Years ago, the wedding cake available to most brides and grooms was a plain white cake with buttercream icing. Today, the couple can choose such cake flavors as: vanilla, chocolate, marble, almond, walnut, pecan, coconut, red velvet, spice, pumpkin, apple, pistachio and lemon poppyseed. Choices for the filling, or mousse, are even more elaborate: vanilla, chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry orange, lemon, mango, coffee, cappuccino, coconut, and Irish Crème.
The filling in the cake may be buttercream, ganache (a rich chocolate filling made with butter, chocolate and heavy cream), or mousse (a light filling made by mixing whipped cream into a flavored “base.”) Flavored syrups can be added to any cake, and these include: lemon, orange, raspberry, anisette, coffee and rum. Fresh fruit, fruit preserves, lemon or lime curd, and nuts may be added to embellish the flavors.
Many cakes are available gluten-free which means that they do not contain the protein, gluten, that is found in many flours such as wheat. Other common food allergies to consider are milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts such as walnuts. If the bride and groom have their heart set on a cake with peanut butter mousse, perhaps a small white layer cake could be decorated and served as an alternative to sensitive guests. For the couple with ethical concerns, most of the flavors can be made Vegan, and are made without any dairy or animal products.
Many bakeries like to experiment with new flavors and are open to suggestions. Perhaps the bride and groom would love a mint-flavored ganache and chocolate mousse to give their cake a Cream De Mint flavor. Or maybe they would like a sponge cake (genoise) soaked with rum and filled with chocolate custard. The possibilities are endless, and a good baker will take the time to make sure the bride and groom have the best ingredients and finest flavors available today.
Kathleen Terrana is the owner of
Beautiful Bridal specializing in discount tiaras, veils and bridal jewelry.
