Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Funny Wedding Cake Toppers

You've done it! You're married and it's time to let your hair down and for you, your family and friends to really enjoy your special moment at the reception. As your guests come into the reception room one of the first things that they will see will be your fabulous wedding cake and what better way can there be to kick things off than to have one of the numerous funny wedding cake toppers available to raise a laugh and get your guests talking.

For many years the traditional wedding cake has been a round three tiered white cake decorated with white or pastel colored flowers and often topped with a model representing the bride and groom, or perhaps with a pair of doves or horseshoes. But things are changing.

Nowadays it's perfectly acceptable to depart from the customary wedding cake and to choose just about anything you like, so let your imagination go and create the cake that you want – after all it is your special day.

If you fancy a chocolate cake then why not have a chocolate cake? Similarly if your real passion is a pecan cake then that's fine too. The only thing you really have to remember is that you will be serving your cake to your guests and so you will need to be keep it to something that everybody is going to like and need to aware of some of the more common dietary problems that we see today. A pecan cake, for example, might not be quite such a good idea bearing in mind the number of people who suffer from nut allergies these days!

How about a triangular cake, a square cake or even an octagonal cake? Wedding cakes nowadays do not have to be round and they don't have to have three tiers either so you can pick any shape that takes your fancy. You should remember though that the cake will be a focal point of the reception and you will almost certainly want to retain the tradition of cutting the cake in front of your guests, so giving the cake some height so that it can be seen easily from all corners of the reception room is a good idea.

And what about color? Here again you can let your imagination run riot and choose just about any color under the rainbow. Granted a black cake is probably not going to look too attractive, but stunning effects can be produced in a wide range of colors. I've even seen one magnificent cake in purple which is a color that I would never have thought of for a cake!

Whatever you choose by way of flavor, color and shape for your cake one central feature of the cake will be its decoration and, in particular, the decoration on the top of the cake on which all eyes will focus.

Nowadays a whole industry has grown up producing nothing but wedding cake toppers and they come in all shapes and sizes and range from cheap plastic models to quite exquisite works of art often created in crystal or using semi-precious and precious stones. Toppers can also be purchased, or made, to fit with any theme you can imagine and one great idea is to look at your own personality and lifestyle and then to depict yourselves in a hilarious pose. Funny wedding cake toppers will certainly get your guests talking and can easily be chosen to make your cake not simply a work of art but a very personal statement.

Wedding Cakes - Traditional or Trendy

You probably know that choosing your wedding cake is a pretty important decision. After all you want to make sure that it both tastes great and that it looks great sitting on your wedding reception table as well. While some brides may want a traditional style wedding cake, other brides tend to go with a cake that is trendy or even zany, depending on their personality. Today there are a great deal more wedding cake choices for you to choose from, so whether you are a trendy bride or one that loves tradition, you are sure to find a cake that will suite your needs and your personality.

Traditional Wedding Cakes

If you are a lover of tradition and you want a wedding cake that looks traditional, there are a variety of options. You can choose a traditional looking cake that has new flavors that will spice up the traditional cake. New flavors in cakes include carrot cake, amaretto, orange, and even spice cake. A cake can look traditional for your wedding reception, but you can give it a great twist with your choice of cake flavor and your icing choice as well. Combine cake flavors, fillings, and icings to have a cake that tastes wonderful while complimenting your traditional wedding ceremony.

Trendy Wedding Cakes

For the trendy bride who enjoys doing things a bit different than everyone else, there are a variety of great new trends in wedding cakes. If you are having a more informal wedding and you want a cake that will be more informal as well, you may want to consider having cupcakes that are stacked in tiers like a wedding cake. These are easy to serve and easy to eat and are becoming a new trend with many brides and grooms.

Choosing other types of cake rather than traditional cakes is very popular as well. Some brides are going with cakes covered in fruit, cheesecakes, or even ice cream cakes. This allows you to personalize your wedding cake to fit your specific personality and wedding. No doubt your trendy cake will get many compliments and raves from your guests as well.

Finally, whether you are having a traditional wedding ceremony and reception or trendy nuptials, there are great new wedding cakes that you can choose from. There is something for every bride and groom, from the traditional to the zany, and they all are beautiful and tasty.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Choose A Delicious Autumn Wedding Cake

While there are many important things to consider when planning a wedding, finding the perfect Autumn Wedding Cake is one of the most important parts of any wedding.

The wedding cake is of course the centerpiece of the wedding reception, and it is important that the cake you choose look as good as it tastes.

Review Photos Of The Baker Past Work

It is important, therefore, to use plenty of care and caution before deciding which baker you will hire to produce the perfect autumn wedding cake.

It is important, of course, that the baker produce a high quality cake, but it is just as important that the decoration of the cake be of the highest quality.

It is important therefore to look at several different examples of the person’s work, and to review a number of photographs of the autumn wedding cakes they have produced in the past.

Check The References

That part should be easy, since any quality producer of wedding cakes should be proud to show you examples of the wedding cakes they have produced for other weddings.

