Linda Austin's Cakes

Cake Traditions

Sometimes we love traditions, and sometimes we love to give them a twist! Here are a few cake customs to consider:

The Wedding Cake:

Evolving from wheat bread loaves broken over the bride's head to a pile of small sweetened cakes to stacked fruitcakes to today's diversely decorated desserts, the wedding cake is a deliciously long-running part of the marriage celebration. Anciant Romans crumbled bread over the bride to wish her long life and a large family. In the Middle Ages guests would bring small cakes to stack in a pile and the couple would try to kiss over top of the cakes. Doing so would allegedly ensure a prosperous life. A European baker forgotten by history had the idea to frost the cakes over with icing and the modern wedding cake was well on it's way to creation. In the Victorian era, hard white"royal" icing formed elaborate decorations that created a fashion which continues today. Various countries and regions have different traditional flavors and icings, but modern cakes can be any flavor, shape, color, or style!

The Groom's Cake:

During the 1860's, the customary white wedding cake (often a rich pound cake) became known as the bride's cake, while an additional dark fruitcake was the groom's cake. It was the groom's cake that was boxed for single wedding guests to take home and slip under their pillow - to dream of their future mate. For single women, these "dream cakes" were wrapped with strips of paper bearing the names of unmarried men. Today the groom's cake may be cut and boxed for the guests, or may be served alongside the wedding cake to offer an additional flavor choice. Many choose to have the groom's cake before the wedding - as the dessert at the rehearsal dinner or bachelor party.

The groom's cake is a popular tradition, especially in the american south, where a second cake is also served at the reception (remember the armadillo cake from the movie "Steel Magnolias"?)

The groom can decide on the flavor, shape, and decorations. Have some fun personalizing the cake, there's no such thing as a ‘typical' groom's cake! Many are shapes symbolic of hobbies, pastimes, or careers - a sailboat, golf course, sports car, or gavel.

To salute heritage, choose a shamrock cake laced with an Irish liqueur. Restoring a home? Design a gingerbread-house cake. Commemorate the place you met, or where you proposed. To announce a surprise honeymoon destination: top a groom's cake with a chocolate Eiffel Tower. Any design you can dream up is possible!

Cutting the cake:

You should cut the cake just before dessert at a luncheon or dinner reception and just after guests have been greeted at a tea or cocktail reception. Don't wait til the last minute or some guests may leave without having a slice!

The tradition goes that the bride and groom each cut a small piece from back bottom tier of the cake, and feed it to each other (neatly or not... you may want to decide that ahead of time!)

But then what?

Usually the cake will be taken into the kitchen ares to be cut and served, however this isn't always possible. The caterer or reception site will generally have someone experienced on hand to cut the cake, but if not we will be happy to provide instructions for you. The secret is cutting each tier into concentric circles about 2" wide, then cutting those rings into 1 1/2" pieces. It's not as complicated as it sounds! For party cakes, cut slightly larger pieces, having a rectangular or square sheet cake makes figuring where to cut a bit easier.

For cutting fondant-covered cakes we recommend using a serrated knife to achieve neater slices.

Decorating the cake plates with fruit puree, fresh strawberries or raspberries, or a little swirl of chocolate sauce is an elegant and delicious touch!

Saving cake for your first anniversary:

Some couples like to follow the tradition of saving the top tier of their wedding cake to eat on their first anniversary.

After the flowers, cake topper and any other non-edible decorations have been removed, wrap the cake snugly in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Replace in its box and wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag. The layers should prevent flavor contamination. Store at a constant temperature in the freezer (if it thaws due to power outtage, etc, eat the cake, don't refreeze). Check every now and then to make sure the wrapping is intact.

Before serving allow the cake to return to room temperature.

Another option is to order another cake for the anniversary, identical or similar to the top tier of the wedding cake. Some couples order one for every anniversary as a delicious way to bring back wedding memories.

If you are planning on saving the top tier, we will not count it when deciding how many servings are needed to feed your guests.