By Lei Lydle, Founder and Editor Last Updated: 12/28/2005 12:06:29 AM

No wedding can be without the wedding cake - it is essential!!!

Traditional Cakes

As I am sure you are aware, traditionally, the wedding cake is usually a white round or square tiered or stacked cake with very elaborate white icing. Many wedding cakes are decorated with pastel iced flowers, real flowers, and/or plastic dolls. (I suggest topping the cake with flowers instead of plastic bride and groom dolls - hopefully this trend is out of style for good!!)

Modern Cake Designs

Visit a few bakers in town and you will find that wedding cakes these days are actually designed by highly trained "cake designers". The cakes are very elaborate and most cakes are something other than vanilla flavored. Buttercream and cheesecake are very popular - and so are the many variations of chocolate out there. In addition, many cakes are filled with fruits, custards and mousses. Yummy!

The icing on wedding cakes can also be very different and creative. Plain white and pastel icing doesn't satisfy most brides. Many choose to have the icing coordinate with their wedding colors.

As for today's cake designs - it seems that anything goes. Stacked cakes still seem to be the way to go but the designs are quite creative. I've seen cakes that were shaped like stacked gifts, stacked hat boxes, stacked cupcakes - you name it! Basketweave cakes come in and out of style but it seems to be a wedding cake design staple.

Cake Display

The wedding cake should be displayed on its own table where it can be admired by all of the guests. (Make sure that it is displayed in a pretty area of the reception hall because you will have several pictures made near it.) Some brides choose to have the cake as the centerpiece for the buffet table, but I think that the cake should have its own table.

Anyway, don't let the decor of the cake table slip. Make sure that the cake table has a tablecloth that matches the other tablecloths and that the cake is properly displayed on a silver cake base.

Comments (25)

Submit Comments...

Posted by: CJesri from Wichita, KS on 12/27/2005 3:58:11 PM

This is for Trish in Australia, you can go to yahoo.com and type in 'heart shape cupcake pan' and you will come up with several places to find them amazon.com happens to be one and there is a link that tells you in a recipe how to make one by using a regular pan without having to cut it out. Hope this helps and if you need anything else let me know. cjesri@yahoo.com Wedding Date: 1/9/93

Posted by: mark from united kingdom on 9/15/2005 8:09:37 PM

if anyone is looking for the most unusual and elegant 7 tier cake and cupcake stands then we bought ours from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/displaydesigns they have the only place we could find heart shaped Wedding Date: last week

Posted by: Trish from Australia on 9/13/2005 6:59:15 AM

I was wondering if anyone knows where you could get heart shaped cupcakes, we are looking to do a 3 different cakes, choc - vanilla - fruit cake on seperate tiers, but we are unable to find any tins in a heart shape, quite annoying really and I dont want to cut them out all individually. Wedding Date: undecided

Posted by: Penni from NC on 8/10/2005 7:40:46 PM

for pictures of wedding cupcakes go to: http://www.geocities.com/weddingbeach/cupcake.html

Posted by: CathyJ from SF,CA on 7/2/2005 3:57:52 PM

Response re:16" crystal or glass pedestal cake plate: Since most don't come that large, do what the caterers (like me) do: find a 16" crystal or glass plate and attach it securely to a smaller glass or crystal pedestal, or support the plate with 4 or 5 inverted glasses for display and bride/groom peice cutting. Lift the plate off and set on table when it's to be cut up for guests. The cake will come on a cardboard/doily combination which sits on top of the plate, and will keep the connection (or lack of it) covered.

Posted by: brenda from ohio on 6/28/2005 12:16:11 PM

Help--- I'm looking for a 16 inch crystal or glass pedastal cake stand. Any ideas? Wedding Date: sept 17, 2005

Posted by: Kathi from Raleigh, NC on 4/26/2005 3:48:31 PM

We are looking for the Wilton Garden Cake stand that someone is willing to part with for less than the asking price. And if you have the separate individual cake stand we'd be interested too! Thanks. Email clsrwlk@hotmail.com Wedding Date: 06/24/05

Posted by: Lynne from Napa, Calif on 4/24/2005 10:54:40 PM

We are looking for a 14" square pedestal cake plate for our daughter's wedding. Marthar S had one in her magazine. They have not answered our e-mails. Any suggestions as to finding one would be appreciated. Please send message to Kawayo@aol.com THank you, L Wedding Date: June

Posted by: EMMA from MOJAVE on 4/14/2005 3:34:21 PM

CUP CAKE TREES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH EBAY, LOTS OF THEM!!!!!

