Let Them Eat Cake
Today's Wedding Cakes are Delicious and Dazzling

By Lisa Simundson

How times have changed. In ancient Rome, it was a common practice to drop the wedding cake on the bride's head. In 1859, when Queen Victoria's daughter got married, only the first layer of the cake was real; the rest of the tiers were pure sugar.

And just a few short years ago, when a bride picked out her wedding cake, her choices included a white three-tiered round cake, an off-white three-tiered round cake or an ivory three-tiered round cake.

Today, the sky's the limit (and some cakes seem to go that high) when it comes to what goes in — and what goes on — a wedding cake, and there are no boundaries on how creative a baker can get in executing a couple's vision in flour, sugar and frosting.

"The traditional cake has pretty much been thrown out the window," declares Elena Warens, co-owner of A Piece of Cake by Elena in Miami. "In our case, if a bride asks us what we offer, we basically tell them, whatever you like."

Edda Martinez, president of Cake Designs by Edda, with locations in Doral, Coral Gables and South Miami, has seen a similar move away from the traditional wedding cake.

"We hear from brides who want their cakes to match their linens, their dresses, the flowers or the theme of their wedding," she says. "For instance, one bride used linens that were very colorful, with sheer overlays in turquoise, lime green and violet, all with threads of gold. And the cake had all those colors, too, with a gold ribbon. The brides give me a lot of ideas," she adds. "The individuality of the person is reflected in the cake; everyone wants their cake to be different."

Another way today's cakes are different is in their shapes: round is out, geometric is in.

"Squares are very, very in style right now...and staggered a little, off center," says Ana Paz, owner and president of Ana Paz Cakes in Coral Gables and Doral. "The traditional round cake is not requested as much anymore, or if they do round, it's round-square-round-square."

In addition to such non-traditional shapes as squares and hexagons, today's cakes might not even resemble cakes at all, but perhaps a pile of wrapped gifts, an ornate castle, a towering tree, or even a stack of luggage, which is one of A Piece of Cake's most popular designs.

"The industry has definitely changed," says Warens. "A lot of brides are getting funky."

Fondant vs. butter cream
One reason for the explosion in creative wedding cake designs has been the emergence of fondant icing, a thick, creamy sugar mass that is often rolled out and draped over a cake, leaving a satiny smooth, almost porcelain surface that makes a solid base for decorations. Usually, because fondant alone doesn't have much of a taste, there is a layer of butter cream frosting or marzipan directly underneath.

Fondant can also be poured as a glaze, and is easily sculpted into a variety of shapes, including ribbons, bows, ruffles, lace and flowers.

There's nothing new about fondant; it's been common throughout Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand for decades, but has only really caught on in the United States over the past 10 to 15 years.

"You can do so many things with it, and it leaves a perfect finish," says Ana Paz. "But at the same time, people might not have it in their budgets."

Indeed, fondant can be a bit pricier. At Ana Paz Cakes, for example, a fully finished butter cream cake with sugar flowers starts at $1.75 per slice, while fondant starts at $3.75 per slice fully finished, or $3 per slice with fresh flowers on top.

But don't worry if you have fondant taste and a buttercream budget; in fact, once you visit your cake designer and begin going through the options, you might conclude that most buttercreams rival the fondants in creativity and presentation.

While fondant creates something of a firm shell over the cake, buttercream is smooth and creamy and easy to cut through, and because of its texture and sweet taste, it can be colored or flavored and used for piping, swags and other borders, as well as decorative flowers and rosettes. Buttercream frosting will also support a variety of decorative elements, including beading, bows and flowers.

There's only one caveat to keep in mind for both buttercream and fondant — South Florida's summer heat and humidity, which can cause the buttercream to wilt and the fondant to shine. If you do plan an outdoor summer wedding, it might be best to keep your cake refrigerated or indoors until you're ready for it.

Flavor and filling
Once you decide on your cake's appearance, it's time to think about the flavor. And here, as with the exterior design, the choices are endless, from chocolate, coconut and mocha to lemon chiffon, spice cake and even tiramisu. Make your cake even richer with a sweet filling like cream cheese, hazelnut, amaretto mousse, or some South Florida favorites like guava and dulce de leche.

"The most popular cake we do is a marble cake with Godiva chocolate liqueur; it's a grand slam every time," says Warens. "For those who want something a little fruity, we have a lemon raspberry cake with Raspberry Chambord liqueur poured on top of it."

Some cake designers caution against going too crazy with flavors and fillings, though. "You want people to eat the cake," Paz points out. "If there's some strange flavor you love, you can have it at your shower or your anniversary, but for the big event it should be a flavor that almost everyone will enjoy."

Martinez also has a special admonition about that most favored of flavors — chocolate. "Even though there are a lot of chocoholics out there, and we make a lot of chocolate wedding cakes, some people are allergic," she explains. "And when you cut a chocolate cake...it could get on your dress. It also gets into your teeth," she adds, "which isn't good when you take a picture."

Keeping that in mind, it might be wise to have a small mirror handy for a quick check after indulging in your chocolate creation.

Topping it off
You still see them every once in a while, but the small, plastic bride and groom figures that used to stand on top of every wedding cake have fallen by the wayside, replaced by fresh and sugar flower bouquets, ribbons and bows, and items that go along with a wedding theme, like a big conch shell for a beach-themed wedding.

One of the newer ideas in cake toppers is the monogram — a single initial or a combination of the bride and groom's initials — that might be crafted of gleaming stainless steel or bejeweled with colored crystals. Many bakers, including Cake Designs by Edda, work the monogram design into the cake itself.

And don't forget...
Even though it may be the sweetest part of your wedding agenda, choosing the right cake still takes some time and consideration. By all means, go with a reputable baker that has good references and a big portfolio. Visit well in advance and do some taste testing, then make sure you get everything in writing, especially when it comes to pricing and the date and time of delivery. As Warens points out, "instead of fading, cakes have become the highlight of the wedding." So make sure they're sweet and delicious in every way.