Making your own wedding cake?

Question

I just asked about small cakes and someone suggested making the cake. I've thought about this and am OK when it comes to baking (I'm more into cooking). But I also know that it won't be the fantasy that's in my head. Has anyone made their own cakes and you really felt it was beautiful? Are books helpful? Thank you!

Answer 1

I would never consider or recommend doing that. You will have so much other stuff going on that you won't have time, desire or patience to make your cake as well. Since you mentioned you're only 'ok' at baking and it sounds like you're not confident in your skills, that's another reason to leave it to the professionals.

Something that was not mentioned at all is that most states have food safety laws which are enforced by the health dept which strictly forbid homemade food being brought in anywhere. If the wedding is held in your backyard or at a local park, then you'll be fine but otherwise it's not worth the risk in that dept.

You can find recommendations for good & reasonable vendors at the local boards at http://talk.theknot.com

Answer 2

I didn't make our wedding cake, but we didn't tell the bakery it was for a wedding, so we only got charged $90 instead of the $300 it was running for a "wedding" cake. I hate how vendors jack the price as soon as they hear that word "wedding." OK, so I cheated!

I have made other cakes that have come out beautifully. Since this one has to be "perfect" get a couple of mixes. Don't try it from scratch. Then invest in some good cake pans in different sizes. You can still have a tiered cake out of your own kitchen. Do at least one small test run for practice. Also, have wax paper or somethng handy to practice writing one, or making flowers, whatever design you are planning on using.
Some general tips:
1. Make sure you flour the bottom of your cake pan(s) or use a baker's lining. Don't use a oil based cooking spray, butter, or shortening.
2.After you've mixed the batter, let it stand for a few minutes before putting it in the oven.
3. After you've taken it out of the oven, you'll probably have a crown on the cake, so turn it upside down while still in the pan on the cooling rack. It will flatten it so that you can stack it nicely.
4. Do not take the cake out of the pan until the bottom of the pan is cool to the touch. Taking a cake out of the pan when it's still warm can cause it to fall, where it caves in on itself, or the cake itself will fall apart into pieces.
5. If you have two or more layers, ice each layer as you add them. Start with the bottom layer and cover the top fully with icing. Then add the next layer, and ice. The frosting can also help fill in any gaps or spacings if the cakes didn't flatten all the way. Leave the sides for last for the most even application.
6. After you've iced them completely, let them sit for a half hour to an hour so that the icing hardens slightly. It makes it easier to add additional decorations.
7. Then have any tools you might need with decorations, colored icings, etc... You shouldn't have to search for them in the middle of the job.
8. If you have a great cake topper, you don't really need to decorate it with any extra icing. Some people don't like all that sugar anyway. You could also buy pre-made flowers and things to stick on the cake if you wanted.

Helpful books and how-tos:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1584790849?v=glance
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=wedding+cake
http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/icing.cfm
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,wedding_cake_icing,ff.html
http://baking.about.com/cs/cakedecorating/


There is a ton of stuff out there, juist look it up in a search.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

I remember from planning my very small wedding that I was under an awful lot of stress trying to pull it together.

On my wedding day, I would not have wanted to worry about finding a way to get my homemade wedding cake safely to the reception location. And heaven forbid that you should have to brake suddenly and then you've got a car covered in buttercream, no dessert for your guests and no time for a backup plan.

Making a cake may save you money, but it will take a lot of time -- as in a few days of time. The day before your wedding you'll be decorating your cake. Is that how you want to spend that last day? Only you can decide if that cost savings is worth the stress and added responsibility.

With your wedding being next spring, you definitely have time to learn how to bake a wedding cake for yourself if you're interested to try it.

I've baked party cakes, but never a wedding cake. Decorating a cake is not something you get right your first try. You need to bake and decorate a few cakes before you'll be happy with the results. You may have to invest some money in specialized supplies (revolving cake stand, offset spatulas, icing bags, the right size cake pans) and that chips away at the projected cost savings.

A GREAT book that you might enjoy is "Wedding Cakes You Can Make: Designing, Baking, and Decorating the Perfect Wedding Cake" by Dede Wilson (ISBN: 076455719X). It's got plenty of lovely designs that are perfect for a novice baker. Hopefully you can get it from your local library.

There are amazing bakeries here in Chicago (http://www.vanillepatisserie.com/, not yet open at the time I got married) that design gorgeous cakes very reasonably. A small two-tier stacked party cake with a simple design (wedding cake #7 counts as simple, except for the fondant bride & groom on top -- they're extra) is only about $4.50 per person, less than $100 for 20 people!

I realize you're not in Chicago. But I figure that if they can do a design like that here, where they're paying shockingly high overhead, a bakery in New England should be able to do the same for as much or less.

Answer 4

You will be amazed at how much you have to do in the few days before your wedding. I would strongly advise that you do not make the cake yourself. If you want a small cake, why don't you get one from a grocery store? Making it yourself will be a source of huge stress, and if you make a mistake, you've got no one to blame but yourself. There's no reason to add one more responsibility to your list.

How about finding a friend to do it? Or not having a cake, but some other kind of dessert?

Best wishes on your wedding.

Answer 5

My cousin did it, and although it put on a time crunch, it was great.

They used simple 2-layer round cakes with a basketweave. I would suggest taking a class, looking at some books, and learning the design you want to do.

If you can do it and pull it off, I say go for it! You're going to save money in the long run, and it will make the cake seem gorgeous just because you two made it. I would make it a team effort, even if all he does is make the cake batter (it can be boxed!) or lick the spoon.

Answer 6

I decorated myself two days before (with the help of friends) and coordinated everything myself. I honestly wish I would have decorated my cake. I asked my grandmother to do it, and it didnt come out the way I wanted. I think if I had practiced in the months before I could have done a better job, maybe using fondant icing. However, if you've got the extra money, I'd look into finding a bakery, dont put more on yourself than you can handle.

Answer 7

My husband is a pastry chef and made our wedding cake. It was 5-tiers, scalloped white buttercream design, decadent chocolate mousse inside, draped with wine grapes and fondant-made blush roses. For the cake topper, it was grapes and the roses - truly beautiful, breathtaking and delicious - I will remember it always.

Good luck on yours!! Yes, there is a lot to do before the wedding, but if you really want to make your cake - go for it because it makes for so many wonderful memories. Every time I look at pictures of our cake, I remember that my husband made it - it makes it so much more special. Check out Colette Peter's cakes online -my husband's designs are very similar to hers.

Answer 8

I have not (and will not) make my own wedding cake, we are having someone bake ours. My thoughts on this? Do you really need another thing to do and take care of right before your wedding? It's not like you can bake & decorate it weeks before.

Honestly, a cake made by a baker can be fairly reasonable. It's only about $600.00 for our wedding and that's for approx. 225 guests!

Answer 9

Best advice, check out the following website.
It have bakers on every level and is full of ideas, recipes and advice on anything cake!

http://cakecentral.com

Best of luck!

Answer 10

I wouldnt do it. Not to say that you cant. But what if something goes wrong, it will be too late to order one & your special day will be ruined.