Your wedding cake is more than a sweet treat to round off your wedding breakfast. Whether you’re leaning towards classic elegance or modern design, organic style or beachside vibes, a well-chosen wedding cake will encapsulate the style of your wedding – and delight your guests to boot! So make your wedding cake a standalone feature of the day and give it the attention and love it deserves!
We’ve rounded up the latest trends and flavours, as well how to style it, so your sweet centrepiece is (almost) too good to eat.
BOTANICAL BEAUTY
Ausel Cakes Pink Wave Photography
Craftycakehole Amanda Curd Photography
Weddings are bursting with an abundance of foliage, plants and natural motifs – take the trend to your cake with a carnival of greenery and fresh-from-the-hedgerow details. “I'm seeing a lot of couples going down the botanical route for decoration,” says Debbie Carvey of Red Robin Pantry (redrobinpantry.co.uk). You might consider an all-over leaf pattern, a hint of green detailing, an intricate fern design or perhaps work in some pressed flowers for a gorgeous splash of colour.
White Peony Cake Co. Scarlett Photography
Peboryon Jeff Oliver Photography
OMBRÉ EFFECT
Red Robin Pantry
Wedding world’s love for ombré wedding cakes is going nowhere. Not only does the subtle colour progression look as romantic as it does stylish, it works beautifully with a range of wedding styles, from rustic tiers atop a log stand to luxurious multi-tiered confections and petite elopement cakes. Consider pairing the trend with fresh or dried blooms, watercolours or oceanic touches for a so-striking centrepiece.
Craftycakehole Emma Barrow Photography
FRESH FRUIT
Oona's Cake Verity Westcott Photography
Bring in an element of the season by incorporating fresh fruit, perhaps combined with flowers, to create a laidback, organic feel. An abundance of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries sing of summer, while passionfruit and pomegranate lend an exotic vibe. We love a glorious blend of fresh figs and dried flowers for an autumn wedding.
Red Robin Pantry Moon Gazey Hare
GO FOR GOLD
Craftycakehole Lyra & Moth
Gold is stealing the show when it comes to wedding cakes, adding a touch of dazzle to designs. Whether you opt for gold leaf detailing, an all-over glimmer or gold-sprayed flowers or ribbons, this incredibly versatile trend will bring a luxe, modern touch.
FLOWER POWER
Red Robin Pantry
There’s nothing quite like a carnival of flowers for taking a cake to the next level. Use blooms to bring colour, texture and height, whether it’s a minimalist cake adorned with crisp white roses or an all-colour affair. From fresh flowers to intricately crafted sugar creations or dried flowers – perfect for bringing a boho-luxe vibe – there’s a world of fabulous floral choice.
Craftycakehole Moon Gazey Hare
GET CREATIVE 
Craftycakehole Mollie McAusland
It’s a once in a lifetime cake, so don’t be afraid to be creative. “Every couple I work with is unique, so why should your cake be any different?” agrees Gemma Thomas from White Peony Cake Co. (whitepeonycakes.co.uk). “Don't be afraid to be a little ‘out there’. Let's push the boundaries and make something really special!”
From floating tiers to bright hues and meaningful accents, think about the designs or details you love and speak to your cake designer about what is possible. “I've had some creative requests this season, including a cake where the couple wanted a frog, toadstools and English country garden flowers,” says Michele Farrow at Craftycakehole (craftycakehole.co.uk).
MORE THAN A CAKE
Red Robin Pantry Olivia Rossi
Claire Arscott Cake Design Jennifer Jane Photography
Think beyond a single cake and consider wowing your guests with a dessert station, with the cake at the centre of the deliciousness. From a creative display inspired by the season or your favourite treats – from macarons, marshmallows and meringues to biscuits and cupcakes – dessert stations are a great way to inject personality into your day. If you’re having a small wedding, don’t feel you have to serve lots of options which might go to waste – cupcakes or dipped strawberries are a simple way to elevate your sweet table.
Peboryon Danielle Veitch Photography
FULL-ON FLAVOURS
Gone are the days of a fruit cake or a Victoria sponge (as delicious as they are); these days one particular fruit is bang on-trend! “Passionfruit curd is a winner on my flavour list,” says Michele, who pairs it with three sponges of vanilla, coconut and white chocolate.
“Popular flavours include passion cake with passionfruit coulis and coconut Italian meringue buttercream, which is a bit like a carrot cake, but with pineapple and banana,” says Debbie. “Madeira with lemon and blueberry curd, and raspberry, pistachio and white chocolate are always popular too.” Also hitting big in the trend stakes is lemon and elderflower – which was Meghan and Harry's cake flavour in 2018, proving some trends stick around for a while! We also love the idea of drawing inspiration from childhood memories or family favourites for your flavours.
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STYLE IT OUT
Sophie Walker from The Little Details by Sophie and Gemma Thomas from White Peony Cake Co. share their styling tips to help you elevate your cake to top tier…
Show it off. Don’t put the most expensive cake you’re ever likely to buy in the corner. Make it a feature, make it stand out and show off the best cake you will ever spend your money on.
Consider your cake stand. Think about what your cake is going to sit on. Is your cake a simple petite cake that would benefit from a tall stand? Or perhaps your cake has a gold leaf finish and a matching gold stand would set it off perfectly? Don't be afraid to ask your cake designer for advice.
Wait until the sun is done. Don’t put your cake in the window! As beautiful as it may look with the scenery behind it, cakes are made from butter, and butter and sunshine don't get on!"
Peboryon Norsworthy Photography
Get creative. Do you need a table? Cakes can be displayed in weird and wonderful places – why don’t you use a dressing table, piano, bookshelf or ladder? "
Stand out styling. Don’t leave your cake table empty; for example, if your cake is white, add dark green candles. Flowers around your cake can look incredible or opt for a hanging installation above the cake to draw focus to it. Fill it with textures, arrange different fabrics around it, add a funky tablecloth or fill it with a variety of candles and candlesticks.
Style is key. If you want your cake table to look as amazing as your cake (that has been lovingly designed, baked and decorated), then hire a stylist. It totally changes from ‘a cake on a table’ to an incredible centrepiece!"
Snap away. Make sure your photographer gets lots of photos of the cake before you cut it – faraway photos, close-up photos, detail photos… everything! Your wedding day is over in a blink of an eye, so it's hard to remember every tiny detail.
White Peony Cake Co. Oliver Harris Photography
Main image Peboryon Kathryn Clarke McLeod
words Lucy Higgins
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