The Wedding Cake is very significant for the special wedding day! Wedding cakes have been present at wedding ceremonies for centuries. The earliest known sweet wedding cake is known as a Banbury cake, which became popular in 1655. During the Roman era unsweetened barley bread was used as the wedding food and the groom would break the piece of bread in half over the brides head symbolizing "breaking of the bride's virginal state and the subsequent dominance of the groom over her."
One of the most obvious symbolic traditions is the cake's white color to symbolize virginity and purity. The white color has been attached to wedding ceremonies since the Victorian era when Queen Victoria chose to wear a white wedding dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Queen Victoria accentuated an existing symbol, the color white is frequently associated with virginity and purity. The wedding cake was originally known as the brides cake therefore the color white became common because the cake needed to reflect the bride.
The cutting of the cake is a task full of symbolism. The cake was originally intended to be distributed among the guests by only the bride because consuming the cake would ensure fertility. As weddings grew and the number of guests increased this task became a joint venture, the groom needed to help cut the growing cake and distribute it among their guests. Layers of cakes began to pile up and the icing would need to support the weight of the cake making is very difficult for one person to cut. The groom would assist the bride in this process. Once this tradition began the bride and groom would share a piece of cake before distributing it to the guests to symbolize their union and their promise to forever provide for each other.
'The Knot'(www.theknot.com) gives you many useful information/ideas for your wonderful wedding cake.
Insider Wedding Cake Tips form the Experts!
"I think that a bride should order the cake flavor and design her and her fiance truly want. Just like every other aspect of their wedding, someone has an opinion on how they should do it. People tell them don't do chocolate cake, that's wrong, or don't do bright vibrant colors, that's wrong...don't listen to them! If red velvet cake is your favorite cake, go for it! No one said a wedding cake had to be white cake!" --Heather Luse, Delectable Delights, Centre Hall, PA
"Don't let cost be the first thing you think of. Most cake decorators are willing to help assist in keeping costs low if you ask. Start your search by finding someone of which you can communicate easily, who has great ideas but is also a great listener, and has a good sense of what you want for your cake design." -- Chef Janan Juliff, The Cake Diva, Minneapolis, MN
"Couples, when deciding on cupcakes, should of course consider flavors, quantity and budget, but more importantly -- what they expect from the appearance of those cupcakes in their wedding photos. The display of the cupcakes will be in the photo album forever, and working with their baker to create the most elegant display possible will insure delight for many years to come. The little details, like stand decoration, become so much more important when the long view is taken." -- April, Cupid Cupcakery, Cleveland, OH
"When you find that cake design you love in a magazine or on the internet, be prepared to be shocked at the price a baker quotes you for it. Most magazine designs are more upscale and done in fondant, which is very expensive. Many bakers, including myself, are able to recreate most designs in buttercream and still give the bride a nice smooth look and can still incorporate some fondant appliques that go along with a design, but will end up saving the bride some money because the labor will be less expensive. Have an open mind and just because you see the cake people on TV create masterpieces in a 30 minutes time-slot, most of their cakes take from 5 to 20 hours to create, which is expensive." -- Melonie, For Goodness Cakes, Norcross, GA
10 steps to the perfect cake
Step 1. Figure Out Your Style
Your cake doesn't have to be white and round. There are so many other choices. To nail down a design, look to your venue, the time of year and, of course, your personal sense of style.
Step 2. Learn the Basics
Let's start with cake shapes. Beyond the traditional round cake, there's a slew of other options. Square cakes are hugely popular -- and a great way to showcase a modern wedding style. But those are just the beginning: We've also seen hexagonal, oval, petal-shaped and even triangle wedding cakes! When it comes to icing, you'll have a number of choices. Buttercream (made from butter and sugar) is smooth and creamy, and it stays soft .
Step 3. Know Where (And Where Not) To Cut
Be prepared to pay anywhere from $1.50 all the way up to $20 a slice and beyond. And the more complicated the cake, the more you'll pay. Fondant is generally more expensive than buttercream, and if you want elaborately molded shapes, vibrant colors or handmade sugar flowers, you'll pay for the cake designer's time and labor. One cost-cutting option is to order the cake of your dreams made on a small scale for a price you can comfortably afford, and then order sheet cakes of the same flavor to be cut in the kitchen.
Step 4. Search For The Perfect Cake Mate
Once you have a sense of cost and a rough idea of the type of cake you're looking for, it's time to find a baker. Start your research online. Also, your caterer will most likely have recs. Once you have your top three bakers in mind, set up appointments to meet in person and look at their portfolios.
Step 5. Taste Test!
The biggest misconception about wedding cakes is that they're designed to look good but taste less than fabulous. Far from the cake being just a showpiece, it's what's inside that counts. When you meet with your prospective bakers, be sure to taste lots of samples.
Step 6. Book Your Baker
When you think you've met your match, book your baker. Often, a deposit is required at this time, and you'll also be asked to sign a contract. Before you sign, there are a few important points to tackle: Find out how far in advance the cakes are made prior to the wedding day and who exactly will be baking and decorating your cake.
Step 7. Decide How You'll Display It
Have fun dressing up your cake table: Drape it with fabrics and decorate it with motifs, colors and flowers to match the cake (your florist can help). And don't settle for a generic cake stand -- showcase your masterpiece!
Step 8. Work Out Delivery Details
Just as you would with a fine painting, once you've decided exactly how your wedding cake is going to look, make certain that great care is taken to transport it in one piece to the reception site. Most cake designers prefer to deliver the cake themselves.
Step 9. Schedule A Time To Cut It
Traditionally, the cake cutting signifies that the end of the reception is near (and cues the elder guests that they can politely slip out), so couples typically wait until an hour before the party ends to cut it. Most important, double-check that your photographer has your cake on his shot list so that you get a few photos of the cake (and of you cutting it) for your wedding album.
Step 10. Eat A Piece Of Your Own Cake
You'd be surprised how many couples don't get a chance to eat their own wedding cake -- don't let that be you! If you don't have time to sit down at the reception and enjoy a slice, ask your caterer to save some for you.
You can find out more information at www.theknot.com.
