In a wedding ceremony, wedding cakes receive much attention among all the other things. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, flavors, textures, and layers. Designing and making a wedding cake requires much more than just flour, butter, and frosting. Of course, all those flavorful elements are a part of the baking process.
However, designing a wedding cake involves a lot of art and engineering as well. Bakers who take their profession seriously always keep their skills in this culinary art up-to-date. Those who are new to the profession can take up a good baking and pastry arts program. They also need to see to it that the program is offered by an accredited institution.
Such programs help them in learning the latest techniques and expand their baking vocabulary. They can also become excellent means of developing some useful contacts for their business. Today, there are many varieties offered in cakes. They include the traditional and the more modern and fancy designs.
One must have the ability to transform the essence of wedding into an attractive and edible work of art. Here are the most important aspects involved in the creation and delivery of a wedding cake:
1. Design
This is the most noticeable aspects of a wedding cake. It is also one of the initial steps in the cake’s baking process. Designing a wedding cake involves conceptualizing and planning. The baker may need to meet the couple in person to understand their idea of a perfect wedding cake.
Giving some valuable suggestions to the couple is also essential at this point. The number of people that needs to be served, the theme, and the color scheme must be considered. The baker must not forget the decorations that need to be done. Usually, the bakers take some pictures of their wedding cakes and create a collection.
It would be great if the baker has some elaborate pictures of the varieties offered in the wedding cakes. This will help the couple in selecting the ideal design. They may also come up with some ideas after having a good look at the pictures.
2. Baking
In addition to great looks, a wedding cake must also taste delicious. A baker must see every wedding cake as a masterpiece. This makes the baking process more of a science and art. The baking plan must involve gathering all the necessary ingredients based on the selection of the cake’s frosting. The selection must be made by the bride and groom with the baker offering some suggestions, if required.
As a part of the baking process, the baker would need bowls, pans, spatulas, and lots of time and space. A refrigerator with plenty of space and a good oven is also required for the baking process. A visit to the cake stores will also be required for picking up cake rounds and cake strips. Cake rounds support each layer of the wedding cake. Cake strips maintain the level of the cake while baking it.
3. Frosting
Buttercream and fondant are two of the most common types of frosting that bakers use for wedding cakes. Frosting is important for creating the cake’s visual texture. When deciding the kind of frosting to use for the cake, the color, taste, and consistency must be considered.
Either buttercream, or fondant, or both can be used to create highly attractive wedding cakes. The baker must decide whether the texture must be smooth or raised when frosting the cake. Having the right texture is also necessary to associate the cake with the wedding theme.
4. Decoration
Decorating a wedding cake can be stressful for most bakers, but this part also has some fun element to it. Much of the wedding cake’s success depends on its visual appeal. The main purpose is to express the theme of the wedding. Every cake invokes a unique feeling if they’re adorned with some fabulous decorations.
For this purpose, the bakers use anything from beads and fresh flowers to plastic figurines. It is extremely necessary for the bakers to let their creative sparks fly during this process. This is why they need to have enough time to make this important aspect of cake decoration successful.
5. Preservation
A good wedding cake is seldom completed in a single attempt. It often involves several stages in order to get that perfect look to suit the occasion. One of these stages is preservation, which goes a long way in ensuring the freshness of the end product.
Supervising the freezing and thawing of the wedding cake is an important part of the preservation process. The baker needs to make sure that this is done with great care and attention.
6. Assembling
Wedding cakes often comprise delicate and slippery ingredients. These items are included in the creation of such cakes especially during the hot month of June. Most brides favor this month for their wedding. The bakers must be extremely careful, therefore, to assemble the cake without causing damage to any of its portions.
Embedding three or four plastic straws through the layers would be a good idea. These straws are inexpensive, have a light weight, and are good for maintaining the structure of the cake. Embedding plastic straws is one of the best ways to keep the layers of the wedding cake upright and looking perfect for the occasion. If possible, some of the assembling part must be done at the place of delivery.
For this purpose, the individuals assembling the cake must reach the venue before time. This will give them enough time to assemble the cake and have it placed at the right spot. Bringing along some extra decorations and frosting can be useful if the cake needs some last-minute fixes.
7. Transportation
For most bakers, transporting the wedding cake they’ve created with so much care to the venue is a nail-biting experience. Despite so much pressure involved in the delivery of the wedding cake, it’s an important part of this business. One of the best ways to make sure that the cake is delivered safely is to drive slowly.
This will avoid any friction that can seriously impact the cake’s decorations. Driving slowly also prevents any of the other items that may be kept inside the vehicle from falling on the cake. If possible, the unwanted items lying in the vehicle must be removed well in advance.
