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Wedding Cake Trends – The Cake Ball …Orgasmic

Okay, so maybe orgasmic is a bit extreme. But according to Kay, our StrictlyWeddings.com head guru, they are.

Ever since she had them a few weeks ago, she’s talked of nothing else. The Cake Ball Company, owned by Robin Ankeny, is a Dallas-based company. Like all great treats, it started out of her kitchen in Dallas and one thing led to another (including Neiman’s discovering them) and “bingo” they’re a great hit. The reason they’ve stayed a hit is all in the product itself. Your first bite is something to savor. Kay’s on a mission that everyone needs to try them (I’m almost afraid to …if she’s gaga, then me and my sweet tooth would be over the top!). They ship them all over the country and you can order online.

One of the flavors she tried – the Wedding Cake – is (she says) the most yummy (but we think she’s just fond of the name).

So instead of cupcakes, try cake balls at your wedding reception or bridal showers. It’s no surprise that they are getting so much attention all over the country.

Kay promises you, CakeBalls are delicious and they have a consistency that you will never forget, and with each bite, you are hoping it will last forever!

Hot Ideas for Wedding Cakes in 2010

Tall Wedding Cakes
2010 brings with itself the trend of towering wedding cakes. While last year the cakes for wedding usually consisted of maximum one to three layers, this year it has increased to five to seven tiers. If your budget doesn’t allow you a treat of seven layers, you could go for fake layers.

Fondant Over Butter Cream Cakes

Whether you want to go for fondant cakes or butter cream cakes depends on your preference and budget. However, many of 2010 bride and grooms are opting for butter creams, mainly because it is cost effective. In addition, butter cream is preferred by many, because it is tastier. Fondant was mainly used in the cake frostings as it can give the cake a very beautiful look as opposed to butter cream, which tends to melt fast and doesn’t give the desired smoothness to the cake.

“TipsyCake’s fondant, which is imported from Switzerland, has a neutral flavor, as opposed to the sickly-sweet traditional variation,” said Naomi Levine, Chef/Owner of TipsyCake Chicago. “It also provides a superbly smooth finish, which has become quite popular.”

Note: Poured fondant is a cream confection used as a filling or coating for cakes, pastries, and candies or sweets. In its simplest form, it is sugar and water cooked to the soft-ball stage, cooled slightly, and stirred or beaten until it is an opaque mass of creamy consistency. Sometimes lemon is added to the mixture, mainly for taste. Other flavourings are used as well, as are various colourings. The main filling of a Cadbury’s Creme Egg is poured fondant. Source: Wikipedia

Dramatic Color
As seen on the runways, the trend of dramatic colors can be seen in the wedding cakes too. The colors, which were considered a little too theatrical for the cakes until, last year, are now considered in vogue. You will get to see a lot of green, blues, and even orange colored wedding cakes in 2010. However, the customary white and the jewel themed black and white cake will also be in vogue this year.

Sophisticated Monograms
Monograms always give a stylish and a signatory style to the wedding. 2010 brings the trend of monogrammed wedding cakes. It not only gives your wedding a classic look but also ups your own signatory style. Read our post on cake toppers

Match It With Bridesmaid’s Dress
While the last year was all about matching the wedding cake color to the bride’s gown, this year it is all about matching the cake with the bridesmaid and even brides groom dresses.

Fresh Fruit Topped Cakes
This year you may find loads of wedding cakes filled with fresh fruits pieces. Strawberries, black berries, peaches, mangoes and other fruits would be used to embellish the wedding cake.

Fondant Ruffles
Ruffles were all over the runways this year and the trend of cute ruffles could be seen in the wedding cakes too. If you are a 2010 bride and are opting for a ruffled bridal dress, you could go for five or seven tiered cakes adorned with ruffles, laces, and rosettes.

Visit our partners found under Cakes for Chicago – Amy Beck Cake Design, TipsyCake, Take the Cake and Dallas – Frosted Art Bakery, La Duni, Le Gateau Cakery

It’s all about the cake

Well, at least for some of us who have a sweet tooth!

If you are still searching for your bakery, visit the husband and wife team of Jace and Carrie Crockett at Le Gateau Cakery, who have been an integral part of the best weddings in Texas for over 10 years. They have a unique talent of combining sumptuous flavors with expertly crafted classic and contemporary designs to offer the ultimate experience in wedding cake artistry and taste. If you can imagine it, Jace and Carrie can make it a reality. What truly sets them apart is their superior level of service that welcomes you to be a part of the family.

Wedding & Shower Recipes

We couldn’t pass up sharing one of our FAVORITE web sites for getting recipes – MyRecipes.com. This is a great site for the new and experienced cook. The recipes are simple and consistently good.

Just got this in my email today about Wedding & Shower Recipes and thought to let you know. I can’t tell you how many young people I have personally helped learn how to cook. Personally, there’s nothing like a home cooked meal, no matter how simple … your fiancee/husband and eventually children will appreciate that you can cook. Or if you man is the cook in the house, share this with him.

Cake Toppers

Every so often, in our search for “all things bridal” we come across a vendor that we feel you need to know about. One such vendor is Toppers With Glitz. They create a glistening monogram cake topper that is a sophisticated and elegant way to grab your guests attention.  Nothing can compare to the sparkle of Swarovski crystals and the variety of colors you can choose from. They have a variety of font styles (or you can work with the designer on other font types) and in viewing their portfolio, you’ll notice that they are very creative in how they make the topper work with your style cake. We’re all about quality at StrictlyWeddings.com and their work appears to be right on target.  Sari, the owner, is the designer and the one you will work with every step of the way.