Posted by: EMMA from MOJAVE on 4/14/2005 3:34:05 PM

CUP CAKE TREES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH EBAY, LOTS OF THEM!!!!!

Posted by: Donna from Millersport Ohio on 3/26/2005 7:17:20 PM

My son and his fiance' are looking for a "tree type" cake stand which would hold 10 round cakes. They saw a picture of one at the florist shop but the florist doesn't know where it came from. They want my father-in-law to make one but he needs the plans. Do you know where we could find a stand like that or plans to make one? Thanks. Wedding Date: September 17, 2005

Posted by: Lei Lydle, Editor from on 8/4/2004 7:20:20 PM

Thanks Cheryl :-)

Posted by: Cheryl from Atlanta, GA on 8/4/2004 5:45:08 PM

Lei you are the best! Thanks for the information and this wonderful site! Wedding Date: 10/23/2004

Posted by: Lei Lydle, Editor from on 8/4/2004 5:18:23 PM

I found the cake stands with ribbons...click here! ~ Lei

Posted by: Lei Lydle, Editor from on 8/4/2004 5:04:47 PM

Hi Ladies, Those cupcake wedding cake photos are just random photos that I found on the Internet. I don't know who owns those photos or where to purchase those specific tiers. I am trying to find some businesses to work with on this specific item because it is so popular right now but as yet have had no luck. In the industry these are referred to as "cupcake trees" and there is one site, Cupcaketree.com, that sells cupcake tree stands and I am looking for others. If you contact them, please tell them you found them through this site. Maybe they will want to work with us! Good luck! ~ Lei

Posted by: Lori from Chicago, Illinois on 8/4/2004 4:53:40 PM

Where would I get the tiers for the cupcake wedding cake? You should post the results somewhere on your sit. Wedding Date: 10/15/04

Posted by: sara from Hampton, NJ on 7/27/2004 7:08:10 PM

Where can I find the 3-tier cupcake holder that accepts the ribbon in its tiers? I am making a wedding cake for my siter-in-law and would love to use that display. Please respond ASAP. Thank you. Wedding Date: 09/18/04

Posted by: karen from Boston, ma on 7/22/2004 11:51:49 AM

I love the 3 tier cupcake dishes. Where can i find them? Wedding Date: 8/21/04

Posted by: lk from Edmonton AB on 7/21/2004 5:35:18 PM

I'd also like to know where I can buy the 3 tiered cake plates with the green ribbon. Wedding Date: 8/14/04

Posted by: loulou from jamaica on 5/18/2004

Would like to know where i can get wedding cake stands to purchase Wedding Date: april 2005

Posted by: Erin from Winnipeg on 3/16/2004

I was just wondering where you got those tiers for your Cupcake Wedding Cake. I really like them with the ribbon woven into the tiers. If you could respond to me, that would be great. Thanks Erin Wedding Date: 05/22/04

Posted by: Lauren from Edmonton, AB on 3/9/2004

I am also looking for pictures of the "cupcake" wedding cake. I have heard so much about these cakes but I cannot find one anywhere. Can you recomend a site that would have some pics?? lauren_dinney@hotmail.com Wedding Date: 05/22/2004

Posted by: Lei Lydle, Editor from this Site on 3/9/2004

Here are a few links to cupcake cakes: Cupcake Wedding Cake Heart Cupcake Cake Cupcake Tower Cake

Posted by: Sabrina from Bloomingdale on 1/28/2004

i need ideas for everything involved with planning a wedding! Wedding Date: 8/28/05

Posted by: Nancy Lanham from Waco, TX. 76712 on 1/3/2004

My daughter Ryann is getting married on 4/3/2004. We are having it at the family ranch. I saw a picture in Style magazine of a cupcake wedding cake which I thought would go perfect with the theme "Cowboy Chique". I have yet to find a picure of a "cupcake" wedding cake. Please help me, so I can show my daughter Ryann and her fiance, Corey. Thank you, Nancy Lanham clanham@hot.rr.com Wedding Date: 4/3/2004