In an age where cake decoration is considered high art, it is easy to figure out why wedding cakes have been given the kind of prominence they receive. Given that these days weddings are super complex events and couples spare no expense in ensuring it is the talk of the town, cake decorators have their hands full to create something special.
According to Joonie Tan, Executive Pastry Artist at Lavonne, “This season we are going back to the basics. It is all about simplicity, elegance, and the concept of ‘less is more’. A fan of minimalism myself, my favourite wedding cake to work on would be the white drip effect on white, and of course with lots of flowers.”
“Cakes featuring either geometric patterns, the marble look, succulents, geodes, or gold drips will be popular this year,” says Maaria Tanveer, owner of Café Adoniya in Chennai.
With some brides opting for non-white trousseaus, it should come as no surprise that black wedding cakes are perfectly acceptable. “With metallic accents like the drip/marble effect, black cakes can look rather eye-catching. Colour blocking is another interesting trend catching up. With most couples opting for two or three shades as their wedding colours, cake decorators are also incorporating wedding colours into the appearance of the cake using this technique,” says Smriti Kumar, a wedding planner. Naked cakes have been around for a while now and with summer approaching, it will be interesting to see a different take on this trend. Half-naked cakes are bound to be a favourite this year. If you don’t like your cake fully iced or fully bare, this can work as a good alternative. Hand painted and water-colour cakes remain favourites this year too. Metallic wedding cakes have been making an appearance. And while gold and silver used to be the only options, it looks like copper and rose gold are having their time in the sun.
Annette Soans, a wedding decorator, says, “I attended two weddings in the U.S. in December, and I saw that having multiple wedding cakes is actually a thing. If the client’s guest list is short, budget is high, and he/she is particular that flavours be coordinated and planned according to the guests’ preferences, this trend might just become more popular than it already is.”
Going all out to make a statement with one’s wedding cake is not new. While Maaria recently crafted a three-foot cake that resembled the bride’s gown, Joonie narrates, “I made the biggest wedding cake for one of my staff’s wedding a few months ago. It was an 11-tiered wedding cake (representing the number of years of their courtship) with vanilla and raspberry flavours. The theme was red and gold to match the rest of the décor and it took my team of chefs and me approximately one week just to work on the sugar flowers and other decorations.”
“I’ve been rather fascinated by pictures of textured cakes I’ve seen online. I’m getting married next month so I’ve chosen a classic white tiered cake but with toasted meringue to give it a different texture. It is also going to feature a 3D wedding cake topper,” says Nayanthara Rajeev, a dance instructor.
While white remains a classic, the colour palette for this year’s wedding cakes is expected to be rather interesting. Maaria feels we will be seeing “mostly mellow and muted shades with a bright statement piece, and Joonie thinks, “Couples will also be opting for very non-traditional colours like grey and teal.”
In terms of flavour profiles, Tanushka Sagar, a home baker says, “Red velvet, chocolate, and funfetti still have takers, however, I think couples are willing to experiment more when it comes to the flavour of their cake. For winter weddings, spiced ginger, coffee and cream, and caramel-apple, would be great flavours to try out. And when summer sets in, we will be tasting lemony hints in wedding cakes. For a tropical/destination wedding, flavours like coconut or guava, might also make an appearance.”
With a plethora of options to pick from, zeroing in on the perfect wedding cake might seem daunting but given the expertise and finesse today’s cake decorators display through their edible works of art, finding your pièce de résistance is, in fact, possible!