Let Them Eat Cake!

Cake connoisseur Sylvia Weinstock shares her secrets to choosing a sensational wedding confection and tells us about her tastiest combinations.

What new wedding cake trend would you like to see more brides doing?

I would love to see more brides incorporating elements from their gown into their cakes. If a bride has personalized embroidery on her gown or veil we can translate it to be piped in icing onto the cake for a beautiful touch…

What process do you take brides through to create their perfect wedding cake?

We like to know their overall taste. We ask them who their favorite clothing designers are to get a feeling for their style. We will want to know where the party is because aren’t not going to want to put a cake that looks like Versailles in a minimalist Japanese-inspired room. Then we will ask about the season of the wedding—maybe lemon curd with fresh raspberry for a summer luncheon and chocolate, mocha and hazelnut for a winter affair. We also will ask about the reception decor for inspiration.

What is the most important thing for a couple to consider when choosing their wedding cake?

They should remember that it not only had to be beautiful to look at, but has to be delicious too.

What are the most popular fillings or cake flavors you are seeing?

Summer brides are looking for something lighter so I am seeing a lot of raspberry, strawberry, key lime, blood orange and mango. In general, sophisticated tastes are also popular now too because a lot of brides are older and have experienced great food so they have a better idea about what they want to serve guests.

How has cake making changed through the years?

I rather hope that it has gotten better. When I started this business 30 years ago cakes were either beautiful but inedible, or delicious and didn’t look like much. Now the combination has improved.

Bonus Question: What’s your favorite type of cake to eat?

I love lemon. My ideal cake would be a yellow butter cake with fresh lemon curd and raspberries, but my husband loves chocolate so if I am making a cake big enough to alternate tiers I try to satisfy us both.

- Cari Wolfert, brides.com

Your Ideal Wedding Cake

When meeting with your cake designer, bring photographs of cakes you love or fabric swatches of your color scheme to help them design the perfect cake for you. Also bring ideas for your groom’s cake. It should be designed to reflect a particular hobby or personality trait of him.

Here are some questions to ask your cake designer:

• Do you specialize in any certain styles or flavors?
• Do you recommend a certain type of cake for an outdoor or seasonal reception?
• Can you create individual cakes to be used as favors?
• Can you create specialized cakes for certain dietary needs?
• Do you offer a tasting?
• How much time do you need to prepare the cake at the reception?
• Do you offer instruction on how to cut the cake?
• Will you supply a proper container in which to freeze the top of the cake?
• Will you charge for any supports or bases on the cake?
• May I return the supports and bases for a refund? When?
• Are the cakes priced by the slice or by the cake? Do you have a price list?
• How far in advance must I book your services?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Is a deposit required? If so, when and how much?

How to Choose a Stunning Wedding Cake

For those who love dessert, there is no greater decision than coming up with the perfect wedding cake! And with designs, styles, and flavors, which range from the traditional to the fanciful, this is no small task. In fact, it is often akin to choosing the right piece of baked art for your special day.

Reserve your designer – the sooner, the better
Whether you go with the local bakery down the street or a more commercialized wedding cake designer, this is a decision that should be made sooner in wedding plans rather than later. Allow for four to six months prior to needing your wedding cake to make sure that the designer you want is available. If you are not familiar with wedding cake designers, you can often see and taste their wares at local bridal fairs. Many wedding reception facilities and caterers will also either offer wedding cake services or can recommend a wedding cake designer to you.

However, there is more to buying a wedding cake than walking into your local bakery. As with anything else in your wedding, style should be considered as well. You can ask for photographs of a wedding cake designer’s latest creations. Talk to previous customers to find out how well they liked the service. And of course, you will want to have a taste or two of your favorites – since that is usually equally important as the look.

Choose a style with great taste
Each wedding cake designer will have his or her own specialties. Before you go in for a consultation, you may want to think about some of the elements that you are looking for in your wedding cake.

Your style
Do you want a traditional white cake, a brightly colored one, or one flowing with real flowers? Consider taking in pictures from weddings, bridal fairs, or magazines of design elements that you like.

Your guests
How many people do you have attending? This will often affect the number of tiers that your cake will need. Some brides will also choose to have multiple cakes – one for pictures and the ceremonial cake cutting, and then large sheet cakes to use to feed the guests.

Your frosting
Traditionally, you have three options in frosting for your cake – butter cream, fondant, and royal icing. Certain styles can only be done in certain types of frosting, and certain frostings go better with certain cake flavors.

Your flavor
Do you want a traditional white cake or are you in love with chocolate? Maybe you want each tier to be a different flavor? Some couples also like cakes to be filled. Make sure that you taste a sample of the different flavors to see which ones you really like.

Your design
Do you want the entire design done in frosting or do you want other accents? You will need to talk to your wedding cake designer about gum paste or edible flowers, edible beading, and other accents.

To top it off
Does your ideal cake include the traditional bride and groom at the top, or do you have another design element in mind? Your wedding cake designer can help you come up with the perfect look – even utilizing crystals in the shape of your initials.

Your price
If you have a wedding budget, you will need to consider the price of the cake, as well as any delivery and set-up fees. Also, different design elements, cake flavors, or frosting styles may cost more.

Other concerns
If someone in your wedding has food allergies, you may inquire about the ingredients in the cake, frosting, and design elements. You can see if any of these are able to be substituted if necessary.

Remember, your wedding cake should be a part of your wedding style and theme. And since it will likely be the last thing your guests will eat before they leave for the night, you want it to taste as good as it looks. Other than that, only your imagination will limit your design options.