Wedding cakes play a focal point in all wedding traditions, with subtle differences in function and form.
According to medieval convention, guests would bring home-baked, small cakes to ceremony, presenting them as gift to bridal couples.
These cakes are piled in as high as possible.
This custom began during the reign of King Charles the second who made it customary to stack the cakes and frost them.
This was the forerunner of present tiered wedding cake.
Kissing after cake cutting is believed highly auspicious.
It was this kiss which led to the evolution of the term 'cake bride' and 'cake groom'.
Imposing and multi-tiered, wedding cakes function more as prestige symbol than dessert.
Wedding cakes are the centerpiece of reception.
Decorated elaborately, they serve as repository for small party favors, which the bride distributes to guests as they take leave.
Wedding Cake History The tradition of wedding cakes is widely believed to have originated in U.
S.
, Russia and Germany.
They usually follow two styles - traditional and baked.
Traditional style is named croquembouche - a round cream filled cone pastry dipped in hot toffee.
The toffee cools on hardening forming solid structure on which decorations are placed.
These cakes are served in interesting and unusual format with each guest being served pastries, cut from cakes breaking out from the main structure.
The second variety, the bake style, is prepared in multiple sponge cakes of various graduated diameters.
These are staked with the smallest on top and largest at the bottom.
Cake Arrangement A maximum of ten layers are placed.
For large cakes, it is vital to arrange a strong center support to maintain them upright.
These cakes are usually presented during the late hours of reception, as a perfect ending to the meal.
These cakes have, over centuries, maintained their special status amongst wedding customs - a trend which has continued to the modern day.
According to medieval convention, guests would bring home-baked, small cakes to ceremony, presenting them as gift to bridal couples.
These cakes are piled in as high as possible.
This custom began during the reign of King Charles the second who made it customary to stack the cakes and frost them.
This was the forerunner of present tiered wedding cake.
Kissing after cake cutting is believed highly auspicious.
It was this kiss which led to the evolution of the term 'cake bride' and 'cake groom'.
Imposing and multi-tiered, wedding cakes function more as prestige symbol than dessert.
Wedding cakes are the centerpiece of reception.
Decorated elaborately, they serve as repository for small party favors, which the bride distributes to guests as they take leave.
Wedding Cake History The tradition of wedding cakes is widely believed to have originated in U.
S.
, Russia and Germany.
They usually follow two styles - traditional and baked.
Traditional style is named croquembouche - a round cream filled cone pastry dipped in hot toffee.
The toffee cools on hardening forming solid structure on which decorations are placed.
These cakes are served in interesting and unusual format with each guest being served pastries, cut from cakes breaking out from the main structure.
The second variety, the bake style, is prepared in multiple sponge cakes of various graduated diameters.
These are staked with the smallest on top and largest at the bottom.
Cake Arrangement A maximum of ten layers are placed.
For large cakes, it is vital to arrange a strong center support to maintain them upright.
These cakes are usually presented during the late hours of reception, as a perfect ending to the meal.
These cakes have, over centuries, maintained their special status amongst wedding customs - a trend which has continued to the modern day.