Sunday, September 11, 2011

Wedding Cake Trends 2011

Do you know what the most stylish wedding cakes will look like this year? Are cupcakes still in? Is fondant still king? Here is everything you need to know about 2010 wedding cake trends.

A new simplicity is ruling the bakeries this year. Overly ornate and precious cakes are taking a backseat to those which are simple, elegant, and above all, delicious. After seasons as the hot wedding trend, brides are finally cooling towards cupcakes, and instead opting for a real wedding cake, usually with three tiers. Very elaborate frosting made to mimic the wedding gown and bridal jewelry is less popular than frosting which looks like...well, frosting.

Speaking of frosting, move over fondant, buttercream is back! Now this is not to say that the smooth texture of fondant is totally out of style for 2010, but with simpler cakes, there has been a definite shift back towards traditional buttercream frosting. One reason for the renewed interest in buttercream is that it looks more like icing, as opposed to the almost plastic-looking artificial effect of perfectly smooth fondant. (I once attended a wedding where a young boy simply could not be convinced that a fondant covered cake was anything but a plastic fake!) The best thing about buttercream, though, is its flavor. It just tastes delicious, which is something that no one has ever claimed about fondant.

Since delicious is a big cake trend this year, that surely means that chocolate wedding cakes will be popular, right? Right! No longer reserved for the groom's cake, rich dark chocolate has made its way to center stage on the main wedding cake. It is being used in elegant cake designs which feature architectural detailing, fresh flower accents, and a swanky use of ribbons. If you are in love with the idea of a crystal monogram to coordinate with your bridal jewelry, have it made as a flat plaque which is on the side of a tier instead of a big fanciful cake topper. Chocolate cakes are one wedding trend which your guests are guaranteed to love!

Streamlined geometric wedding cakes are also in style for 2010. A three or four tier cake with square layers will look chic this year. Motifs with clean lines suit this modern cake design, as do bands of horizontal stripes. Emphasize a minimalist chic by keeping the cake itself pure white. Festive touches of color in the motif will keep the cake from looking too plain. Symmetry is also in, by the way, so stack those square tiers with the same orientation; none of that topsy-turvy stuff that was popular a couple of years ago. The Dr. Suess look is definitely out this year.

They say that three is a magic number, and that is true for wedding cakes in 2010. A pretty way to make a statement with a simple cake is by making it in multiple. Make one medium sized cake with several tiers as the centerpiece, and then flank it with two matching mini-cakes, one on each side. This is a great idea for brides who want to keep the design of their cakes clean and modern, yet want to have a cake display with some "oomph".