Wedding cake recipe?

[Indra486]

Us Americans and our shortcuts...er...laziness.

Better shortcuts than pastry mashup-transplants from other pastries that you'll need special cocktails to slosh down.....

[Hedwig]

What about tiered cupcakes? It would be easier to do different flavors, you don't have to fool with cutting and icing, and it's easy to serve. I went to a wedding recently that did this, and it was really nice.

That looks really cool!

However, I really want to bake a traditional looking wedding cake. Somehow that feels more right.

I am leaving my current job at the end of June and I thought that would be the perfect time to try out the cake I want to bake and bring it as a good-bye and thank-you cake to the office!
The wedding is in August, so if everything goes wrong, I can rethink my tactic.

[Cupid]

Two good friends of mine are getting married and I offered to bake the wedding cake as I love them both a lot and want to do something special.

I can sorta bake. Not great but I get by. But I am no expert.

First, do your friends realize that you haven't baked wedding cakes before? They may be expecting a professional-looking cake and might be a little disappointed if it's not what they were expecting. Are they having big weddings at a reception hall, requiring a big cake? Are you going to pipe flowers and borders, that sort of thing? I tried it a couple of times, and it wasn't easy for me and did not look that great, but it was on a Barbie cake for my daughter and not a wedding.

It's going to be a big undertaking if you haven't done it before. Just sayin'.

[*Jen*]

Stupid question, but do they sell cake mixes in Europe? (I've never had to go looking for them when I've been in European grocery stores )

There are cake mixes but I have never seen them used in a recipe for another cake. I think they are just not that common.
And they are often for more complicated cakes anyway.

What Hedwig said Plus, you can even buy premixed cakes in the fridge section that you just pour into the tin, put into the oven et voila! Hassle free cake.

I think there's an unwritten rule about not using them for events like weddings though

My background dictated a heavy fruitcake, like Christmas cake to be used for weddings. At least they held up the layers!

My mum made my sister's wedding cake, and that was what she made. My sister wanted it. My generation don't like fruit cake, so there was also a chocolate cake which more people ate, but my sister was thrilled because she got all the leftovers.

There were a LOT of test cakes though...I didn't eat any Christmas cake that year

I made a traditional fruit cake for my wedding (included rum). I had a blast making it, except I didn't realize that i was only supposed to douse the fruit cake with a little bit of rum and let it sit in the cheesecloth. I kept pouring the rum on there and went through 26 oz.

Everyone loved the cake though...lmao!

Ha, that's what my mother always does! She keeps feeding it rum every day until it won't take it anymore. Then she ices it. The cakes are always moist and

[Hedwig]

First, do your friends realize that you haven't baked wedding cakes before? They may be expecting a professional-looking cake and might be a little disappointed if it's not what they were expecting. Are they having big weddings at a reception hall, requiring a big cake? Are you going to pipe flowers and borders, that sort of thing? I tried it a couple of times, and it wasn't easy for me and did not look that great, but it was on a Barbie cake for my daughter and not a wedding.

It's going to be a big undertaking if you haven't done it before. Just sayin'.

Yes, they do. And they don't expect a professional looking cake. The wedding is very relaxed.

It is less that the cake is supposed to look gorgeous but more that it somehow looks like an idea of a wedding cake and that it tastes good.

And I think it is even better if the cake does not look too perfect. Then it is clear that it is done by a friend who loves them and not by a professional!

[Stefanie]

Hedwig,

I've had this recipe saved in my "Favorites" for awhile, although I've yet to try it: Almond Sour Cream Cake. The reviews have been good and it really does sound delicious--and dense enough for a wedding cake.

Sorry for responding again, but I love talking about this kind of stuff!

[Civic]

Hedwig, do your friends have their hearts set on a traditional tiered wedding cake or would a tasty, nicely decorated sheet cake satisfy them? I attended a small wedding on Valentine's Day, many years ago where the couple had two, heart-shaped layer cakes instead of a tiered wedding cake. The cake was a delicious strawberry flavor with strawberry jam between the layers and white fondant frosting.

[*Jen*]

Hedwig,

I've had this recipe saved in my "Favorites" for awhile, although I've yet to try it: Almond Sour Cream Cake. The reviews have been good and it really does sound delicious--and dense enough for a wedding cake.

Sorry for responding again, but I love talking about this kind of stuff!

Can I visit you? I have a feeling you'd make me cake...

I think Hedwig might have an issue with the sour cream. I've never been able to find it in Europe. But I am so going to try that, or a variant of that, next time I am home!

