Let Them Eat Cake!

One of my favorite moments of a wedding is the cutting of the cake.  Mostly because my sweet tooth loves cake but also because it’s fun to watch the newlyweds attempt to smash (or delicately feed) a piece of scrumptious dessert into each others face. (My friends actually got each other in the eyes) Unfortunately, ornate, towering wedding cakes are time consuming and rather expensive creations.  So, if becoming a pastry chef is not in your immediate future, here’s how you can save:

· Stay  traditional with a tiered cake…but keep it to two tiers.  Have a huge guest list?  Get a sheet cake made too, but keep it hidden from the guests.  Use the tiered cake to cut and have the sheet cake in the kitchen.  When the waiters serve the cake, the guests won’t know the difference!

· Rent a cake!  What?!  Fake cakes are available for rental to cut down on cost of high priced bakeries.  The cake is Styrofoam but covered in fondant or butter cream and fully decorated.  Have a sheet cake in the back on hand, and keep the fake cake away from sticky fingers…no one will know!

· Don’t go crazy with flavors.  Or do, but have other options (like a Viennese hour) available for guests so the cake doesn’t disappear.  Although you really cant go wrong with vanilla and butter cream.  Simplicity will keep your costs down.

· Go for simple cake decorations.  Simple can still be elegant and chic.

Photos courtesy of Ron Ben Israel cakes

Cake Tips from Expert Megan Fitzroy

Megan Fitzroy, Executive Pastry Chef and Owner of Fitzroy Specialty Cakes and Pastries gives us some helpful tips for brides searching for the perfect wedding cake!

• A broad guideline to follow when choosing the design of a wedding cake is that the more complicated the design, the less tasty it will be.   Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but in general it is usually the case.  A complicated design requires hours and hours of work so the cake used must be able to sit out at room temperature for long periods of time.  In many cases the work done may not be able to be refrigerated.  I myself have worked on a cake for two days and know designers who have worked on a cake for five days!

• When choosing a cake, decide what is more important, the look of it, or the taste.  If you want a fresh and moist cake, you should opt for a simply designed cake. Also, less complicated cakes can usually be refrigerated which allows more choices of flavors or fillings. Mousse fillings are not stable enough to stand out at room temperature, so only simple cakes that can be refrigerated have delicious mousse fillings.

• Another helpful tip when searching for the perfect wedding cake is to ask the designer what brand of butter the cake designer uses.  Asking what brand of butter is used in their cake is equivalent to asking a bartender what brand of vodka is used in the mixed drink you would like to order.  You want a high quality butter such as Grand Reserve, Land o Lakes, or Plugra to name a few.  If you don’t recognize the name, that’s not a great sign. The higher quality the butter, the better the flavor of the cake.

• The same can be said for cocoa powder.  A common brand that is used is Hershey’s, which isn’t the best quality (though some people would argue makes a moister cake).  Ghirardelli, Droste, Callebaut and Valrhona are all good quality cocoa powders that will make a better tasting cake.  However, having said that, what is most important is if it tastes good to you!

Fitzroy and some of her creations

For more from Megan check out her website or call 860 655 8334

EAT CAKE BE MERRY!

The cake tasting and consultation is probably on of the most enjoyable aspects of wedding planning.  You get to taste an array of delicious cake and envision the beautiful centerpiece of your reception.

2 important tips to help create a great cake…

A. When building the flavor profile for your cake, stay simple.  Some brides request a combination of 5-6 different flavors of cake, filling, and frosting to be all in one tier of their cake.  Although it may be difficult to limit yourself if they are all delicious, too many flavors in one bite can end up disastrous. Either split up the flavors into different tiers or try to stay simple all around so you can really taste the distinct ingredients in the cake and filling.

B. When choosing a design for your cake, be creative. Cakes have greatly evolved from plain tiers with flowers to sculptures and works of art.  Custom cakes are designed to reflect the bride and groom’s personality and uniqueness. So feel free to express yourself through the colors, patterns, tier shapes, and toppers.  Another popular idea is to design the cake so it is consistent with the graphics on your invitations.  Therefore, when going in to meet your baker, bring invitation samples, color palettes, themes, or photos that will help you create a perfect cake for your special day.

Blog post compliments of  Liz Shim at Eat Cake Be Merry