With all the decision making that goes into planning a wedding, you may be feeling burnt out when it comes to choosing your wedding cake. Wedding cakes can come in all sorts of flavours and styles, and 2023 has shown that married couples are getting more creative when it comes to designing their own cakes. Whether you want to go for a timeless look, make a bold statement, or keep things simple, here are the top 8 wedding cake trends of 2023 to help inspire you.
Pressed Flower Cakes
Cakes that incorporate floral designs have always been popular, but this year has seen a rising trend in using pressed flowers to decorate cakes. These dried edible flowers are a beautiful alternative to decorating a cake with fresh flowers, piped buttercream flowers, or marzipan flowers. They can be applied to cake iced with buttercream or fondant. If you decide you want a pressed flower cake, make sure your wedding cake supplier uses organic food grade flowers that haven’t been treated with insecticide. The most common edible flowers used on wedding cakes are pansies, cornflowers, roses, lavender, hibiscus, bergamot, nasturtium, and elderflower.
Cakes Decorated in Edible Gold Leaf
Edible gold leaf can add sparkle and shine to your wedding cake. It can be used to create a marble-effect cake or used to adorn a simple white tiered cake for a glamourous look. For couples who want their cake to be the centre of attention, gold leaf can be added to a cake that is decorated in a bold colour such as blue, purple, pink, or black.
Naked Cakes
Not every couple wants their cake to be covered fondant or marzipan, so a naked cake with layers of buttercream, ganache, or cream cheese frosting is a great alternative. Naked cakes are versatile—couples can choose any cake flavour and filling combination. When it comes to naked cakes, less is more. This understated cake can be decorated with flowers or fruit.
Wedding Dress Inspired Cakes
A wedding dress inspired cake is a new take on a classic wedding cake. Your cake baker can mimic the pattern and design of the bride’s dress. Many happy couples choose this option if the dress is important to them. For example, if a bride is wearing a dress that has been passed down through the generations, the cake decorator can imitate the look of the dress by embellishing the cake with a lace design, using buttercream to create a ruffled effect, or by adding sugar pearls.
Mini Cakes and Cupcakes
Many couples struggle with choosing one flavour for the cake and the filling, so they go with differently flavoured cupcakes or individual mini cakes. The mini cakes or cupcakes can be presented on a cake stand or served to guests for dessert. Some couples choose to have a desert table as well as cake, which usually means that most of the cake is left uneaten. As an alternative, mini cakes or cupcakes can be put into boxes and given to the guests as wedding favours so none of it goes to waste.
Geode Cakes
Geode cakes have risen in popularity in recent years, and many couples are choosing them for their wedding cakes. Geode cakes mimic appearance of natural geodes. The geode part of the cake is usually made from rock candy or isomalt. Food colouring can be added to the rock candy or isomalt so the bride and groom can choose what colour the crystals are. It’s also en vogue to match the colour of the crystals to the colour of the sponge.
Retro Cakes
Everything comes back into fashion eventually, and retro cakes are no exception. Most people opt for 50s style Lambeth cakes, Victorian cakes, or Rococo styles, with lots of intricate piping. Vintage cakes are much more ornate and extravagant than other cake styles. Retro decorating looks good on smaller cakes as well as tiered ones, so your cake will automatically stand out. As well as retro cake decorating, traditional flavours are also back in fashion, such as fruit cake, almond, and lemon.
Cheese Cakes
We’re not talking about New York style or burnt Basque cheesecake. These tiered cheese cakes are made from multiple wheels of cheese, and are usually decorated with flowers, fruit, and nuts. They are served with a selection of crackers, deli meat, and chutney. This is a perfect option for couples who don’t want a traditional cake or want a savoury option for dessert. You and your partner can choose a different kind of cheese for each tier. Cheese cakes are often served at weddings with a rustic theme.
You should purchase wedding insurance when you start planning your wedding to ensure every element of your big day is covered, including your wedding cake. Your cake will be covered for loss, theft, and damage starting from 36 hours prior to your wedding day or the day you choose to have your reception. You will also be covered if your wedding cake baker goes into financial failure.