And you need to edit an http:// out of your link...there's one too many so it doesn't work

[Stefanie]

Can I visit you? I have a feeling you'd make me cake...

I think Hedwig might have an issue with the sour cream. I've never been able to find it in Europe. But I am so going to try that, or a variant of that, next time I am home!

And you need to edit an http:// out of your link...there's one too many so it doesn't work

Yes on both accounts: of course you can come visit and I would definitely make you a cake (I *need* someone to share a cake with! It's no fun gorging on your own. ).

Hmmm...interesting about the sour cream. I found this site which offers substitutes. I wonder how they'd turn out. Although I don't think I'd want to mess around with sour milk.

(I fixed the link. Thanks.)

[*Jen*]

Hmmm...interesting about the sour cream. I found this site which offers substitutes. I wonder how they'd turn out. Although I don't think I'd want to mess around with sour milk.

The buttermilk and yohurt alternatives are good options though. There is something else here - creme fraiche - but I don't know how to translate it, because the literal translation is 'fresh cream' which it most definitely is not.

I'd better get a better job and start saving my pennies for a visit then

[alhrayth]

I've had homemade fondant before and I actually like it. However, I don't like the packaged stuff that Wilton has. But, obviously, it's a lot easier than spending the time to make your own. I can't imagine how long it would take to make your own and then dye it for the colors you need in your design.

The only fondant I ever tried is the one I used on a couple of decorated cakes I made ( hearts, kittens and F/S) and I quite liked the flavour, esp in the second and third cake because I rolled it a little thinner and it actually added something to the cake... I have never tried a commercial/pre-made version so I don't have something to compare mine to...

[Impromptu]

Slight topic drift, but you guys might be amused by these what NOT to do cakes. There's a hysterical blog called "Cake Wrecks" which highlights bakery cakes that ... fail.

She also does a feature every Sunday called Sunday Sweets, which features, GOOD looking cakes.

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

[Stefanie]

The only fondant I ever tried is the one I used on a couple of decorated cakes I made ( hearts, kittens and F/S) and I quite liked the flavour, esp in the second and third cake because I rolled it a little thinner and it actually added something to the cake... I have never tried a commercial/pre-made version so I don't have something to compare mine to...

Wow, I am so impressed with your talent!!! I especially love the Vancouver cake. Incredible. Did you take a class or are you self-taught?

[Stefanie]

Slight topic drift, but you guys might be amused by these what NOT to do cakes. There's a hysterical blog called "Cake Wrecks" which highlights bakery cakes that ... fail.

She also does a feature every Sunday called Sunday Sweets, which features, GOOD looking cakes.

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Another one of my favorite websites. I visit this and Cake Central almost daily.

[alhrayth]

Wow, I am so impressed with your talent!!! I especially love the Vancouver cake. Incredible. Did you take a class or are you self-taught?

thank you, you're very kind... these were actually my first attempts ever, I just googled some recipes and info (mainly from an Italian message board because on the American/International ones I too often encountered ingredients I don't have!) and tried! Next week I might tackle my first ever 2 tier cake... keeping my fingers very very crossed for that, I made plans and I really really hope I manage to pull it off!!

Slight topic drift, but you guys might be amused by these what NOT to do cakes. There's a hysterical blog called "Cake Wrecks" which highlights bakery cakes that ... fail.

She also does a feature every Sunday called Sunday Sweets, which features, GOOD looking cakes.

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

LOVE this site, it's one of the few I check every single morning!!! The "good" cakes are fabulous, but the wrecks are hysterical sometimes, I all the time!

[bobalina77]

The only fondant I ever tried is the one I used on a couple of decorated cakes I made ( hearts, kittens and F/S) and I quite liked the flavour, esp in the second and third cake because I rolled it a little thinner and it actually added something to the cake... I have never tried a commercial/pre-made version so I don't have something to compare mine to...

See this is what I wanted to do for my neice's birthday cake.. but making the fondant totally intimidated me haha. Maybe next time.. my boyfriend's sister wants me to make the castle cake for her daughter's birthday this summer.

[genevieve]

Wow, I am so impressed with your talent!!! I especially love the Vancouver cake. Incredible. Did you take a class or are you self-taught?

I gave rep raving about the cat cake before I saw the Vancouver one. LOVE that you got F/S's costumes so right

Now I want to go home and bake

[milanessa]

Now I want to go home and bake

Always knew you were nuts.

[Stefanie]

Now I want to go home and bake

Same here! I haven't baked my Magnolia Bakery cupcake recipe in awhile...hmmm...

[milanessa]

Same here! I haven't baked my Magnolia Bakery cupcake recipe in awhile...hmmm...

Nuts.