By Heather Lee, Brides
All
wedding cakes are edible works of art, but sometimes, we’ll come across
a confection that looks as if it belongs in a museum. Many of these
artful cakes are created using a technique called “bas relief,” which is
a sculpture term where design elements are created by either carving
away material (often wood or stone) or by adding material to the top of
an otherwise smooth surface.
[post_ads_2]
Bas relief also
beautifully translates to cake decorating—these days, bakers are
creating intricate patterns from sugar, usually of natural motifs like flowers,
leaves, berries, fruit, and acorns. Then, the patterns are applied to
the surface of the cake with icing, creating a wonderful illusion of the
design having been “carved” from the cake surface.
Bas-relief embellishments are especially effective on monochromatic cakes, when both the cake background and bas-relief patterns are in the same color (most often white on white). But opting for different colors can also look stunning, as several examples we’ve found (below) demonstrate.
Love
the look of a sculptural wedding cake? Keep reading for some of the
most artful bas-relief wedding-cake designs we’ve found.
See more: Trend Alert: 7 Elegant Hexagonal Wedding Cakes
Oak Leaves
 |
| Photo by Jasmine Rae Cakes |
This sculptural confection by San Francisco-based cake artist Jasmine Rae is perfect for design-loving couples looking for a show-stopping dessert. The square tiers feel clean and modern, and the intricate oak leaves on all four sides look as if they’ve been carved from stone.
[post_ads_2]
Alabaster Bas Relief
Washington, DC-based cake artist Maggie Austin
is often credited with popularizing bas-relief cakes; here, the
monochromatic berry motif creates dramatic shadows and depth, while the
cascade of sugar roses, orchids, and leaves, also fashioned in matte
white, adds airiness and romance.
Mauve Bas Relief Florals
This elegant, single-tier confection
is covered in mauve-colored fondant and floral bas-relief appliqués;
topping it off is an asymmetrical spray of sugar blossoms in shades
ranging from lilac to deep plum. Cake design by Sonnda Catto.
[post_ads_2]All-White
This
elegant, stately confection features four fondant-covered tiers
enlivened by a textured bas relief design. Intricately molded flowers
and leaves encircle the top of each tier and trickle down to the bottom,
creating shadows and adding an elegant, Baroque look to the overall
wedding confection. Cake design by Victoria Made.
Black and Gold
This
bold, charcoal-black cake features antique-gold bas relief florals as
well as an arched topper; a delicate trail of sugar ivy leaves
gracefully trails off from the top tier. Cake by Lemon Tree Cakes.
[post_ads_2]Gardens of Versailles
Cake designer Erin Gardner
drew inspiration for this confection from the gardens of Versailles,
imagining the all-white cake as an alabaster statue in an overgrown
garden. The winding vines, orchids, hummingbirds, and butterflies were all hand-sculpted from fondant and applied to the tiers to look as if the patterns were carved from stone.
