WEDD INGS
there’s a fruit dessert and the cake comes later, maybe chocolate or carrot cake would fit better into the menu. Most couples go for different flavours for each tier. A large cake can combine two main flavours, and if the bride or groom has another special favourite, they can have a special top tier, just for themselves. It’s worth remembering though, that with a naked or semi-naked cake, lighter and darker cakes will show through, so need to be planned – perhaps alternate tiers. Now wedding cakes are rarely fruit cake, fewer couples keep the top tier for the first anniversary (or christening), but of course you can freeze a sponge cake top tier if you wish. 4 STYLE & DECORATION Thirty years ago, almost every wedding featured fruit cakes with royal icing. Twenty years ago, fondant icing was introduced, allowing a mixture of fruit cake and sponge cake tiers. In the last ten years or so, most couples moved to sponge cakes covered with fondant icing, often still with elaborate piped or sugar craft decoration. Today, the majority of wedding cakes are naked, semi-naked or buttercream
decorated. It’s a more natural style and puts of the focus on the delicious taste of the cake, rather than the icing. Smooth fondant-iced cakes still have a role, as they offer a more formal, pristine finish and allow a wider range of decorative styles. When it comes to decoration, the possibilities are endless. Couples often email us pictures of cakes they like, or we look at Pinterest boards together. It’s a great tool for inspiration and, in this case, a picture is definitely worth a thousand words. The majority of cakes at the moment are decorated with fresh flowers or fruit. At Fitzbillies, we love very natural-looking cakes decorated with a riot of fresh fruit, flowers and macarons. Metallic touches are also popular, from a full edible gold leaf tier, to touches of gold on the icing or decorations. And we’re always delighted when we get the chance to exercise our piping and sugar flower-making skills on more elaborate cakes. 5 DISPLAY OF THE CAKE What will the cake stand on? Is there a separate cake table? Or a sideboard where the cake will stand? Cloth or no cloth? What sort of
cake stand? An elaborate vintage silver stand or a slice from a tree trunk? Does the venue have one you can borrow, do you have something in mind already or would you like to borrow one of our stands? And don’t forget about a beautiful cake knife for the ceremonial cutting. Many venues have an antique silver one. The stand and the area around it can also be decorated. A floral arrangement, provided by your florist, scattered fresh rose petals or perhaps silk leaves for an autumnal wedding, or even sparkling baubles? 6 WEDDING FAVOURS & DESSERT TABLES With the cake design settled, it’s time to consider any other elements you’d like to coordinate. At Fitzbillies, we offer edible wedding favours and table place markers, such as iced cookies or boxes of macarons. Or perhaps a macaron tower, cupcakes or other mini cakes for a desert table. While the choices are effectively infinite, there’s only one overriding consideration at Fitzbillies: creating a cake that will delight bride, groom and guests, will live long in their memories, that looks as good as it tastes… and tastes as good as it looks.
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