Wedding Cake Tips

March 4th, 2008 | Wedding Cake

The New York Daily News had a great article a couple of weeks ago with some great information about how to pick out your wedding cake baker and some handy tips about how to handle your wedding cake at the reception. Here’s a link to the original article and here’s some great info from the article.

“Ask friends for references and look at pictures in magazine. Meet with the person, explain your theme and ask them for their ideas,” advises Bratten. “Look through their book to see what they’ve done before. You should get a sense of whether you’ll like working together and whether they can translate your vision. Make sure you talk contracts, deposits, and always have a tasting!”

BRIDES’ WEDDING CAKE KNOW-HOW

To keep costs down, order a small embellished cake for cutting and stash iced sheet cakes in the kitchen that can be easily sliced and served to guests.

For a summer wedding, go with fondant icing instead of buttercream if you plan to display your cake outdoors. It will hold up well without refrigeration.

If you’re planning to serve your cake on a special tray or pedestal, deliver it to your baker at least a week before the wedding.

Display the cake in a photo-ready spot well away from the dance floor and beware of any exit or rest room signs in the background.

Make a single ceremonial cut into the bottom layer of the cake and leave the rest of the slicing to the caterer in the kitchen.

Place each slice of cake with fruit, a sauce or a scoop of sorbet to complement the taste and make a pretty presentation.

To save the top tier, cover it tightly in plastic wrap, then layer with heavy-duty foil and freeze. (Cheat and eat it for your one-month anniversary - it’ll taste better!)