Cake has become big business in recent years. In fact, you can make anything into a cake, and there are not many occasions where you cannot have a cake. But, one occasion where cake has a vital role (apart from birthdays), is the wedding cake. Is it even a wedding if there is no cake to ceremoniously cut? The wedding cake is not just a tasty souvenir of your special day, it is a significant feature. That is why a shop bought cake is not going to cut it (pun intended).
But if you think that you are the next ‘Bake Off’ winner or even if you are a professional baker – should you make your own wedding cake? Well, as with everything, there are pros and cons.
PROS
- The most obvious pro for making your own wedding cake is that it is very appealing financially. Wedding cakes can be costly, and the more tiers the more pennies spent.
- You have total control over every aspect of your cake.
CONS
- A big con is the amount of time you need to set aside for baking, especially so close to the big day. Think, do you really want to spend the last couple days before up to your eyes in self-raising flour, instead of relaxing.
- May not be easy to transport – this depends on the size of the cake.
CAN YOU BAKE?
First thing is first, only consider making your own cake if you know that you can bake! Your wedding is not the time to experiment and find out if baking has been your calling – after all, your guests will be eating it.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Keep your cake and the design simple. As lovely as it would be to have an elaborate sculpture crafted out of the richest sponge that has only been executed by the finest pastry chefs – it is highly impractical. Stick with a recipe that you know will succeed and a design that screams “less si more”.
PREPARATION PREPARATION PREPARATION
Preparation is key. Do this well in advance, as much as you can: shop for the ingredients; do a trial bake. If you are planning on baking a fruit cake recipe, this can be prepared a good few days ahead of your wedding day as they tend to last longer than a sponge.
TIME
In the run up to any wedding the last few days are spent finalising small details or the build up to getting yourself ready for the big day – getting your nails done, final fittings, haircuts, etc., Many would try and relax beforehand, but if you wish to make your own wedding cake, then relaxing is not an option. Set aside a whole day for this task; either a day or two before your wedding – be prepared for a long day!
GET HELP!
Do not go Solo on this project – get help! Making your own wedding cake is a mammoth task to tackle by yourself. Enlist the help of a parent or friend. Perfect for doing the washing up, tending to other things in your home or running to the shop for emergency ingredients. But remember the saying of “too many cooks in the kitchen”
TRANSPORT
You have baked the cake of your dreams – job well done! But it’s not over yet. Now you must get it to the venue. Professional bakers have the equipment to transport three plus, tier cakes across the country; not ideal if you drive a mini
REASON FOR BAKING
Always make sure that you are baking your cake for the right reasons – this should be avoided if it is financially motivated.