finer details | culinary services

Amazing Cakes
Your special day deserves a cake that rises to the occasion.
Wedding cake, that beloved symbolic confection, is a centuries-old wedding custom. Like every enduring wedding tradition, it allows bride, groom and guests to honor the pastand with its sweet appeal, it is emblematic of a happy married life to come. Of course, the design flair of the finest wedding cakes is what takes them beyond dessert and into the realm of art. Todays wedding cakes can be as individual as the couples that choose them. No longer are brides and grooms limited by one flavor (vanilla), one color (white), or one style (round), says Susie Edwards of acclaimed Houston bake shop Susies Cakes & Confections. But such an abundance of options can be overwhelming. Edwards has these words of wisdom for bewildered brides: In the end, there is no wrong answer, because after all, everyone loves cake. Take to heart Edwards advice, and these terrific

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written by lisa kobs ~ cake by maggie austin cake

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tips from renowned cake designers, and youll have your perfect cakeand eat it, too.
Ta s t e T e m p tat i o n

A great wedding cake is more than mere eye candy. Sure, the oohs and aahs are nice, but its important to remember that the flavor on the inside is what will truly make guests mouths water, says Edwards. When it comes to selecting the cakes flavor, I always tell the bride and groom to just pick out what they like, says Jim Smeal, with Charleston, S.C.s Wedding Cakes by Smeal. This is your chance to get what you want. Smeal, who counts Reese Witherspoon and Sanjay Gupta among his bigname clientele, says seasonality guides many couples decisions. Something

light and citrusy is popular in the summer, while carrot cake, hazelnut and pumpkin spice are nice for fall weddings. But his current personal favorite, a six-layer, fresh-grated-coconut cake with thin layers of dark-chocolate ganache running through it is a nice way to get some chocolate in your wedding cake without going overboard. Couples often worry about striking the perfect balance between what they want and what they believe guests expect, says Maggie Austin LaBaugh, artistic director of Washington, D.C.based Maggie Austin Cake. But I find that a well-composed flavor profile has universal appeal. One of my most popular choices this season is a pear cake with blackberry preserves and white-chocolate buttercream. Austin LaBaugh also advises brides to keep

an open mind while at a cake tasting. Milk chocolate with Earl Grey buttercream? Its delicious! What if you simply cant narrow it down to one choice? Different tiers can be different flavors, says Austin LaBaugh. Do you love chocolate but feel that white is expected? Choose double-chocolate cake with hazelnut praline and cappuccino buttercream, and also white-velvet cake with lemon curd and elderflower buttercream. But keep in mind that if you do different flavors on every tier, people will take multiple pieces to try everything they see, cautions Nadine Moon with indemand Houston bakery Who Made the Cake. You may run out of cake quickly.
Fa b u l o u s F r o s t i n g

The expression icing on the cake refers to taking something good, and making it even better. And the right frosting does exactly that for your cake. At the moment, light, airy, melt-in-yourmouth buttercream is preferred by most brides. As Smeal puts it, A really good buttercream can make a cake. Fondant, a silky, sugar-dough icing thats rolled into soft, pliable sheets, has a stunning, porcelain-like finish. But fondant also has a reputation for unpalatable flavor and texture. Moon, however, reports, My brides are always surprised that fondant can taste good. It all goes back to the quality of the product and the bakery. In the hands of a skilled cake master, buttercream can replicate fondants sleek and flawless look. Some design elements, however, cannot be done in buttercream, says Bobbie Taylor with Houstons popular Cake Creations. For her buttercream-loving brides, We can add a small amount of fondant decorations, as long as they are not too heavy, she notes.

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For that cant-get-enough-chocolate girl, theres ganache. This velvety, candy-like icing is a rich blend of chocolate and cream and is as dramatic as it is delicious.
Design Style

