Best Wedding Cake Ideas

Wedding Cake Ideas

Your wedding cake will be the star of your reception–it sits on its own special table and is even featured in the epic cake-cutting moment of the reception. You can choose a variety of cake styles and flavors for your momentous day. To help you decide what type of cake to pick, we compiled the most popular flavors and styles from classic to trendy. 

What is a Wedding Cake?

Wedding cakes began in ancient Rome when marriages were sealed when the groom smashed a barley cake over the bride’s head for luck and fertility. Similarly, in medieval England newlyweds kissed over a pile of buns in hopes of ensuring a prosperous future. Unmarried guests sometimes took home a little piece of cake to tuck under their pillow.

Today’s wedding cakes are much more involved, and they don’t resemble your typical birthday cake. Traditional wedding cakes have at least three tiers and have a cake topper placed on the top tier. The newlyweds cut the first piece of cake, and the wedding guests get to enjoy slices as well. 

Popular Cake Flavors and Styles

From classic to indulgent, you have plenty of flavor combinations between the cake, filling and frosting. First, we’ll discuss the most popular classic cake flavors. 

Classic Flavors 

  • Vanilla: Vanilla continues to be a popular wedding cake flavor. It goes well with different flavors of frosting and filling. However, vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream continues to be a favorite. A white wedding cake is timeless and elegant! 
  • Chocolate: Chocolate is also a popular, indulgent wedding cake flavor that has plenty of filling and frosting options. Caramel, buttercream and raspberry are paired with chocolate cake. If you want something more unique, consider dark chocolate or German chocolate. 
  • Lemon: Tangy and refreshing, lemon cake is a popular option for summer weddings. Consider pairing this cake with lemon frosting, vanilla buttercream, raspberry filling, or fresh berries. 

Indulgent Flavors 

  • Raspberry Chocolate Truffle: Raspberry and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Just imagine a rich chocolate truffle cake paired with the sweetness of raspberry. 
  • Caramel Apple Coffee: This interesting combo blends three delicious flavors into one amazing cake. You can get creative here! Maybe use caramel and coffee for the cake filling for an apple spice cake. Drizzle the tiers of cake with caramel and add some decorations that represent your wedding (colors, flowers, etc.). 
  • Pistachio and Rose: People love pistachio-flavored sweets, and pistachio cake is a showstopper. This sophisticated, unique combo works well when you keep the filling flavors separate so guests can take each delicious flavor. A cake decorated with rose petals would look beautiful on this cake! 

New Cake Styles 

  • Naked Wedding Cake: This is a newer trend in cakes where the cake does not have an outer layer of frosting. Instead, it has layers of cake with flavorful fillings in between each layer. You can do any combo of cake and filling–just think of the possibilities! If you’re considering a rustic wedding, decorate the naked cake with berries, flowers, greenery, figs, or vines. 
  • Cupcake Wedding Cake: You can create an eye-catching stand with tiers of cupcakes. Plus, you don’t have to worry about cutting a cake or having forks for dessert. In terms of flavors and decorations, the options are endless. 
  • Ombre Wedding Cake: Ombre’s graduated colors is a popular shading technique but is a newer trend for cake decorations. This cake would make a statement for a couple planning a modern wedding. It’s usually used for pastel colors on cake, but can be used for bolder colors as well. It’s a fun way to add some color to your cake and incorporate wedding colors. 

Wedding Cake Decisions

Beyond the wedding cake flavor and look, there are some other decisions to make:

  • When should you decide on the wedding cake design and flavor? Schedule and complete the cake testing between four and six months before your wedding. 
  • Can you have more than one cake at the wedding? You can always have more than one cake at a wedding. It’s common to have a wedding cake and then a smaller groom’s cake. But if you want several cakes, then go for it! 
  • At what point of the wedding does the cake cutting happen? The wedding cake is usually cut toward the end of dinner right before the dancing begins. 
  • Who gets the first slice? The bride and groom each get the first tastes of the wedding cake after they cut the first slice together. 

Hopefully this information gives you some ideas for wedding cake flavors and fillings, and helps you get some of your wedding cake questions answered.

FAQs

What is a naked wedding cake?

It’s a cake that does not have the outer layer of frosting. Instead, it has layers of cake with flavorful fillings in between each layer.

What is the most popular filling for a wedding cake?

Vanilla and chocolate buttercream continue to be popular filings. Pastry cream, which is like a vanilla custard, is also a popular flavor.

How much should you spend on a wedding cake?

The average price for a wedding cake in the U.S. is $500. This can vary depending on where you live and how big the cake needs to be. Some weddings have multiple cakes as well, so determine if this is a route you want to take.

What is the traditional cake flavor for a wedding?

Vanilla and chocolate are traditional wedding cake flavors that continue to be popular. Lemon is also a popular cake choice.

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