New Ideas for the Sweetest Part of Your Ceremony

As long as people get married, wedding cake, that wonderful confection of love, will be sliced and served and fed to happy couples. New and exciting wedding cake trends and designs are almost half the fun, so read on for delicious ideas.

Flavorfully speaking, red velvet cake is still all the rage, as is cheese cake, in just about every flavor under the sun. “There’s chocolate cheesecake, and all the berry flavors,” says David Brian Sanders, L.A. chef. “But the classic is an original that will be around forever.” Carrot cake is another one that has a steady following, with or (for the allergy conscious among you) without nuts.

Other popular flavors include German chocolate, and the basic chocolate cake with butter cream frosting. While those traditional standards hold up, Sanders adds that people are having more fun with cakes, adding several different flavors to the same cake, and trying out unconventional frosting/filling combinations.  “Organic cakes are big too,” says Sanders. “People are using sugar substitutes like yogurt, apple sauce, even agave nectar.”

When it comes to style, most people still go for cake pillars and tiers, although some are opting out on bride and groom cake toppers. “I think there’s a trend for more decorative, clever designs,” says Sanders. “Wedding cakes are getting very artistic, with people doing things like creating a cake in the shape of the Eiffel Tower.” The key, according to Sanders, is romance. If you’re hitting New York for your honeymoon, you might put the Empire State Building on top. “I went to a wedding once where the cake was designed in the shape of a Luis Vuitton bag; it matched their honeymoon luggage.”

No matter what cake your hearts’ desire, stick to a budget. “Never go to a baker and ask how much a particular cake costs,” says Sanders. “Decide what you can pay, then ask what you can get for that price.” Sanders advises clients to do their research, to comparison shop, and to interview as many people as possible.

“You could spend thousands of dollars on a cake if you really wanted to,” he says. “Instead, make your dollar choices ahead of time. In the same way that you should never shop for food when you’re hungry, you should never look at cakes when you have a sweet tooth.” Sweet advice!

-David Toussaint

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