Today I started what I am calling Operation Wedding Cake. Many a person asks me to make them a wedding cake. I laugh. They look puzzled. I tell them I can’t decorate a cake. They don’t believe me. I then ask them if they have ever eaten a layer cake that I have made. And no one can really say that they have. Because I don’t make them often and if I do it’s never full size. I can’t frost. I can frost cupcakes just fine because there is a piping bag to help. But cake. Cake is my nemesis.
I feel so bad about the fact that I can’t help people out (and I hate disappointing people) so I decide to start Operation Wedding Cake. I have zero desire to go into the wedding cake world. But I would love to help my friends out who are on a tight budget and ask me to make a cake for them. So I am giving myself a year to practice cakes.
The first thing I learned is that I need proper tools which I don’t have. I needed cake rounds and I didn’t have those just a square plate which was hard to frost on. I need a pedestal that turns. I didn’t have that. I also need a frosting comb. All of these things are on their way to me. I just didn’t have them today and I was dead set on making a cake today as it was cool.
I realize that this looks nothing like a wedding cake. I made it like this in honor of the site it comes from Sprinkle Bakes. I was fortunate enough to get her cookbook SprinkleBakes: Dessert Recipes to Inspire Your Inner Artist
I like this cake. It was dense enough to be sturdy for layering and yet light enough to be good texture. And well you can never go wrong with buttercream.
And yes for those of you saying why on Earth are you making a layer cake from scratch when you should be packing…because I should be packing. Avoidance is my friend. Until of course 3 days before I move and really freak out. 😀
I used her exact recipe so I will simply link you to the recipe on her site. The only thing I obviously didn’t do is add the pocky.
Rodzilla says
I kind of like the idea of you just giving them really amateur looking cakes. It’s funny and personal
It’s the thought and taste that really count, right?
LeeH says
I completely agree with Rodzilla.
There’s not much that’s more disappointing than finally getting a piece of a fabulous looking, stunning wedding cake and find it tastes like crap. People will remember how it tasted, not how it looked.
You can easily learn some simple techniques for making a simple cake look elegant, and if it tastes great.. even better. Go for it!!
Erin @ Lemon Sugar says
I think this is LOVELY! I’ve been working on cakes lately too, and it’s much harder than I think it should be! 🙂 Can’t wait to see what you come up with, because I’m pretty convinced that you can do anything you put your mind to. 😉
Ellen says
I never understood the allure of wedding cakes in the first place. I would pick any dessert you have ever posted on here before I chose a towering column of white fondant to be served at my wedding. Should I ever find a man interested in marrying me, I fully intend to serve creme brulee at my wedding.
Martha says
When in doubt ( or in denial, or in a pickle, or need to do something you don’t want to do)Bake!
In re: Wedding Cakes, why not start a trend of the under-decorated cake? In my opinion, there are plenty of beautiful, eye-candy cakes, creating oohs-and aahs, but they don’t taste nearly as good as they look. Why not offer a great cake that is attractively but not outlandishly decorated, and that tastes good (what a concept!!) so the bride and groom don’t have to offer a dessert alternative? It doesn’t even have to be multi-layered, as long as it is worth eating. Just my opinion
Joy says
I took the Wilton cake decorating course at ac Moore. It was fun, but I realized I’d have to bake the cakes to decorate THAT was my problem
jacquie says
oh i so agree w/ what a couple of the other commenters said – why does have a wedding cake = something that is overly decorated? and typically doesn’t taste good either. why can’t it be simple and taste good? and if you want to “decorate” it a bit perhaps some flowers or something a long those lines? and i’m a little surprised that you are – the seeming non-conformist that you are – are thinking that a wedding cake needs to be XYandZ. (please do not take offense at the last sentence – as i mean it in a nice way)
katie says
If you would like to learn how to frost, decorate, cover a cake in fondant, and make gorgeous flowers for cakes in general, you need to sign up for a Wilton cake decorating class. http://www.wilton.com/classes/local_classes.cfm They are offered at Micheal’s, hobby lobby, Jo Ann and other stores. i took all 4 courses and a tiered cake class. I enjoyed all of them.
Erin says
I love wedding cakes that are over-the-top decorated. Sprinkles are all I need! But I also suck at decorating cakes. I only recently posted a mini layer cake I made just to try out Wilton’s cake frosting tools. You should check those out, they helped me a lot.
Becca - cookie jar treats says
I’m not sure wether to smile or cry. Smile because your cake looks fantastic and it’s so nice of you to try and help your friends out. Cry because I’m also trying to learn how to do layer cakes and mine done even look like this pretty pink cake. So I guess I’ll just laugh. Haha. 😛
P.S. I love the little playhouse toppers. They’re really cute! <3
Melinda says
Fancy cake decorating is over-rated. I like cakes that taste good. But if anyone can achieve both, I am sure you will do it. With bags full!
Melinda says
Say Peabody, I am sure you can figure out a way to do caramel shaped roses! Cool.
jeri says
I got a lot of flack from people when I had a chocolate wedding cake but it was my wedding and I like chocolate cake. But those same people ate it all up.
Annamaria @ bakewelljunction says
This cake is adorable.
I agree with the other comments. I’ve seen so many beautiful wedding cakes that taste like cardboard.
Karen says
Wedding cakes don’t need to be complete cakes – I have seen some great cupcake displays. That being said, I look forward to following your progress!
Tim says
Don’t underestimate the power of a few different sizes of offset spatulas. And here’s a tip, keep them in a pitcher of very hot water, quickly dry it with a towel and use it while still warm to smooth out buttercream. Works especially well on swiss and italian meringue buttercreams. Good luck!
Alyssa says
long time reader, 1st time commenter! I got married last year and made my own wedding cake. My whole idea was the cakes (I made 5 2-tiered cakes) might not be the most beautiful – but they were going to taste damn good. And they did. It was a poppy seed cake with a lemon glaze and fresh berries. They turned out fantastic:
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/389463_575078550955_2127074849_n.jpg
not a “traditional” wedding cake – but it meant so much more.
Peabody says
@Alyssa- that cake is lovely!
Maureen says
I baked a wedding cake for a friend once – surprised her with it because she was on a low budget and had not planned on having one. It was a simple yellow cake with white italian meringue frosting. I used Grand Marnier for flavoring instead of vanilla. Topped it with fresh flowers. The cake disappeared down to the last crumb. Professional cakes are now baked weeks in advance, frozen, frosted the week before the wedding and put in the fridge for the great day. I know someone who uses cake mixes for the wedding cakes and gets paid big money. They taste awful. Have as your base one good yellow, one chocolate, a carrot cake. Have several fillings and 2-3 good frostings and work around that. Some good sources for inspiration and recipes are Martha Stewart and Rose Levy Beranbaum. The most important piece of information – either you deliver the cake or the bride herself comes and picks it up – trust no one else. Also – never, never use a whipped cream frosting during the hot summer months.
Bebe says
I love a personal cake vs one that is oddly perfect – not that I’d turn one down but ya know what I mean…..Gorgeous looking cake, love the pink!
Baking Soda says
I tried my hand on a mini 3-layer wedding cake once… It’s a good thing they were very good friends and already married for 25 years. Need I say more?
Pink is not me but carry on girl, you’ll make it happen!