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How do we shop for a wedding cake that we will remember for the rest of our lives; one that everyone will admire and will be delicious; what about our wedding colors; what size cake do we order? I'm sure all of these questions are on your mind. Well, here's an article or two that will give you some ideas to help you out. If you would like to attempt to make your own wedding cake creation, read on! The Perfect Wedding Cake (thanks to www.myweddinghq.com) You spend a lot of time choosing your wedding dress, which is the main focal point of your wedding ceremony. Most people today are realizing that they don’t have to compromise taste for appearance, which used to be the case. Thankfully, now you have many options to consider when choosing your cakes. Here is a checklist of things to consider when you start hunting for the right person to design your cake. 1. Ask for a PERSONAL tasting. 2. Get all options on flavors, fillings and icings. 3. Ask if you can design your own cake at no extra charge. 4. Choose a baker that can do what You want, not what They want. 5. Ask about a FLAT FEE per serving, so that there are no additional charges for every little thing. NO SURPRISES. 6. Any extra charge should come in the form of flowers or cake topper. This should be clearly specified at the beginning. 7. Get everything in writing! 8. Ask when your cakes will be baked. After all, you don’t want them to sit in their freezers for more than a week. (Cakes have to be frozen to properly ice.) 9. Ask when your cakes will be iced and decorated. They are technically ‘sealed’ when iced. But you don’t want them sitting in the shop for days prior to your wedding. They still get a rather ‘old’ taste after sitting out for more than a day or so. The freshest cakes are iced the day before your wedding. 10. Does the baker deliver AND set up the cake…or just drop it off? (Dropping it off leaves it up to the caterer or venue wait staff to complete. Most venues preference would be for the baker to do that. There is too much liability on the caterer.) 11. Do they deliver the tiers individually? Or already stacked? (You want individual tiers delivered, because it travels better, not to mention it’s safer.) 12. Do they coordinate with the venue, caterer, florist, etc. on delivery time, so everyone is on the same page? After all, your baker knows exactly what you want and how it should look upon completion. And if there’s an accident in setting it up, your baker has the tools to fix any problem that may arise. Lastly, remember that you get what you pay for! Don’t skimp on the masterpiece that will be an integral part of your reception. After all, you’ll have to look at it in pictures for years to come. Wedding Cake GlossaryAnniversary Cake Back-Up Cake Buttercream Icing Centerpiece Cake Chocolate Ganache Marzipan Croquenbouche Groom's Cake Royal Icing Raised Tiers Tiers Torted Cakes Rolled Fondant Trompe L'oeil Want to really save money and have fun while you're at it? You can be as creative as you want and even match your wedding colors with this easy recipe on how to make your own homemake wedding cake! Sponge Cake (Wedding Cake) by Chef Mark Ainsworth, Pastry Chef, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, FL Ingredients for the Sponge Cake: 3-1/8 cups whole eggs 5-3/8 cup sifted cake flour 1 cup butter Preparation for the Sponge Cake: *To make this cake, you will need to double the recipe. By doubling the recipe, you will have enough to make a 6-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch tier. First, mix 3-1/8 cups whole eggs, 3 tablespoons vanilla, and 3-3/8 cups granulated sugar in a mixer. Fold in 5-1/8 cups sifted cake flour and 1 cup melted butter. Pour the batter in a greased and floured cake pan, and bake at 360 degrees. Baking instructions: for a 6-inch tier--10 to 14 minutes; 8-inch tier--12 to 16 minutes; and 10-inch tier--14 to 18 minutes. When you can lightly push down on the top of the cake and it springs up, it is done. Let cake cool for four to six hours. Ingredients for Icing: 2-1/2 cups granulated sugar Preparation for Icing: To make the icing, mix 2-1/2 cups granulated sugar with 1/2 cup water. Cook it in a medium saucepan, brushing the sides so that the sugar does not crystallize. When the sugar water reaches 248 degrees, it's ready. Use a straw, and if you can blow a bubble, it's ready. Whip egg whites until they peak and put them in a mixer. Slowly blend in the sugar water in three stages. Let this cool until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, then begin adding 3-3/4 cups butter in small pieces. When that's finished, scrape the sides, blend a little more, then mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Don't miss their video of a chef demonstrating how to prepare and decorate a cake for a wedding at home. If you're contemplating a wedding at home, HGTV's special, Weddings Homes Made, covers all the bases, including how to bake and decorate a wedding cake. Check out their video on how to make your own wedding cake.
RESOURCES: Sweet Celebrations: The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cakes GUESTS: Mark Ainsworth |
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