Great Wedding Cake Icing For a Tastier Cake

A wedding cake that looks beautiful and elegant is truly a great thing. However, if that cake was made with poorly chosen wedding cake icing, well, it's going to taste like crap and no amount of decorations or designs will change that fact. That said, really think about your choices when it comes to the icing for wedding cake.

The most common as well as most popular cake icing is undoubtedly buttercream. Buttercream icing is incredibly easy to design & decorate with, it's cheap, and it tastes great to boot. The drawback to this icing is that it bleeds easily as the temperature climbs.

Another tasty wedding cake icing is marzipan. Marzipan can be used to in the baking of the cake as well as for the covering and filling of cake. Ingredients in this icing are sugar, eggs, and most importantly almonds. This particular cake icing isn't the cheapest, so be prepared to spend a bit more if you want it for your cake.

If you're cake is going to have numerous intricate decorations and designs, then fondant and/or sugar gum paste will be the likely choice. Both of these icings harden after they're put on so that the details remain in place. The big drawback to these icings is that they aren't very tastier -- in fact, some people may go as far as saying they taste pretty bad. If you can, do without this icing or use a very little amount.

Royal icing is the definite choice for simple cakes with simple designs & decorations. This icing is easy to work, cheap, and quite tasty -- making it a perfect choice for amateur bakers whom want to try making & designing their own wedding cake.

Remember to put give some serious thought toward your wedding cake icing. Although a seemingly simple aspect, your cake's icing will effect taste, appearance, and even the price!

Types of Wedding Cake

The wedding cake has always been an important part of the reception, but these days it has taken on even greater significance. Brides are actually planning their entire weddings around the design of the cake. These are the types of cake and frosting that you are likely to find:

White cake: The most traditional wedding cake flavor; for more oomph, add a flavored filling between the layers, like raspberry buttercream or apricot preserves.

Chocolate Cake: A crowd pleaser! Brides are getting more brave about serving chocolate cake. It can either be concealed under white frosting for a traditional appearance, or frosted in chocolate for a decadent treat. Chocolate is very popular for grooms' cakes.

Marble cake: Can't decide between white cake and chocolate cake? Then a marble cake is the answer.

Lemon cake: Tart and refreshing; try a lemon cake for a summer wedding. From personal observation, I should mention that women seem to like lemon flavored deserts much more than men, so make sure that your groom is okay with lemon before finalizing your order with the baker.

Carrot cake: A nice option for an autumn wedding. If you are hoping for the cream cheese frosting usually found on carrot cake, be aware that it is likely to be more cream colored than pure white.

Buttercream Frosting: The most popular frosting, buttercream is both light and rich at the same time. It requires refrigeration, however, so it is not a good choice for an outdoor wedding reception.

Fondant: This frosting is the one that you will often find on elaborate couture style cakes. Fondant is rolled into a sheet and then laid over the cake for a very smooth finish. It makes an excellent base for decorations, and holds up well in heat. Fondant is chosen more for looks than flavor; you might want another layer of more delicious frosting underneath it.

Royal Icing and Gum Paste: These are used to create the decorations on the cake. Royal icing is good for delicate decorations, like a monogram, and pliable gum paste is ideal for making exquisite frosting flowers.

Once you and your baker have determined the right type of cake for your wedding, it will be time to decide on decorations. Fresh flowers are always a beautiful option, and they are very affordable. You may need to coordinate the baker and the florist for the blooms. Another pretty idea is wide ribbons around the base of each tier. Satin or grosgrain ribbon works very well, or you can have the baker create frosting "ribbons".

From there, the designs get more and more elaborate. A very hot trend is to coordinate the cake to the bride's gown and wedding jewelry. You might see lace or embroidery replicated in frosting to mimic the pattern on the bridal gown. Another popular idea is to decorate the cake with crystals or faux pearls to tie in with the wedding jewelry. The fun thing about this type of design is that is is very personal, and will be a completely original design.

Prices of wedding cakes can run from the hundreds to the thousands. If you want a showpiece cake but have a limited budget, order a smaller tiered cake for display, and then have a sheet cake in the same flavor that can be sliced in the kitchen and served to your guests. No one will be the wiser.

Selecting your wedding cake will be easy once you know the basics about cakes. Of course, you will want to have an extensive cake tasting anyway, just because it is fun. For a sweet surprise, ask the baker if she will be able to create a tiny replica of your cake for your first anniversary. A great cake is too delicious to enjoy just once!

Essential Wedding Cake Checklist

Print it out and sit down with your fiance. Check off the boxes that meet your priorities. Give it to your baker about 3-6 months before the big day. Not only will the list get you excited and inspired, but it will provide your baker with the “ingredients” for perfection.

