Cake a statement

Whether you’re going for a formal wedding reception or something more unusual, an eye-catching cake is an essential part of any celebration. But when it comes to the type of cake you choose, you don’t have to go for the traditional three-tiered fruit cake option. There are so many imaginative cakes around these days, from towering candyladen delights to those made of cheese – and we’re not talking conventional cheesecake.

The tradition of having a cake goes back to Roman times, when cake was broken over the bride’s head to promote fertility, but these days, most couples just stick with cutting it. However, some superstitious couples have a smaller cake which the bride cuts herself, just in case… Sticking with superstition, it is supposed to be good luck for the bride and groom to keep the top tier for a year, sharing it with family and friends on either their first anniversary or on the birth of their first child, whichever comes first. It’s for that reason that rich fruit cake has always been the traditional choice, as if it’s kept carefully wrapped in a cool tin, it can last for 12 months, and even improve with time – though it will need re-icing.

More and more people are moving away from rich iced fruitcakes to sponge and chocolate cake. It wouldn’t be unusual to see a creation smothered in chocolate ganache, summer fruits and curls of chocolate, or even cake stands laden with individual fairy cakes for each guest, which are fun, look great – and save on cutting one large cake into crumbly, tiny pieces. Saying that, English myth says that cake is a lucky token and dividing it shares out the luck among the bride and groom’s family and friends. Therefore, the option of a tiered cake is still popular, but fondant icing and sugar craft means that when it comes to decorating, the sky’s the limit.

You can decorate it to fit in with any theme you may have chosen, or if you have a hobby or passion you share, like going to concerts, or a sporting activity, then you could have your cake decorated accordingly. Many guests like to take their cake home, so remember to provide small boxes so that they aren’t wrapping it up in paper serviettes.

If you’re after something extra special, it’s important to order your cake well in advance, as specialist cake makers are often booked up for months. Many have brochures and portfolios that you can browse through, but it might be an idea to have a look through books and magazines for inspiration, so you can discuss your ideas and designs thoroughly. However, if you, your other half or a family member is a whizkid in the kitchen, you might have the confidence to make your own cake – or if not the whole thing, then you might like to bake it and get it professionally iced, or visaversa. But though this might seem like a good idea, ingredients are expensive, and if you have a disaster in the kitchen, it could prove costly, so make sure you know exactly what you are doing. It might be worth investing in a specialist book dedicated to wedding cake design. Whatever option you choose, make sure that your confectionary creation is truly the icing on the cake.