red, pink, lime green or yellow so if you plan to use one of these accent colors in your other wedding accessories, you should carry it through to the cake as well. In future posts, I will have collages that show black and white cakes with each one of these colors. Be sure to check back in the next few weeks!

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