THE STYLE OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE
When you think of the perfect wedding cake, what descriptive words come to mind? Choose the word(s) that best describe the wedding cake you’d most like to create:

[ ] Contemporary

[ ] Dramatic

[ ] Elaborate

[ ] Ceremonial

[ ] Round

[ ] Simple

[ ] Square

[ ] Traditional

[ ] Unique

THE SHAPE AND STRUCTURE OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Given your cake’s style, which shape will represent it best? (Your cake designer can help you decide.)

[ ] Circular

[ ] Hexagonal

[ ] Octagonal

[ ] Rectangular

[ ] Sheet cake

[ ] Square

[ ] Tiered

[ ] Stacked

WHAT IS THE PRIMARY USE OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE
The use? To eat! But of course. That’s the main objective. But your cake designer can assist you in putting your finances to use in the most efficient way. How flashy do you want your cake to be? How can you cut costs? Answer your own question, by ‘checking off’ your priority:

[ ] For show

[ ] A delicious dessert

[ ] Both

FLAVORS AND FILLINGS OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE
It’s YOUR Wedding. Don’t hold back, indulge!

[ ] Angel food

[ ] Berries and whipped cream

[ ] Carrot (spice)

[ ] Chocolate

[ ] Golden

[ ] Lemon

[ ] Liqueurs

[ ] Mocha

[ ] Mousse

[ ] Orange

[ ] Raspberry

[ ] Truffle

[ ] White chocolate

THE COLOR OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Are you a traditional wedding couple? If so, you may opt to stick with colors that accent your decorative color scheme, wedding attire, and bouquet.

[ ] Pale Blue

[ ] Green (pale)

[ ] Lavender

[ ] Peach

[ ] Pink

[ ] White

[ ] Yellow

[ ] Chocolate Brown

[ ] Beige

THE WEDDING CAKE DECOR
What do you wish to add to your cake’s appearance? Dress your cake as pretty as you can.

[ ] Chocolate shavings

[ ] Fresh flowers

[ ] Strawberries (Make sure none of your guests are allergic)

[ ] Gold or silver leaf

[ ] Pearls

[ ] Sugar blooms

[ ] Toppers

Wedding Cake Server Sets

The cake at your wedding is probably the most elegant part of your decorations and will really bring the whole theme together with its beauty and tantalizing looks. You need to compliment this stunning cake with wonderful accessories that will impress your guests and also serve a function at this vital part of your ceremony. The wedding cake has so much symbolism around it because the celebration culminates around the first slice that is cut out of it and the good luck that surrounds the whole mood of the process. Since you and your spouse will be cutting the cake, you will want to have some very stunning yet useful utensils to cut the cake with and, at the same time, add some flair and personal style to your ceremony and this tradition of cutting the cake. Here are a few examples of some great products you can have at your own wedding.

Reflective Heart Serving Set:

This set truly reflects the love between you and your spouse with its mirror like surface that will show your smiling faces and the beauty of your wedding cake when it is laid beside it. The knife is sleek and safe so that you can have a great experience cutting and serving your cake (both for yourselves and your guests). The serving utensil is in the classic shape of a heart to symbolize the love that you feel and the eternal bond that you have entered into.

Winter Wonder Cake Serving Set:

This set has a knife and server that are decked out in full winter décor to match your winter theme or any other theme you think that they might fit into. The knife and server are both made of silver and have white handles. They each also have pale blue ribbons with shimmering snowflakes attached to add a touch of style and personality. These would look great next to a white cake in between two ice sculptures. You can even get creative by sprinkling snow-like substances such as shaved ice or confectionary sugar. This set provides so many opportunities for you to make your wedding truly reflect your personality.

Flower of Love Serving Set:

Colored in deep red hues contrasted against silver surfaces and elegant crystal handles, this set will undoubtedly light up your wedding while they reflect light from your elegant reception hall. The red flowers represent both love and eternity which are the two things that you want to convey most of all to your guests so that they, and you, will remember these two important things forever in your life together.

Cheap Wedding Cakes

There's no getting around the wedding cake. Unlike other things for wedding, those of which you can just get rid of entirely, the cake is something you have to deal with. Fortunately, there are indeed ways to get cheap wedding cakes and save big money. To find out how, just keep reading.

5 Tips to Get Cheap Wedding Cakes...

1.) See if any local bakeries are offering specials or discounts for inexpensive cake. If so, see what options are available and whether or not they can give you a good deal.

