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Wedding Cakes in the New Millennium
by Jennifer Simmons,
Sweet Artistry by
Jennifer, Cleveland, OH
In the past, wedding cakes have gone through a great
deal of transformations, from the ancient fertility
ritual of crumbling wedding "cake" (generally a
crumbly biscuit-like bread) over the bride's head at
the wedding ceremony, to the turn of the 20th
century status symbol of the all white cake. In
between these times, wedding cakes were heavy, dark
cakes filled with fruit and soaked in brandy -
similar to the traditional cakes today. Bleached
flour and refined sugar were scarce and very
expensive therefore a large all white cake was very
extravagant and saved for the most special
occasions- like a wedding.
Today, couples have many choices for their wedding
cake. Not only does the cake not have to be white,
but also it can be composed of different flavors in
the different tiers. As the tradition has swung away
from the all white cake, flavor has become much more
important. Many bakers are offering tortes and
specialty cakes as wedding cakes. Wedding guests are
pleasantly surprised to find delicious desserts
disguised as
wedding cakes.
The outward design of wedding cakes has changed as
well. Today's cake designs reflect a more modern
style, some very simple and understated, others very
ornately decorated. The wedding cake should be a
reflection of the bride and groom's sense of
style. Decorating options include fondant icing for
a very smooth flawless surface available in many
colors to compliment your wedding theme. Of course,
traditional white buttercream icing is still a very
popular choice.
Look through any current wedding magazine and you
will notice another wedding trend, the lack of bride
and groom figurines. While some
couples still opt for this traditional decoration to
adorn the top tier of their cakes, it is becoming
scarcer. Instead the bride and groom are
choosing floral arrangements, real or sculpted out
of sugar to top their cakes as well as the
sides. Sugar flowers have the added advantages of
not containing any potentially toxic pesticides like
fresh flowers do, and can be kept as a keepsake for
years to come when cared for and
displayed properly.
Cakes in the new millennium are a reflection of the
wedding couple is their chance to make a statement
about who they are and their sense of
style. Basically, the limits of wedding cakes have
been removed. Today's cakes are more sculptural than
the cakes of the past. Just about anything you could
imagine could be transformed into a wedding cake
design. They can have a sense of humor, be bold and
daring, or calm and simple. Most of all they should
be thought of as the centerpiece of your reception
and the chance to express your personality.
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