My best friend and matron of honor—Sarah —is the former pastry chef at an exclusive, four-diamond, resort in Vermont. While there, Sarah created one-of-a-kind weddings cakes for hundreds of couples—including the rich and famous.
Recently, Sarah sat down with me to give cake selection advice.
Caurie: “Sarah, what is the best advice you have for couples choosing a wedding cake?”
Sarah: “Don’t be afraid to choose something you like. If you like plain white frosting on plain white cake that’s great! But, don’t be afraid to be different. Your cake should be fun and a reflection of your personalities.”
Caurie: “How should a couple begin their cake search?”
Sarah: “Couples should sample cakes from several different places. If a bakery says they don’t offer samples, then that is a bad sign—opt away from them. A baker has no reason not to let you sample. Sampling is so important because you don’t want a cake that looks beautiful, but tastes like cardboard. You are spending a lot of money on a cake, make sure it is what you want.”
Caurie: “What is the most memorable cake you designed?”
Sarah: “One cake that really sticks out in my mind was an all chocolate cake for a couple getting married around Christmas. They wanted a Nutcracker theme, so all over the chocolate cake were unique fruits brushed with egg whites and hand-dipped in fine sugar. I used crabapples, baby pears, chestnuts, and lemon tree leaves. The base of the cake was round and the other four tiers were square—it was a really unique cake. Another really fun Christmas-time cake I did was a spice cake with a gingerbread bride and groom as the toppers.
Caurie: “You keep mentioning the word ‘fun’ How else can couples make their cakes fun?”
Sarah: “The easiest way to make a cake fun is the filling. Even if you have a traditional white cake with white frosting, you should go with a fun filling, because that is usually the last edible impression your guests will have of your wedding. Some fun fillings I’ve done are Tiramisu, chocolate moose, cream cheese, banana cream, peanut butter, and hot fudge.
Caurie: “Do you have any advice for couples that want a unique cake, but don’t have a lot of money to spend?”
Sarah: “A great idea would be a cup-cake cake. These are easy to make, and therefore cheaper. I did one Fall-themed wedding where the cupcakes were frosted either ivory or a dark chocolate brown, dusted with gold, and adorned with sugared leaves. They were quite striking. If money is a concern, couples can order plain white cupcakes from a bakery and decorate them themselves with fresh, edible flowers. That is a really nice option.”
Caurie: “Yes, I remember you made a cupcake cake for my bridal shower and it stole the show! By the way, how come you wouldn’t make my wedding cake?”
Sarah: “I believe strongly that any bride should stay away from having a family member or close friend make their wedding cake—even if they are a professional! There is so much emotion wrapped up in a wedding cake—it is more then just something you eat—it is part of the whole magic of the day. If it is not done exactly as the bride dreamed, it can be a very uncomfortable situation. Unlike the flowers or the dress, the wedding cake is very hard to change once its done.
Caurie: “You did make your own wedding cake, though. Tell everyone about that”
Sarah: “When I was thinking about what kind of cake to make my first thought was ‘I love chocolate, so, gosh darn it, I’m going to have a chocolate wedding cake.’ The cake was a five-tiered dark chocolate cake with a chocolate, caramel, and heath bar filling and a fudge like chocolate frosting. A lot of brides shy away from an all-chocolate cake because it is against the norm, but again, be true to your own personality and likes. Too many people forget that and then their cake becomes boring.”
Caurie: “Any final words of advice for couples on the hunt for the perfect cake?”
Sarah: “Always make sure you order enough cake—order at least twenty five slices or cupcakes more then the people you expect. It is very bad form to run out of cake. The only thing worse then a boring cake, is no cake.”
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