2.) Rather than dealing with a private bakery or specialty cake stores, try searching for at-home specialty bakers. Such a person will be able to make you a beautiful wedding cake for less than HALF of what a private bakery would charge you.

3.) If you've chosen to get your cake from a private bakery or pastry chef, consider sacrificing a few of the cake's fancy designs & decorations for a cheaper per slice price. Remember, "simple & elegant" is just as good as "fancy & expensive".

4.) Go with a cheaper wedding cake icing rather than one of the more expensive ones. Instead of marzipan or fondant icing, go with the cheaper, yet still very tasty, butter cream icing.

5.) If you have a friend that has a talent for baking, ask him/her if they could bake the wedding cake as a gift to you and your husband (or wife). If they can, well, you've just saved hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, of dollars!

Quick Note: When it comes to finding cheap wedding cakes, be sure to always get a sample of the baker's work. It's great if the wedding cake is cheap, but that won't really matter if the cake tastes like dung.

Wedding Cakes With Fountains

Every engaged couple wants their wedding day to be as memorable as they can possibly make it, and will put their utmost effort into planning it down to the smallest detail. The bridal and bridesmaid's gowns, the grooms and groomsmen's tuxedos, the flowers and cake and reception meal, the rings and the honeymoon arrangements are all the subject of great debate and anxiety, and even the most financially conservative couples are often willing to splurge on their weddings.

One uncommon way of adding a distinctive touch to a wedding is by selecting a wedding cake with fountains, which will add that longed-for touch of unforgettable drama to the happy day's proceedings.

Where To Find Fountains Wedding Cakes

Myra Jean's Cake Shop in Crawfordsville, Florida, is famous for its wedding cakes with fountains, which can turn a wedding reception from special to extraordinary. By paying a visit to the shop's website at www.myrajeanscakes.com you will get an idea of the marvelous flavors and designs available in their wedding cakes, and see for yourself how wedding cakes with fountains are different from traditional wedding cakes, and how you could incorporate a wedding cake with fountains into your wedding's theme. If you'd prefer to talk to Myra Jean's in person, you can call them at 1-850-926-7079 with your questions or to place orders for one of their wedding cakes with fountains.

Wedding cakes with fountains are constructed so that the fountains are beneath the cake, where its waters are clearly seen and when lighting is applied to them, become even more dramatic. Most wedding cakes with fountains have flowers around the bases of the fountains, enhancing their size.

Create You Own

Once you have see what Myra Jean's has to offer, you can try to find a bakery in your vicinity which offers wedding cakes with fountains. If you can't find one, you always have the option of designing your own. You can order your wedding caked from a local bakery, and then go to a wedding accessories store and by the cake stand and fountain.

You can even find wedding cake fountains online, and you may even start a trend so that wedding cakes with fountains become traditional in your family and circle of friends!

Having a wedding cake with a fountain is one way to add an unforgettable touch of glamor to your wedding day, with the melodic sound of gently running water and the brilliance of its reflected lights!

Wedding Cake's Designs

To be completely honest, you don't have to know anything about your wedding cakes designs before you call up and order the cake. However, if saving both time and money is a goal of yours, you should definitely put a bit of thought into the wedding cake's designs before going straight to the baker or pastry chef.

Some Important Things to Consider Before You Order...

Size & Amount: Wedding cake is usually tallied at a per slice rate. This means the more people you have at your wedding, the larger and larger the bill is going to get. If you can, try to keep the guest list under control so the price of the wedding cake doesn't get too extreme. If the guest list is already set, well, then you'll just have to make a few sacrifices with the "appearance" of the cake rather than the "amount".

Cake Decorations: As you've probably guessed, there has to be some sort of decorations -- it's a wedding cake after all. Luckily, decorations for the cake aren't all that expensive and they can be added on without skyrocketing the cost. All you have to do is pick what you want and you'll be good to go. It's not uncommon for the bride and groom to buy & use their own cake decorations.

Design Concept: If you want your wedding cakes designs to be perfect and professional, it's probably a good idea to look at picture galleries and cake design magazines to spark your imagination. Some people prefer to use wedding cake design software (very inexpensive) to ensure they get EXACTLY what they want.

Icing: The icing for wedding cake is an important decision, believe it or not. Choosing the wrong icing could result in a very poor tasting cake with bleeding colors, while choosing the right icing will mean a delicious cake with impeccable designs & decorations. Your choice for icing will likely be one of the following; butter cream, royal icing, fondant, and/or marzipan.

Your wedding cake's designs can be simple, elegant, and inexpensive OR they can be as fancy, as intricate, and as over-the-top as you can imagine. The decision is completely up to you and the size of your budget.