What’s that I hear? The ringing in the distance. It’s wedding bells! As spring emerges it’s the time of the year when decorators start thinking about weddings. While June is a classic month to say “I do” we will be kept busy all the way through October designing and building wedding cakes. Not surprising we see plenty of Pinterest pages at work, everything from wedding cakes to first birthday cakes.

For a little change of pace from my usual how-to projects I thought we could look at the 5 styles I have been asked about the most. There is a little something for everyone in the mix. The fun part of cake decorating is in how styles are forever changing and renewing. Gone are the days where you can only pick out “wedding cake #26”, it’s all about personalization and creative conversations. Check out this list of everything from soft, feminine, cakes to bold and strong statement cakes.

Ruffles and Rosettes

Texture, texture, texture. Whether it is in swirls of frosting rosettes or layers of ruffles this look is so versatile and fun. It’s great for white on white cakes or with ombre fading. You can keep it casual for an outdoor summer reception or dress it up for a more formal tuxedo wedding.

While you usually see the ruffle technique done in fondant when browsing magazines or searching online it also works well when translated to buttercream. Feel free to play around with the textures and do a little mixing and matching. This style of cake has also been quite popular for birthdays, graduations, and baby showers. With just a little color change these cakes will impress guests at any event.

Rustic

Simple, natural, earthy. There is nothing like a buttercream cake with lots of frosting in soft waves to make you want to dig in with a fork before the dinner service starts. These simple cakes are perfect for dressing up or down as they are basically a blank canvas.

They go nicely with a bundle of flowers or a special cake topper. Normally with a more detailed cake you wouldn’t want to hide it with accessories, but with this rustic cake have fun and play with your table setting. Display it on a tree stump on a bed of moss. Try it with fairy lights and lanterns on the table for a whimsical look. It can also look at home in a garden setting with lots of fresh flowers and greenery.

Chalkboard

This fun trend is the perfect opportunity to personalize you cake. These cakes have at least one tier covered in black fondant that can then be painted with white food coloring. Use your initials, special dates, little doodles, favorite quotes, to make a cake that is unique to you.

If a 3 tiered cake covered in black seems too dark for you try one tier in black and the other tiers done in your wedding colors. Or break up the all black cake with an abundance of fresh or sugar flowers. The colors of the flowers will really stand out against the dark background.

Painted

For a sleek, modern, look there is always a painted cake. These cakes are typically covered in fondant and decorated with nothing more than a paint brush and food coloring. You’ll want to keep the accessories to a minimum and have a simple table to keep the hand painted art work be the focus. These cakes can be painted with flowers, portraits, words, landscapes, or be inspired by a favorite piece of art. A good painted cake will leave you torn between chowing down or hanging it on your wall.

Metallic

When you want glitz, when you want shine, you want metallic. Most people have been turning to gold for the metallic look. Paired with soft colors you can achieve a gilded antique look. When done with white your cake will look fit for a princess. Be daring and choose a black or navy cake with glowing golden accents for a rich and modern cake.

Achieving the shine can be done with gold leaf, the more expensive option, or with dusting powder that is liquefied and painted on. Another option would to use golden airbrush color, but the end product isn’t as strongly shiny as the photos that can be found online. One thing to consider when choosing a metallic cake is “how will this cake be displayed?” Most receptions feature candles and soft lighting. To really show off your glitzy cake you’ll want to make sure there is a light source for you cake. Without a little spot light or sunlight your metallic cake’s luster can’t be fully appreciated.

Did you find something that piqued your interest? Were we close, but not quite? Don’t be shy, set up an appointment for a consultation with a Coborn’s decorator and get your brain storm started with the professionals. Bring anything that inspires you, including color samples, invites, or jewelry. Building your dream cake is half the fun. What’s the other half? Eating it, of course!

Amanda
Coborn’s Cake Decorator
Sartell, MN – Pine Cone Road

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