By Michelle Anderson
Cake Decorating Expert, about.com
This carefully planned confection is a
longstanding tradition dating back to Roman and Medieval times. Back
then a stack of buns was used instead of a multi-level culinary
masterpiece, but the symbolism was generally the same. Over the
centuries there have been many traditions created surrounding the cake
and it still remains an important aspect of any wedding. So take the
time to plan this cake to reflect the couple and keep in mind all the
various customs created around wedding cakes.
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Cutting the Cake
This
charming tradition is one of those picture opportunities that graces
every wedding album along with the first dance and bouquet tossing. The
cake cutting represents the first activity done as a couple although
historically the bride did this act alone to symbolize the loss of her
virginity. Cake cutting became a more complicated process as cakes
became multi-tiered and guests numbered in the hundreds.
These days the bride requires the groom's
assistance and usually they do not cut the entire cake up but instead
leave that duty to the caterer.
Groom's Cake
Early
American weddings had groom's cakes and the Southern USA continues to
perpetuate this wedding tradition. Many modern weddings have resurrected
the tradition of this cake to showcase the groom's hobbies, tastes and
even their favourite sports teams. Groom's cakes are usually chocolate to contrast the actual wedding cake although any flavour is acceptable.
Saving the Top Tier
Most
couples cannot resist saving the top tier of their wedding cake to eat
on their first anniversary or even christening ceremony. Christenings in
the past were often within a year of the wedding so this made perfect
sense. Now most couples are more likely to create a small cake eating
ceremony around their first anniversary. As refrigeration became more
advanced this practice actually gained some merit. A well wrapped cake
can easily survive a year in the deep freeze without too much damage as
long as the cake has no mousse layers or delicate fresh fruit fillings.
Sharing this small cake is a charming reminder of a special day.
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Sleeping with Piece of Cake under the Pillow
It
is thought that a person sleeping with a piece of wedding cake under
their pillow will dream of their future partner that night. This custom
dates back almost three hundred years and is often practically combined
with wedding favors being tiny perfect replicas of the wedding cake.
Cakes in modern times are sometimes not as firm as the traditional fruitcake used in the past so having it under a pillow could get messy! A favor in a box is a much neater solution.
Bride and Groom Feeding Each Other Cake
The
second act of the traditional cake cutting ceremony is when the bride
and groom feed each other a small bite of cake. This can be very
romantic and sweet symbolizing a commitment to provide for one another
and show love or affection. Unfortunately this custom has evolved in
some cases to the couple grinding the cake into their partner's face.
Unless each person agrees beforehand to participate in this type of show
it is best to stick with simple feeding.
Charms in Cake
The custom of baking charms
into wedding cakes is a longstanding one which has fallen into disuse.
It is absolutely delightful tradition to try as long as you warn the
guests to be careful and remove their charm before eating the cake! A
more practical variation is pushing the charms into a baked cake with a
ribbon attached so the guest can simply pull the charm out.
There are several charms that are used traditionally and their meanings are:
- Heart: true love
- Ring: upcoming engagement
- Wishing Well; wishes coming true
- Highchair: children
- Clover or Horseshoe: good luck
- Rocking Chair: long life
- Anchor: adventure
- Flower: new love
- Purse: good fortune
- Wedding bells: marriage
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White Wedding Cake
Wedding
cakes can be any color but most people still feel the base color beyond
the decorations should be white. White is of course the color of purity
and traditionally this cake was referred to as the "bride's cake". The
white of the cake was simply a representation of the bride as the main
focal point of the wedding. Many brides today mimic this continuity by
creating cakes in the same hue as their dress or bouquet. White icing
was also a symbol of money and social importance in Victorian times so a
white can was highly desired. The fine white sugar needed to create
white icing was extremely expensive so the lighter the cake the more
wealthy the family would appear to their guests.