Those successful wedding photographers should also be happy to provide references from past customers. It is a good idea to follow up with those references to ensure that the baker you are considering is capable of producing the fine quality autumn wedding cake you expect.

Order Early To Ensure That Everything Is Complete In A Time Manner

After you have found the highest quality wedding cake maker in town it is important to review the various choices of flavors, fillings and decorations and to order that cake as early as possible.

Ordering early will help to ensure that the cake of your dreams will be ready in time for the big event, and it will also help ensure that you have your choice of flavors and fillings.

These days there are many choices when it comes to wedding cakes, including various flavors of icing, unique fillings and unusual flavors. It is important of course to carefully taste test each of these choices, but that should be the fun part of planning that great wedding.

Monday, October 5, 2009

How to Make Your Own Wedding Cake

Making your own wedding cake can be a great way to cut down on the overall budget of a wedding. It will take time and effort, but a well-intentioned aunt or cousin might love to take on the challenge for you.

Choosing the cake

Just like when you have a professional make your cake for you, enlisting some relative help also needs a plan. You can go to many books of weddings cakes for more intricate guidelines or just look at pictures in magazines. Try to find something simple, but also something that you think would be perfect for your wedding’s theme.

When you think that you’re found what you like, try to determine how many tiers it has and what decorations you want to add. With these things in mind, you can begin to plan out the building of your wedding cake.

Making plans

Looking at the picture of the cake that you’d like, try to break it down in your mind. Figure out the number of tiers it has (perhaps you need more or less) so that you can determine how many baking pans you will need. After that, you will want to see how many tubes of icing or jars of frosting you will need to complete the decorations. A lot of the time, you may find that ordering a traditional cake is the same expense.

If you’re determined to make your cake, the best suggestion is to make a trial one. Even if it’s just one layer, you want to try out your plan to see if the one that you have chosen can be recreated.

Bake a layer of the cake (any old cake mix will do, but you may want to go with the name brands for your wedding) and set it aside to cool. You want to make sure that the cake is completely cooled before putting any icing on it because warm cake will cause the icing to melt.

Apply the icing with a pastry spatula like you might apply spackle on a wall. Take your time to smooth out all the areas. Pretend like this is the real cake and see what it looks like. If you’re impressed (and of course, after you’re tasted it), then go ahead and get the ingredients to make an entire cake.

Your wedding cake will be best if you make it the day before so that everything has time to settle and no one has to rush around to bake on the day of. Set aside a special room or area so that it will remained untouched and out of the way. You may even want someone to transport it to its final location first thing in the morning to avoid any rushing about.

Fall Wedding Cake Recipe and Decoration Ideas

The grand decoration, the scrumptious wedding feast, designer bridal gown, gold printed invitation letters - you have planned for them all.

But aren’t you forgetting something crucial?

Yes! The wedding cake-the most delicious aspect of any wedding planning - adds extra zing to your wedding celebration and gives the invitees the sweet luxury to indulge in.

Here are a few ideas to make your fall wedding cake a hit with the guests with its unique fall feel and special fall taste.

When you are having a fall wedding, your wedding cake should also be based on a seasonal theme and rightly reflect the essence of the season both in taste and in its appearance.

While serving any type of cake in the fall wedding is at least grammatically correct-to keep with the true spirit of the season, serve your guests a delicious alternative to a traditional cake -a spiced cake or a spiced chocolate cake.

Here is the recipe for a spiced cake that you can get custom made by a renowned baker or someone reputed for baking skills.

In a spiced cake, the magic is done by your choice of spices - use 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for 2 cups all-purpose flour. Also use 1 cup of molasses.

Then there are the routine ingredients of traditional cakes such as sugar (1 cup), butter (I cup and softened), eggs (3), baking powder (2 tea spoons), and salt (1/2 tea spoon).

Follow the usual steps of cake making:

  • Mix butter with sugar and beat them with electric mixer until they form a light and fluffy mixture.
  • Add eggs, one by one into the mixture and keep on beating.
  • Now blend in the molasses.
  • Take a separate bowl and mix flour, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in it.
  • Add this mixture to creamed batter, beating at low speed all the while.
  • Don’t forget to add baking soda to the batter.
  • Now grease a baking pan and pour the batter into it; bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

If you want to come out with an even more stunning fall wedding cake, try a spiced chocolate cake.

You can use the same ingredients and follow the same steps as the spiced cake; only you will need some additional ingredients such as 1 and ½ cups of sour milk and at least an ounce of semi sweet chocolate.

Before adding the baking soda in the batter, dissolve it into sour milk and grate the chocolates before adding them to the batter.

Bring the fall feel with right cake accessories

  • Not the taste alone-the look and feel is also important to bring the seasonal touch. For that, use the decorating accessories only in the vibrant fall colors like flaming orange, golden, copper brown or burgundy.
  • Create the replicated fall leaves and pinecones out of sugar.
  • At the base of the cake, scatter pumpkin and squash pieces. Also sprinkle marzipan fruits and macadamia nuts for a more obvious fall flavor.