The cupcake craze is phasing out, declares Smeal. Wedding cake is returning to its iconic position as a centerpiece of the reception decor. And todays cakes certainly welcome the spotlight. Some of the hottest wedding cake designs echo elements of the brides gown. Wedding dresses offer many creative influences, says Smeal. Were creating a lot of textile-inspired designs, particularly the frills, adds Austin LaBaugh. The organic, delicate nature of these designs is a fantastic fit for both modern and traditional weddings. She also finds pearls to be especially popular. With their luminous shimmer, Pearls are decadent without being overstated. Another trend combines simple, sleek cakes with only one or two highly textured or embellished tiers, adds Moon. They might have a big, bold floral accent or a dramatic, whimsical accent as a focal point. Taylor, too, reports more requests for clean looks, such as a very smooth cake with only a beaded border. She adds that her 2012 brides tend to prefer elegant designs that are not over the top, and though they appreciate a touch of bling, they keep the sparkle to a minimum. Of course theres one naturally beautiful cake adornment that never goes out of style: Fresh flowers on a very simple cake are always beautiful, says Taylor. Brides may still favor classic white for their gowns, but todays cakes are full of color. Bright, vibrant hues and unusual combinations are chic and
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contemporary. Perhaps the most fashion-forward cake color effect is ombr. With this monochromatic scheme, colors shift very gradually from light to dark. Because everyone describes, and views, color a bit differently, Smeal recommends taking color swatches to show your designer. Whatever look you choose, discuss your price range with your baker right from the beginning so they can design the perfect cake to fit your budget, says Moon. Being honest up front will prevent you from falling in love with a design that is way over budget, she advises. And be sure that your vendor is up to the task of crafting the cake you envision. Dont ask a designer to create something thats too far outside their comfort zone, advises Austin LaBaugh. Look at their portfolio carefully to see if they have the technical skills needed to create what you have in mind.
Crowning Touch

More and more couples are opting for cakes that diverge from the traditional, with a focus on the design itself rather than a topper, says Austin LaBaugh. If youre using a topper, its vital to incorporate it into the overall design of the cake so that theres overall cohesion. For modern brides, We are using a lot of monogram cake toppers, says Jessie Lopez of Houston cake boutique Edible Designs by Jessie. But her sentimental types still request traditional toppers or heirloom toppers used by mom and grandma. To refresh these vintage pieces, We retouch them with a dusting of color that makes them look nice and almost new. And theres still room for a bit of humor perched atop your cake. Weve even done penguins, says Moon.
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G o o d Ad v i c e

Because cake shopping is among the most purely pleasurable of weddingplanning tasks, friends and family often want to get in on the yummy fun. But Lopez recommends limiting the number of tasting attendees. With more people youll have more

opinions and its confusing for the bride, she cautions. Youre sure to be eager to let the taste testing begin. But your tasting schedule should follow a logical timeline. Sometimes brides are so excited about their wedding that they go off on tangents too quickly and set up a tasting before

they are actually ready for it, says Smeal. You want to be able to show your wedding cake designer the various elements of your reception. Once youve planned your color palette, and selected your dress, flowers and invitations, your baker can design a cake using these for inspiration. And by choosing your reception location first, you can maximize your cakes visual impact. The cake should seem at home in the venue, advises Austin LaBaugh. Moon recommends picking out the perfect spot for your sweet showpiece. And dont underestimate the importance of lighting. You spend so much time designing the cake, it would be a shame for it to get lost in the room or blend into a corner where people will miss it, she says.

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Keep in mind that heat and humidity can be cruel to a cake. For an outdoor reception, or an indoor event with limited air conditioning, Talk to your baker about what flavors and icing treatments will hold up best, says Moon. Also, indoor cakes should be kept away from

all heat registers and radiators, adds Edwards. However you choose to present your perfect cake, take plenty of photos of your special-day dessert, so that you can savor its sweetness long after the last morsel is happily devoured.

A Sweet Mix
Looking for a way to have your cakeand a few more fabulous special-occasion treats, too? Consider laying out a dazzling dessert buffet or candy table. Brides and grooms can share their personal favorite sweets such as French macaroons, or take it back retro with Whoopie Pies and old-school candies, says MonaLisa Curiel with SWEET Houston. Themes, flavors and colors are limitless. Thats what makes sweets so fun and interesting at weddings for the couple and the guests! For a taste of homeor at least homemadenothing beats good old-fashioned pie. Just picture that perfect pecan or strawberry-rhubarb pie in all its golden-crusted glory, cooling on grandmas kitchen sill. Now shrink that photo down to thumbnail size. Thats exactly what youll get from Austins Tiny Pies, which offers exactly what its name implies: mouthful versions of everyones favorite backyard, churchpicnic, Sunday-supper dessert. We use all-natural ingredients and try to buy fresh from the farm whenever possible, notes Tiny Pies Amanda Wadsworth Bates. One of the great things about serving pie at a wedding is that we can showcase the local and seasonal flavors of the area, she adds. And they look particularly adorable on vintageflavored dessert tables and antique tiered plates too. Curiel reminds brides that sweet treats can also do double-duty as wedding favors. Theyre a tasty way to thank guests for participating in your special day.

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