The wedding cake is one of the centerpieces of a post-nuptials reception. And while there are plenty of tried-and-true ways to decorate your confection — bride-and-groom statuettes, anyone? — you want to take your cake to the next level.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to dress up your tiered dessert so that it stands out from the pack. Slice into these six decorating ideas, and see which one will suit your wedding theme and personal style.
1. Fresh Flowers
Perhaps the simplest way to spruce up your wedding cake is to add fresh flowers. If you already have bouquets in the making, it’ll be even easier — ask your florist for a small selection of leftover blooms to use on top of your cake.
Even if flowers aren’t part of your pre-existing theme, it’s easy to add them to your cake design. For example, you can adhere to a monochromatic look with a white cake and white, fresh flowers. Design experts also suggest sticking to a selection of small- and medium-sized blooms. Only choose extra-large flowers if you’re really trying to make a statement — you might envision a cascade of lilies down the side of your dessert, for instance.
2. Edible Flowers
Do you want to nosh on every last bit of your wedding cake? If so, ditch the real flowers for edible ones, which look just as gorgeous as their naturally cultivated cousins.
By choosing edible flowers, you’ll be able to customize them perfectly — you might not be able to find natural blooms in the right size or color, but you can do anything you want with edible flowers. On top of that, your guests can bite into them and safely taste the flower. Desserts infused with rose water have become a hot commodity, so you can let your edible flowers inspire the look and taste of your wedding cake.
3. Smaller Confections
What’s better than cake? A cake covered in cookies, we’d say. You can use delicate confections, such as meringues and macaroons, to decorate the tiers of your wedding cake. Not only will the small clusters add cuteness and color, but they’ll taste great too.
There are so many different types of sweets to consider if you go this route. You might opt for a light spritzing of sprinkles around the base of your cake, or you could go for thin, pirouette-style cookies, wrapping them around your cake like a sweet, edible fence. If you’re making your cake on your own, you might also consider covering the entire exterior of it in a topping like shredded coconut, crushed cookies or sprinkles — no one will notice your messy frosting job under there.
4. Ribbon
Each layer of your wedding cake is like a gift to your guests — why not wrap it up with a bow? Ribbon is an inexpensive option, and it’s a very easy one to customize. Simply choose a strand in one of your chosen shades, wrap it around your cake and voila: It’s simple but beautifully decorated. Plus, a ribbon is a great backdrop for further accessorizing — you can layer strands to include all of your chosen wedding shades, or you can add flowers, statuettes, sprinkles or something else to complete the look.
5. Fresh Fruit
We’ve already covered the merits of fresh flowers in cake decorating, which means you probably already know why fresh fruit should be on your radar. Colorful, ripe fruit looks crisp atop a wedding cake whether your dessert is slathered in vanilla or chocolate-toned frosting. The go-to option here is smaller fruits, such as berries or cherries. But you can also go for medium-sized bites sliced in half or into slivers.
Again, you can let your wedding colors guide you as you choose the right fruit for your cake. But you might also want to select something seasonal so that it looks and tastes its best atop your wedding cake. Figure out the date of your nuptials, then see which fruits will be harvested at that time.
6. Chocolate
Finally, what’s better than a bit of chocolate? It turns out that chocolate is a simple, clean and classy way to finish off your wedding cake design. You have plenty of options to choose from too, so your cake can be as modern or shabby-chic as you like.
Start by deciding the type of chocolate you want — white will create a more classic wedding look, while milk or dark will emphasize the dessert’s flavor instead of what it’s celebrating. Then, figure out how you’ll incorporate chocolate into the look. Pouring a ganache over top of your cake will make for a sleek, simple finish. You could also stack shards of chocolate for a beautifully imperfect look.
Here Comes the Cake
With these six ideas in mind, we hope you’ve got an idea for the look of your wedding cake — or the inspiration to go for a unique styling of your creation. No matter what, remember that it’s your wedding — let your instincts, style, and taste guide you. That way, the final product will end up being perfectly sweet.