So now you have your spiced up, specially decorated fall wedding cake - share it with your friends and loved ones and take your share of the bites while hoping for a long, sweet, and spicy married life.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Unique Wedding Cake Toppers For A Unique Wedding Cake

While many couples today will choose a traditional wedding, often following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, a growing number of couples are electing to depart from tradition and frequently adopting less formal and more "fun" weddings.

Whichever route you choose however one thing that you are sure to want is at least something in your wedding that sets it apart and that will make it truly memorable for your guests. In many cases you'll find that this is not an easy thing to accomplish in terms of the civil or religious ceremony itself, but your wedding reception and, in particular your wedding cake, will provide the perfect vehicle.

Many couples are already moving away from the traditional white wedding cake and opting for cakes of various flavors, colors and shapes although, in most cases, cakes continue to be tiered to provide the height that is really essential if the cake is to command the centre of attention as far as the reception decorations are concerned. But why have just one cake?

How about individual miniature cakes which will not only impress your guests in terms of the imagination and work that went into making them, but will also make them feel that extra bit special at the thought that you had a cake specially made for them. This option has the added virtue of allowing you to offer a range of different flavors if you wish to provide for the variety of tastes amongst your guests and miniature cakes can still be arranged on stands into a tier to emulate the classical tiered wedding cake.

If you're feeling really bold, how about dispensing with cake altogether. We're all familiar with the elaborate displays that we see in the stores, especially around the holidays, with towers of chocolate chips cookies or gingerbread men and, while gingerbread men might not be quite appropriate, with a little imagination it's not too hard to think of a variety of sweet treats that would make a stunning display at your wedding.

And why stop there? Once you've created your spire of eye catching desserts why not mix in other sweets or even fruit and provide your guests with a variety of dipping bowls alongside the display so that they can coat their chosen sweet of piece of fruit in bitter dark, smooth milk or even white chocolate for that perfect after dinner treat.

These ideas in themselves can provide you with a memorable and quite unique "wedding cake" but, for that final touch how about a unique wedding cake topper?

Toppers come in all shapes and sized these days and are not only designed to crown your cake but also to give you the opportunity to make a very personal statement and to provide a talking point for your guests. There is a huge range of wedding cake toppers available today in just about every price range, from mass produced plastic toppers to exquisite and unique wedding cake toppers that can be hand crafted from a range of materials including crystal and semi-precious stones. What better way can there be to express your love for each other and to display that love to your assembled guests than by symbolizing that love in a unique wedding cake topper.

New Trends in Wedding Cakes

Gone are the days of plain-vanilla cakes with butter cream frosting and red roses. While there is

nothing wrong with a simple, more old fashioned cake, the trends are getting a bit more zany
with many new flavors, styles, and choices in wedding cakes. If you are a modern bride and
having a modern wedding, you may want to consider some of the new trends that are becoming
popular in wedding cakes. Let tradition go to the winds and pick a cake that suits you and your
groom, and the mood of your special day.

New Trend

One new trend that is happening for wedding cakes is leaving the traditional cake altogether and
choosing cupcakes instead. This allows you to have different kinds of cake and different kinds of
frosting and is much less messy than cutting the traditional cake. Many brides have also found
that cupcakes were much more budget friendly as well. If you still have a bit of kid left in you
and you are having a casual wedding, you may want to consider serving cupcakes at your
wedding.

Instead of the sweet and fattening icings, many brides are now turning to wedding cakes that
have toppings that are much healthier. Brides are beginning to favor cakes that are topped in
various fruits, depending on the season and the style of the wedding. A beach wedding may lead
to a cake topped with tropical fruits, or a spring wedding may lend itself to a cake topped with
luscious strawberries. Not only is fruit much healthier, but it is great tasting and a decoration all
its own on your cake.

Cheesecake with Toppings

Another new trend that is quickly picking up speed is having cheesecake instead of traditional
wedding cakes. While this choice can get a bit expensive, this is an elegant cake to serve at your
wedding. Cheesecake is great to serve at those evening weddings that are classy and elegant. If
you are having a wedding that requires black tie, but you are not wanting to settle for a regular
wedding cake, you may want to consider having cheesecake. There are many flavors and
toppings that you can choose, as well, when you decide on cheesecake, so be original.

If you want to stick with a more traditional wedding cake but you want it to look trendy and
chic, you may want to consider having a less traditional shape. Wedding cakes can be made in
different shapes including hearts, shaped like suitcases, stacked shapes, or even shaped to look
like presents. Having a different shape can give your wedding cake a unique look and help to
coordinate your cake with the theme of your wedding.

Remember that you want your wedding cake to be unique as you are and you want it to stand out.
There is no need to stick with tradition when it comes to wedding cakes. Throw tradition to the
wind and pick a cake that will make you happy and have guests raving for months.