These days, with extreme cake challenges on the Food Network and reality shows devoted entirely to cake makers such as Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes, wedding cakes are becoming more and more elaborate. The traditional tiered white wedding cake decorated with intricate icing patterns and lots of flowers just won’t do anymore. Cakes are becoming unusual, unique and gigantic.
If you really want your wedding cake to mean something, consider making a traditional dessert from your culture.
Italian
A traditional Italian wedding feast concludes with a dessert course featuring pastries, cakes, fruits and plenty of coffee. This plethora of sweet treats is presented on a Viennese Table according to Sicilian customs. This is referred to as Vienna Hour.
A wedding cake is often present at Italian weddings, but in some areas of Italy, no cake is served. In place of cake, guests are given small boxes or tulle bundles of sugared almonds.
Poland
Wedding cakes do not hold the same significance in Poland as they do in North America. They are usually similar to a birthday cake, just a little bigger. Having separate cakes for the bride and groom has become common at North American weddings, but this is almost never done in Poland.
Ukraine
At a Ukrainian wedding, instead of a cake, a traditional wedding bread is prepared. Korovai is a round bread decorated with dough shapes, including birds to represent the couple. A variety of other embellishments can also cover the korovai, such as coins, twigs, ribbons, berries and flowers, all of which have their own special significance. Red, gold and silver are common colours for korovai decorations.
Iceland
The Icelandic wedding cake is called kransakaka. Almond pastry is formed into consecutively smaller rings that are placed on top of each other, forming a cone. The cake is filled with chocolates or candies and drizzled with icing.
Ireland
In Ireland, the wedding cake is a rich fruitcake made with brandy or bourbon.
Caribbean
At the wedding reception, the rum-laced wedding cake is hidden under a white tablecloth. Guests offer money for the opportunity to take a peek, which is considered good luck. On islands such as Barbados, Grenada and St. Lucia, the recipe is handed down through the generations and becomes embellished at each stage. It is referred to as a “pound cake” since the recipe calls for a pound each of flour, dark brown sugar, butter, glace cherries, raisins, prunes and currants, along with a dozen eggs and flavourings. Pieces of a Jamaican wedding cake are mailed to friends and relatives who couldn’t be at the wedding.
Bermuda
A small sapling tops the Bermudian wedding cake. After the ceremony, the newlyweds plant the tree in their yard so they can watch it grow along with their marriage.
Denmark
A cornucopia cake or Danish marzipan ring cake is served at a Danish wedding. It is made of almond cake, pastilage and marzipan. The hollow centre of the cake is filled with candies, cakes, fruit and sorbet and the cake is finished off with intricate sugarwork. The cake may also feature marzipan portraits of the bride and groom.
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