NewsWhen it comes to choosing your wedding cake The possibilities are limitless. However, a traditional wedding cake will forever be a timeless choice, and there is plenty of history behind the tradition.
We’ve got all you need to know about traditional wedding cakes right here, including some of our personal favorites and a recipe from a baking expert in case you want to make your own. making your own wedding cake .
What is a traditional wedding cake?
A traditional wedding cake is typically a fruit cake, covered in marzipan and icing, and presented in tiers. Today, couples may be more daring with their wedding cakes and choose an unusual design. alternative wedding cake , however the classic wedding cake still has a role in today’s weddings.
Traditional wedding cakes often contain at least three layers and a central motif. wedding cake topper on the cake’s icing. The cake is cut by the newlyweds and guests are usually welcome to enjoy a slice with a cup of tea or coffee during the wedding day, or they can take a slice home in a wedding cake box.
What flavour is a wedding cake traditionally?
Fruit cake, which is famed for its durability, is used to make a really traditional wedding dessert. However, more and more couples are opting for sponge as it’s easier to have it made in a variety of wedding cake flavours.
If you don’t like fruit cake but appreciate tradition, how about a fig wedding cake ?
Since they may retain it, some brides and grooms choose to have their smaller top tier fashioned from fruit cake.
Why do wedding cakes traditionally have three tiers?
Everyone associated traditional wedding cakes with the iconic three-tiered form, but there is a reason behind this! It is thought that they are made that way as the large bottom tier is to be shared out at the wedding, the smaller middle tier is to share with those who couldn’t make it after the event and the top tier is saved for the couple.
Why is the top tier of a wedding cake saved?
It used to be that the top tier of the wedding cake was saved for the christening of the couple’s first child – hence it needing to be made from long-lasting fruit cake! If all went as planned on the wedding night, the top layer of the wedding cake would be brought out again within a year.
Values have changed a fair bit with time though, and now couples can save their top tier for a variety of reasons! Some couples prefer to freeze it and eat it on their first wedding anniversary – it’s a nice way to commemorate a special occasion. wedding anniversary milestone .
Some choose to preserve it for the following day’s breakfast or as a midnight snack on their wedding day!
The History of the Wedding Cake
The traditional wedding cake has a long history! It’s believed that the first ‘wedding cakes’ date back to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, where a cake of barley or wheat was broken over the bride’s head, in the belief it would bring the couple good fortune in their married life. Fortunately, this wedding tradition has been lost in time!
In the 16th and 17th centuries, a ‘bride’s pie’ was traditionally served at weddings – but don’t get too excited. According to a recipe by Robert May, which dates back to 1685, the bride’s pie was filled with oysters, lamb testicles, pine kernels and cocks’ combs. We’d like fruit cake, please.
This developed throughout time, and the fruit cake, also known as the “groom’s cak,” became popular. e ‘ developed into the primary event. The bigger your cake, the higher your social status. White icing also became more popular – not only did it symbolise virginity and purity, much like the white wedding dress, it was also an indicator of money and social importance in the Victorian times.
The royal icing we know today got its name from Queen Victoria’s wedding cake, which was frosted in pure white icing.
If you don’t like icing, you could always try a naked wedding cake .
There are a few explanations as to why the traditional wedding cake had so many layers. In medieval times, the cake would be piled as high as possible, and if the couple managed to kiss over it, they were destined for a happy marriage.
It’s also stated that in the early 1700s, a baker sought to make a genuinely unique wedding cake and was inspired by the unusual form of St Bride’s Church in London, which gave rise to the tiered design we know today.
Our Favourite Traditional Style Wedding Cakes
This exquisite six-tiered wedding cake from Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium is ideal for couples looking for a traditional, timeless alternative.
What could be better than one wedding cake? Three! How are we supposed to pick just one from this beautiful selection from Belsize Cakes? They are traditional in style but still incorporate plenty of personality!
This gorgeously simple wedding cake (photographed by Imogen Xiana Photography) from the Vanilla Pod Bakery would look effortlessly chic at any wedding – whether it’s winter or summer! With its tiers and white frosting, it’s fairly classic, but the towering design and modest floral accent elevate it.
If you want a little color, you’ll like the lovely and exquisite sugar flowers that cover this cake from Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium.
Why not include your something blue into your wedding cake? That’s an excellent – and delicious – way to add even more tradition to your wedding cake. We can’t take our eyes off this blue beauty from Belsize Cakes.
If you love the idea of going traditional, but still want a rustic style wedding cake, be inspired by this four tiered wonder from the Vanilla Pod Bakery – the buttercream finish keeps it from being plain.
A metallic wedding cake This stunning wedding cake by Elizabeth Solaru of Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium is a terrific way to put a small variation to the typical wedding cake.
If you love the idea of a traditional wedding cake but you still want it to have a modern feel, be inspired by this beautiful pink and grey wedding cake by Belsize Cakes. The marble look is trendy, yet the tiered design is timeless.
Fondant icing is a great way to give your wedding cake a traditional feel, as illustrated by this cake by the Vanilla Pod Bakery. The icing’s faint shine is really enticing!
