EXPERT COLUMN: CAKE DESIGNER
Image: Natasha White Photography
THE HISTORY
BEHIND THE
WEDDING CAKE
Written by Sweet Devotion
It would seem that as a nation of foodies, the
wedding cake is still a wedding highlight.
Over the years, cakes have travelled with the
eras and evolved accordingly; from stunning
towers of opulence, to cardboard cakes made
during wartimes. Here, we take a look at the
history behind the wedding cake.
Since Medieval times, the
wedding cake has been a
sign of fertility for the bride,
and prosperity for the happy
couple. It wasn’t a cake as we
think of it now, but a selection
of baked goods, primarily
made from wheat, along with
pies and breads, which were
traditionally thrown at the
bride.
Advert Credit: Curly Chops Design
Gradually turning to sweeter
bakes, they were stacked as
high as possible with the bride
and groom said to kiss across
the top, trying not to knock the
tiers over! If done successfully,
it was thought to bring oodles
good fortune.
During this period, a French
pastry chef, who was visiting
England, saw this and then
created the Croquembouche;
a base cake with choux pastry
balls piled into a cone shape.
From the mid-17th Century
to early 19th, the rustic bake
evolved and ‘brides pie’ was
commonly served at weddings
– some with hidden glass rings
to give good luck when found
by another woman, indicating
they’d marry next.
In 1703, a baker’s apprentice,
Thomas Rich, created a cake
for his fiancé. He took his
inspiration from the imposing
structure of the nearby
‘St Brides Church’ with its
architectural ‘tiers’.
The 19th century saw the
rise in pure white frosted
cakes, with the purest white
sugar only used by the most
affluent. It was when Queen
Victoria used it for her cake,
that it was renamed ‘Royal
Icing’. Currently making a
comeback, it no longer has
the rock hard finish that was
experienced during the
1960’s – 90’s.
Food rationing during
wartime led to ‘Cardboard
Cakes’, offering the façade
of a traditional looking
cake made from painted
cardboard, yet hidden
beneath was a simple
sponge. Nowadays, to save
costs, some couples choose
to use a ‘dummy cake’ in
a similar manner with a
stunning exterior yet only
1 or 2 tiers are edible. A
perfectly acceptable way to
achieve the look without the
price tag!
Whether you take inspiration
from past eras or add a
modern twist, the cake looks
set to stay part of today’s
celebrations; reflecting the
couple’s personalities and
providing memories for
many generations to come.
www.dottyvintageweddings.co.uk
16
Images: Natasha White Photography
Bringing our cake journey
right up to date, there are
now a plethora of options;
from traditional styles to
modern fun-themed cakes,
and even cheese wedding
cakes! The iced sweetness
now spills out into whole
tables filled with cupcakes,
cookies, giant marshmallows,
homemade lemonades;
adding more grandeur to the
centrepiece cake towering
over them.
Top to Bottom: Croquembouche;
Wedding cake; Sugarpaste Flowers;
Fondant Icing; Giant marshmallows.
Issue 5