When it comes to planning your wedding or engagement party, one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing the perfect cake. There are thousands of options out there, so how do you know where to start?
In this blog post, we'll explore the world of wedding and engagement cakes, and give you some tips on how to choose the right one for your special day. We'll also share some of our favorite recipes, so you can get started on your cake-baking journey right away!
How to assemble and decorate a homemade wedding cake
Assemble
They make 2 completely separate cakes and place one on top of the other. Insert 4 cake dowels into the bottom tier for guaranteed support and stability. Cake dowels are sticks that support the top tier. You will need to measure and cut the dowels so they are flush with the surface of the bottom cake. Put the small step on it. A 6-inch cake board, which I describe next, is essential for extra support between tiers.
Decorate
Decorate both levels on cake boards. You can remove the cake board from the lower tier if needed before placing the cake on a serving platter or cake stand (this can be tricky!). I usually just leave it at that though. A piped icing border around the bottom of the cake conceals it. Do not remove the cake board from the bottom of the top tier. The cake board sits between both tiers for extra support and stability, ensuring the whole cake doesn't go under when cutting into the top tier.
A wedding cake is the dessert of a lifetime, so not only should it taste good, but it should look stunning too. To reduce the possibility of imperfections or mistakes, stick to simple decoration. A crumb layer on both levels is required to protect the outer glaze layer from crumbs.
3 different types of wedding cakes you'll love
• Elegant 2-tier wedding cake
• Flower 3-tier wedding cake
Elegant 2-tier wedding cake
Prep time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Decoration time: 2 hours
Total time: 5 hours
Yield: 30-35 servings
Ingredients
8" chocolate cake
• 500g unsalted butter
• 500 g light brown sugar
• 400 g self-raising flour
• 100 grams of cocoa powder
• 10 medium eggs
6" vanilla cake
• 300g unsalted butter
• 300 g powdered sugar
• 300 g self-raising flour
• 6 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream
• 300 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 500 g powdered sugar
• 75 grams of cocoa powder
Vanilla Buttercream
• 200 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 400 g powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ganache
• 400 g dark chocolate (chopped)
• 300 g milk chocolate
• 600 ml double cream
Dripping ganache
• 125g dark
• 125 g milk chocolate
• 250 ml double cream
Decoration
• Rose gold/peach (paint)
• Buttercream (leftover)
• Sprinkles
Instructions
For the 8" chocolate cake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan and line two 20 cm deep cake tins with parchment paper.
- Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder and eggs and beat again until you have a nice smooth cake mixture.
- Divide evenly between the two moulds and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes (or until a skewer comes out clean!)
- Once baked, cool in a pan for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.
For the 6" vanilla cake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C for a fan and line two 15 cm deep cake tins with parchment paper.
- Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
- Add the flour, eggs and vanilla extract and beat again until you have a nice smooth cake mixture.
- Divide evenly between the two moulds and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes (or until a skewer comes out clean!)
- Once baked, cool in a pan for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.
Chocolate Buttercream
- Beat the butter in your mixer for a while until smooth and supple.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until light and fluffy!
(If the mixture is very stiff, add 1-2 tbsp boiling water and beat fully to make it smooth.)
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat the butter in your mixer for a while until smooth and supple.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until light and fluffy!
(If the mixture is very stiff, add 1-2 tbsp boiling water and beat fully to make it smooth.)
For The Ganache
- Place the dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a large bowl.
- Put the cream in a saucepan and heat it to just before boiling point. Pour over the chocolate and let rest for 5 minutes. Once seated, mix until smooth (add them to the pan if not completely melted).
- Keep the ganache in a bowl, stirring every few minutes until it has a peanut butter-like consistency - you can also do this in the fridge, just be sure to stir it so it doesn't set too quickly!
- You can also whip the ganache with an electric whisk to make it lighter and more mousse-like.
Assembly
- Level the cakes if necessary. Divide the two chocolate cakes so you have four layers in total.
- Place your first cake on a cake board (use a large 10-inch cake board) and secure it with a small amount of buttercream.
- Spread some chocolate buttercream on the first base, and place the second sponge cake on top. Repeat until you reach the top layer of cake.
- Spread some chocolate buttercream on the sides to fill in the gaps and create a layer of crumbs. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes.
- Repeat this process with the vanilla cake in the same way. (use a 6" thin cake board for this)
- Once the ganache is chilled and ready, use an angled spatula to apply the chocolate ganache, then smooth out with a large metal spatula. Do this for both cakes!
- Once the ganache is applied, place the cakes in the fridge for another 30 minutes.
- Insert some dowel supports for your cake into the larger 8-inch cake. Used four dowels. You want them to be in the centre of the cake so the 6-inch cake can sit on top.
- Using a small amount of buttercream or ganache, spread over the dowels and glue the smaller cake onto the larger cake.
- Pour the edible colouring into a small bowl and use a brush to brush the colouring over the cake (make sure you protect the surfaces around the cake).
Dripping Ganache
- Place the dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a large bowl. Put the cream in a saucepan and heat it to just before boiling point. Pour over the chocolate and let rest for 5 minutes. Once seated, mix until smooth (add to the pan if not completely melted).
- Using a small piping bag, pipe the ganache onto the sides of both cakes and fill the tops of both cakes. If possible, let the cake set in the fridge for another 30 minutes.
- Using a medium-sized 2D closed star needle tip, pipe some swirls of the leftover buttercream on top and decorate with the sprinkles!
