It is said to take between 200 to 300 hours to plan a wedding.
Booking a venue, choosing a gown and navigating family politics take an overwhelming amount of time and energy - all in the name of love. A key part of wedding prep is of course the catering, with the star of the menu being none other than the wedding cake.
There are few things in life as joyous as cake, let alone one that marks the union of two people. Wedding cakes are not only edible showstoppers, but an expression of the happy couple’s personal taste. Some opt for classic cream-coloured tiers, while others prefer nature-inspired bakes featuring sprawling spring blooms. Many have even started to reject the concept of a classic wedding cake altogether, instead inviting macaron towers, doughnuts and chocolate fountains to take the stand.
The wedding cake has been a core part of the wedding ceremony since the time of ancient Greek and Roman civilisations. Barley bread was broken over the bride’s head to represent good luck and fertility, symbolising her submission to her husband as a result. Red flag, we know.
The iconic layered structure came about in the Middle Ages when cakes were highly stacked and again used to symbolise fertility. The Brits took their superstitions one step further, throwing handfuls of cake at the bride to improve her chances of bearing a child in what can only be described as the original cake smash.
The 17th century rolled around and luckily this questionable tradition of carb-lobbing petered out. Sugar became more affordable and white icing began being incorporated into wedding cake designs to represent the bride's virginity. Quelle surprise.
Like fashions of the time, the extravagance of a wedding cake came to symbolise the affluence of the couple and their families. Decadent designs nodded to social status, with tiers and colouring helping to do so.
In essence, wedding cake was a conveyor of gender and social roles. Today, they are mostly rid of such antiquated connotations, instead acting as a beautiful centrepiece and tasty treat for all to enjoy after the ceremony.
Thanks to social media, wedding cake inspiration has never been so readily available. Wedding cakes are a focal point of pop culture followers. From newly-wed Joey King’s five-tier dulce de leche and banana bonanza to Camille Cherriere’s fabulously frosted St Honoré dessert piece, there are countless gateaux to add to our mood boards.
It goes without saying that royal wedding cakes never fail to whip up a frenzy. This makes perfect sense, considering that royal wedding cakes require their own subsection in the history books of baked goods.
Upon her marriage to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria served up a royal icing cake, the earliest known all-white rendition that mirrors the still popular style. The cake was reimagined by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their 2018 royal wedding, when the bride opted for a lemon elderflower cake made by Violet Cakes, a Californian-style bakery based in East London. The confection was made with Amalfi lemons and elderflower syrup sourced from the late Queen Elizabeth II's Sandringham estate and was a departure from the traditional royal fruit cake. The choice sparked controversy among royal followers, once again proving the significance of wedding cake.
Today’s age of trend-mania champions creative wedding cake constructions. Bakers such as The Pink Cooker and Em Cakes are dominating the sweet scene, producing vintage cake displays dripping in kitschy iced frills, glace cherries and piped pastel colourways. Artisan cheese cakes (not cheesecakes) have boomed in popularity, appealing to savoury lovers, while extravagant couture designs appease the maximalists among us.
Read on to discover the best wedding cake inspiration, from whimsical wonders to charming classics, to celebrate your big day in style.
Shop now
Best Champagne brands to shop in 2023 for all your celebrations
Best cocktail dresses for party season 23/24
Best wedding favour ideas from the sublime to the quirky
Best wedding guest dresses: The stylish wedding guest dresses and outfits to shop now
Best bridal shapewear to go with every type of wedding dress
Best plus size wedding dresses that will flatter your figure
Cutter & Squidge
Go back to basics with Cutter & Squidge’s naked wedding cake. The ethereal design is made to order by the brand’s expert cake makers and showcases vibrant purple blooms set against a creamy facade. Choose from six sumptuous flavours plus your preferred colour and have the piece delivered to your venue door.
Fabulous flavours include Eton mess, lemon, raspberry and double chocolate salted caramel to name a few.
Buy now £589.99, Cutter & Squidge
The Pink Cooker Wedding Cakes
With over 100,000 Instagram followers to prove her popularity, The Pink Cooker, aka Arevik, is a name to know. A quick flick through the brand’s feed will result in a wave of candyfloss-coloured, tiered cakes boasting frills galore. These treats are the perfect visual delight for weddings and parties, never failing to make for a stellar social media moment.
To inquire, message via The Pink Cooker Instagram page. Collect from Chelsea or arrange delivery via a courier which operates within 30 miles of South West London.
Price upon request.
Buy now, The Pink Cooker
Fudge Kitchen Fudge Wedding Cake
Cake can be a messy option, so why not opt for faff-less fudge? This tiered platter is a no-fuss choice which can be personalised as you wish. Pick from a myriad of flavours, spanning dark chocolate and sea salt, raspberries and cream and lemon drizzle (vegan options included) and curate your ceremonial dessert of dreams.
Buy now £145.00, NOTHS
Quicke’s Sherwood Park Celebration Cheese Cake
A new take on cheesecake has arrived, and it is literal cheese cake. One for savoury-over-sweet foodies, this dairy feast is bound to dazzle guests. The cake is created using handmade products from the Quicke’s Estate and will serve up to 170 guests. Six generous cheese tiers blend notes of oak smoked cheddar, wild garlic yarg and stilton among many other flavours.
Place your order at least two weeks before the big day (advanced 12-month options are available at checkout) and serve up with a delectable array of chutneys, figs and fruit.
Buy now £245.00, Quicke’s
Crosstown Doughnut Cake Tower
Crosstown’s Doughnut Cake Tower takes little convincing to consider. Allow guests to take their sweet treats home with a tiered tower available in three, five or seven-tier options. Choose from the brand’s premium range of traditional or vegan doughnuts and adorn them with coordinating flowers to match your venue.
Buy now £76.00, Crosstown
GC Couture Cake Eggs
Recreate the decadence of Tsarist Russia with a handful of bejewelled bakes. These fabergé-style eggs are opulent eye-catchers and come in an assortment of delicate colourways. Enhance your Rococo wedding theme with these extraordinary cakes, which are available to deliver within 15 miles of Mayfair.
Buy now £90.00, GC Couture
Em Cakes Roses Garden Tiered Vintage Cake
Indulge in some fairy magic with Em Cakes’ rose garden cake in tow. The vintage-inspired confection exudes princess perfection, courtesy of a pretty pastel colour scheme, beautiful piped buttercream florals and pearl detailing. Select from flavours such as lemon raspberry, red velvet and vanilla and allow guests to marvel at the magical feast.
Buy now £135.00, Em Cakes
Caffe Concerto Rose Bud Wedding Cake
Stop and smell the iced roses with Caffe Concerto’s fairytale floral wedding cake. The pretty pink centrepiece is peppered with magenta petals and smothered with blossom pink frosting. Various fillings, creams and jams can be arranged for this cake, from chocolate to vanilla to classic carrot and more. Ideal for intimate spring weddings, the cake will feed 40 sugar-starved guests.
Buy now £195.00, Caffe Concerto
Fruity Gift Watermelon Fruit Cake
Health nuts will love this watermelon cake, which would suit sun-drenched summer weddings and beach bashes alike. Delicious and nutritious, the ‘cake’ features thirst-quenching qualities that make for a light bite. Note the berries that dramatically spiral around the watermelon base, adding an extra layer of natural sweetness to the refreshing delight.
Buy now £99.95, Fruity Gift
