Sweet Union

As couples get more adventurous in the way they celebrate their nuptials and make it memorable for themselves and their guests, the wedding cake has become increasingly integral to the wedding reception. No longer content with fake tiers or standard issue affairs, the happy Mister and Missus are now planning their wedding cake with as much thought and detail as the other aspects of their wedding.

Here are five tips for every soon-to-be-married pair when shopping for their wedding cake.

1. Maximise Your Investment

Given that the wedding cake is likely to take up a significant amount of the wedding budget, it would not be a bad idea to make it the focal point of the reception or dinner. This will give the cake greater “airtime” instead of relegating it to its one-minute of fame when it is wheeled out to be cut and consumed.

Work it into the décor of the room or match it to the theme of the wedding, but most importantly, give it a central place so that it becomes your centrepiece and, hopefully, a talking point.

2. The Look of Love

How your wedding cake should look is the next thing you have to consider. You could draw inspiration for the design from the theme and colour of the location of the wedding or patterns on the bride’s gown, bouquet or jewellery. Awfully Chocolate uses fresh flowers to adorn their wedding cakes so couples can opt for the bridal flowers to be used on the cake.

Traditionally, wedding cakes are white or cream coloured. But other colours are perfectly acceptable as well. Local chocolate cake specialist, Awfully Chocolate, for example, offers wedding cakes in all their rich brown glory.

If you cannot decide, there is always the option of having a different pattern etched on each tier. Swissôtel The Stamford does it perfectly, working in a uniformed look by using the same colour throughout the cake and the same kind of decorations strategically placed.

Most wedding cakes are round because the shape is symbolic of wholeness and completion. These days, though, they can come in any shape you want. The non-conventionalists can opt for oval or hexagon-shaped cakes. Square cakes are popular and perfect for the contemporary-style wedding.

Those seeking a tongue-in-cheek take on tradition can opt for a different shape in each tier or even asymmetrically-staked tiers.

Adventurous couples can incorporate items that are meaningful to them in the decoration. They can even opt for novelty-shaped cakes. Artisan patisserie, Canelé, for example, does customised cakes for all occasions.

3. Go Through the Taste Test

As important as the look is, how the cake tastes should rank high in priority as well. In the past, wedding cakes tend to be dense fruit cakes with marzipan icing. These days, they can be anything your bakery of choice has to offer. What needs to be considered are: type of cake, flavour, filling and icing.

Cake types abound. The more common ones variations of the butter cake which includes the pound cake, white cake, yellow cake, fruit cake and coffee cake. There are also the chiffon and sponge cakes which are softer cakes. Some confectionaries even offer gateaux which is a French sponge cake often made with ground almonds.

For the finish, there is royal icing, fondant, buttercream, whipped cream, meringue, ganache (a rich chocolate icing), and cream cheese.

If the possible combinations seem astounding and a little confusing, Swissôtel The Stamford’s advice is to go for something light because it is likely to satisfy most people. Their Vanilla Sponge with Lemon Bavarian and Fresh Raspberry Cake fits the bill to a tee with its zesty lemon flavour.

Chocolate connoisseurs will welcome Awfully Chocolate’s devotion to all-things chocolate. Their cakes are so soft, they send their own crew to the wedding to slice and serve the cakes because they require masterful handling. The wedding cakes, like all their cakes, come in three flavours: All Chocolate, Chocolate Banana and Chocolate Rum & Cherry and are double creamed to suit the colour and theme of the wedding.

Canelé offers French-style confectionaries that run into the exotic. Their fruit-filled cakes make for refreshing choices for a tropical wedding. Try Fruit de la Passion (Passion Fruit Cake), Le Fraise (Strawberry Shortcake), Le Cerise (Black Forest Cake), or Le Pomme Verte (Green Apple Cake). For richer variations, they offer Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, Le Noisette (Roasted Hazelnut Cake), and Le Chocolat Croustillant (Crispy Chocolate Cake).

If there are too many choices to make, a different flavour for each tier is possible. Simply make sure the bottom tier, which is the largest, is in a flavour most of the guests will enjoy.

4. Get Creative

The wedding cake need not necessarily be a cake. Cupcakes stacked in tiers are an option as is the macaroon tree. Canelé’s macaroons come in an assortment of flavours including chocolate, cookies and cream, rose, salted caramel, and hazelnut, and an array of colours which will certainly add pizzazz to the matrimonial soiree. A bonus is that different flavours can go into the macaroon tree, providing a buffet for the palate.

Another option is croquembouche, a French cream puff, which can be found at Canelé. The puffs are stacked into a pyramid and doused with sticky toffee, making for delightful bite-sized desserts that have a wonderful crunch on the outside and are creamy on the inside.

5. Be Practical

Bakeries require quite a bit of advance notice when it comes to wedding cakes. Six to nine months is not uncommon. So, shop early to avoid disappointment.

Another consideration is also the price. Wedding cakes are priced by size which is calculated based on the guest list, estimating one slice per guest. Cupcake tiers, macaroon trees and croquembouches do not come in large sizes so if selecting any of these for a large wedding party, more than one of each might be required.

Shopping for the wedding cake is something that would probably appeal both to the groom-to-be and the future blushing bride. After all, what’s not to like about tasting slice after slice of yummy desserts? With these hints, the experience should be the start of a sweet, sweet union.

Awfully Chocolate
2 Orchard Turn
ION Orchard
#B4-50
Singapore 238801
Tel: 65 6884 6377
www.awfullychocolate.com

Awfully Chocolate
252 North Bridge Road
Raffles City
#B1-52
Singapore 179103
Tel: 65 6338 3527
www.awfullychocolate.com

Swissôtel The Stamford
2 Stamford Rd, 178882
Tel: 65 6338 8585
www.swissotel.com

Canelé
68 Orchard Road
Plaza Singapura
#01-55
Singapore 238839
Tel: 65 6837 2252
www.canele.com.sg

Canelé
252 North Bridge Road
Raffles City
#B1-46/47
Singapore 179103
Tel: 65 6334 7377
www.canele.com.sg