Flower 3-tier wedding cake
Preparation - 210 mins
Bake - 90 mins
Cooking time - 120 mins
Serving - 70 to 74
Special Equipments
Round cake pan
• Small Tier 6in (15cm) x 3in (7.5cm) high
• Medium Tier 9in (23cm) x 3in (7.5cm) high
• Large Tier 12in (30cm) x 3in (7.5cm) high 6in/15cm
• Cake board 9in/23cm
Ingredients
Small Tier
• 150 g butter, softened
• 150 g superfine sugar
• 2 eggs
• a few drops of vanilla extract
• small pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup or 63 g of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup or 63 g cake flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup or 25g unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons or 7g of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon red dye
• 450 g rolled fondant
Medium Tier
• 350 g softened butter
• 350 g superfine sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• small pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 cups or 15of 0g all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups or 150g cake flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup or 50g unsweetened cocoa
• 3 tsp or 15 g baking powder
• 250ml red colouring
• 800 g rolled fondant
Large Tier
• 650 g butter, softened
• 50 g superfine sugar
• 10 eggs
• large pinch of salt
• 2 1/3 cups or 11 ounces of all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups or 288 g cake flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup or 75g unsweetened cocoa
• 35 grams of baking powder
• 100ml red colouring
• 1.25 kg rolled fondant
Small Tier
• 80 g butter, softened
• 200 g powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons or 25 g cream cheese
• A few drops of vanilla extract
Medium Tier
• 250 g butter, softened
• 600 g powdered sugar
• 75 g cream cheese
• A few drops of vanilla extract
Large Tier
• 400 g butter, softened
• 1 kg powdered sugar
• 120 grams of cream cheese
• A few drops of vanilla extract
Instructions
For The Cakes
- Take your first cake pan and trace it twice on parchment paper. Cut out both circles.
- Measure the circumference of the pan with string, then cut a long strip of paper the length of the string and fold it in half lengthwise.
- Grease the pan with melted butter and place one of the paper circles on the bottom. Grease, then add a second circle and grease again.
- Press the strip of paper onto the inside rim of the pan and grease it. If you are making multiple tiers, repeat with the other pans.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until fluffy.
- Gradually whisk in the eggs, vanilla, salt, and all-purpose flour to keep the mixture from curdling.
- Add the cake flour, unsweetened cocoa and baking powder and give the mix a final beat.
- Add the food colouring and mix well. Add to prepared pan and bake for the recommended time (small 30 to 40 minutes; medium 65 to 75 minutes; large 75 to 85 minutes).
- The cake is ready when it feels firm and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack (you may need two racks side by side for the largest cake).
- Peel off the backing paper and allow it to cool.
- Prepare Buttercream: Prepare ingredients for the appropriate number of tiers. You can make the buttercream all at once, so you only need one large bowl.
- Cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the cream cheese and a few drops of vanilla extract to taste.
- Cover the top of the buttercream with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Slicing and layering the cakes Using a long serrated knife, carefully cut the smallest cake in half and top with 3 heaping tablespoons of buttercream.
- Spread a teaspoon of buttercream in the centre of the smallest cake board and place the cake on top (this will prevent the cake from sliding off the board).
- Cut the remaining cakes in the same manner, using 6 heaping tablespoons buttercream to top the medium cake and 8 heaping tablespoons buttercream for the large cake.
- Place the medium cake upside down on the cake board and the large cake on the largest cake board. Spread half of the remaining buttercream in a thin layer on the top and sides of the cakes to cover them.
- Refrigerate until tender to the touch then spread the remaining buttercream over the cake for a perfect finish.
- Cover with Fondant For each cake, cut a piece of string to measure the combined length of the top and sides - this is the size you will roll your fondant circle to.
- Ice cream only one cake at a time since fondant can dry out quickly. Make sure your counter is clean and dry, then knead the fondant until it's warm and supple.
- Place 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar in a small sieve and use it to lightly dust your counter.
- Roll out the fondant 3 to 4mm thick and keep twisting it to keep it circular.
- Gently slide your hands and arms under the fondant, then lift it centred over the cake and place it on top of the buttercream (you can use a large rolling pin instead - just hold the pin over the centre of the fondant and twist the paste around). lift, then position and roll over cake).
- Dust your hands with some icing sugar and rub gently over the cake making sure the fondant sticks to the buttercream underneath.
- Use a sharp long-bladed knife to trim the edges and cut down cleanly (keep wiping the knife blade or the paste will build up and make it difficult to get a clean cut).
- Repeat with the remaining cakes and fondant. Save any trimmings to make decorations, flowers or ruffles - keep well wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to use to prevent drying out.
To Stack The Cakes
You'll need the help of some dowel rods to stack the cakes, as the sponge cake and icing are too soft to support each other's weight.
- Dowels can be purchased in speciality confectioneries; However, since every cake is different, they will need to be trimmed. Only the bottom two tiers will need them, so you'll need eight rods in total.
- Hold a stick to the side of the cake and use a pencil to mark where the frosting will go. Cut the pole and three others to the same length.
- Insert the sticks into the cake about 5cm from the sides to form the four corners of a square in the centre of the cake.
- They should not rise above the level of the glaze. If you miscalculate and the dowel is too long, remove it and shave off excess material with a sharp knife.
- Measure, cut and insert the sticks in the same way for the medium cake. The three cakes can now be stacked directly on top of each other.
- Once stacked, it's best not to move them, so it's safest to assemble them at your venue or the position you want them to be displayed.
How to Order the Right Size Cake for Your Event
When it comes to selecting the perfect wedding cake, there are a few factors you’ll want to keep in mind. The first is the type of celebration you want to offer. Do you want a simple, traditional wedding cake that is served during the reception or do you want a more elaborate, custom-designed wedding cake that is served after the reception and represents your relationship? Thinking about these things will help you select the perfect cake! The other thing to take into consideration is the type of celebration you want to offer. Do you plan on throwing a small, intimate reception or do you want to cater a large, formal wedding? Determining the correct serving size for your event will help you choose the right type of cake.
