Guest Post By: Renata Papadopoulos, Lovely Cakes
The two cakes pictured above may look different but they’re actually exactly the same. The cake on the left is sitting on a fondant-covered board, while the cake on the right is set on a foil-covered board. It makes a big different, don’t you think?
It’s shocking to me that there are so many cake professionals still presenting their cakes on foil-covered boards. And it’s even more shocking that some bakers charge to cover the board with fondant!Very few couples ask me about their cake’s board presentation during their tastings. But you should make sure that your cake board will be dressed in a way that coordinates with your cake.
When you visit websites of a potential baker, be sure to take note of the cake boards. That will give you a good indication of how much attention to the detail your cake professional has.
Another important question to ask your baker: How thick does he or she roll fodant? Fondant should be rolled super-thin, about 1/8” thick. This way the fondant will melt into the buttercream a bit and won’t have as gummy a texture.
Although looking at pictures will not tell you if the fondant covering the cake is thin or not, looking at the thickness of decorations and borders of a cake will give you a good clue if your cake professional takes the time to roll her fondant thin.
Tip: If you have a smaller wedding cake, use a stand to elevate and give more presence to your cake. Just make sure that the stand can sustain the weight of your cake and still be stable.
Renata Papadopoulos is the owner of Lovely Cakes in Connecticut. One of her designs was selected by Brides magazine in 2011 as one of America’s Most Beautiful Cakes.
A fun trend we’ve noticed over the past few years is the disappearance of the wedding cake! Don’t worry, though. Cake at weddings isn’t going anywhere. Instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake, we’re seeing more and more cake displays!
Here’s a fun cake table from Kelly & Jason’s wedding in Alexandria, VA:
(photo by Heather Z Photography)
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So – you decided to freeze your wedding cake and eat it on your first anniversary? Congratulations on getting your freezer space back!
Here are some handy steps to help you bring your cake back from the dead. Our bride Heather did this and was kind enough to take some photos for us.
(Heather’s cake on the wedding day. Pretty, right? Photo by Regeti’s Photography)
1. Let’s assume your wedding was on a Saturday and your first anniversary is on a Sunday. Take the cake out of the freezer on Friday night and put it in the refrigerator:
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Some traditions are neat, some traditions are silly, some traditions are simply outdated, and other traditions we do just for the sake of tradition.
One tradition that’s still around is freezing the top tier of your wedding cake and eating it on your first anniversary. As a wedding planner, I’m seeing this less and less. Some bakers will include a small cake for your anniversary when the date rolls around. Other couples find the idea entirely unappetizing.
(Maggie & Gareth share their cake. Photo by Deb Lindsay)
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We’ve all heard of the saying, “Like a Kid in a Candy Store,” and when presented with a table full of your favorite, delicious treats don’t you just get down right excited like a little kid? We sure do and so do our clients. In the past few years LVL’s clients have really jumped on the candy/sweet station band wagon and we have too!
Not only does it spice up the party but it also makes for a fun and interactive favor for your wedding guests to take home. Whether you are designing the candy station yourself or hiring someone, here are some helpful tips on how to create a fabulous candy station.
Sweet station created by: Candee by Sandee
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(CherieFoto.com)
You may have heard the tradition of taking home the top tier of the wedding cake and saving it for your first wedding anniversary. But have you ever tasted something from your freezer that has been in there for a year? At best, its edible. At worst, its freezer burnt, riddled with icy frost, and dehydrated. What to do?? Glad you asked!:
- Talk to your bakery about making a 2nd top tier. Have them wrap it well, then box it, and then wrap the whole box extra-well so its ready to freeze.*
- Take home the top tier and enjoy it while opening your gifts. Why wait a year?
- Take home the top tier and freeze it for a couple months.* Enjoy it when your wedding album and video arrive.
- Don’t bother with transporting the cake! Eat it now! Order a duplicate the month before your first anniversary and have a freshly baked confection to celebrate at that time.
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Round, square, hexagon…? I’m writing about wedding cakes of course. What shape do you find yourself most gravitating towards for your confectionery dream?
Though always the top contender, there has been a real return to round cakes heralding a nod to vintage romance and tradition.
Square cakes can lend an air of structural strength and towering beauty to a modern reception, especially when garnished beautifully with florals. Square edges can also be rounded to soften the presentation if desired.
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We’ve all heard the funny horror stories about wedding cake tiers that have been frozen awaiting the milestone first year celebration (see the one below…it’s hilarious) and even though these stories add an element of fun to the memory, there is also something to be said for actually being able to have your cake and eat it too. At Jody’s Pantry Catering we have tested many freezing techniques, and have found that in order to preserve your cake top and share a still edible memory a year from your wedding, the following freezing procedures work quite well for ultimate freshness:
- Place the unwrapped cake tier in the freezer for about 2 hours to allow the surface to completely harden.
- Next remove the cake and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap attempting to remove any air bubbles in order to get an air tight seal.
- Place a second layer of plastic wrap over the cake, and then insert it into an appropriately sized bakery box. (This is something that your cake designer should provide you with.)
- Finally, wrap the entire box in freezer or butcher’s paper as the more layers protecting the cake, the less likely freezer tastes will permeate it.
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Since the college football season is officially in full-swing (YAY!) I thought this was the perfect time to talk about how to incorporate your undying love for your team or alma mater into your wedding day details. I’m sure this one will make the guys incredibly ecstatic, but girls have hearts of scarlet and grey or purple and gold, too!! It truly is simple to incorporate your favorite team into your big day, but the trick is not to go overboard making your nod to said school look cheesy. So I recommend incorporating one or two touches and not each and every single idea!
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From Sixthseal.com
This is a question we hear quite a bit.
Generally the catering staff is in charge of providing plates, utensils, and cutting and serving the wedding cake. Oftentimes there are charges associated with the cutting, plating, and serving of the cake. These charges exist to cover the costs of the plates, utensils (since styles are so varied, many caterers rent their plates and utensils for each event), the staff serving the cake, and the cost of staff to clean all of those plates and utensils after the wedding.
There are some bakers that will also provide this service for an additional fee and it should be noted that using the baker would generally require approval from the facility and also carries an additional charge.
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