The wedding cake has been a part of most English nuptial feasts for centuries, with its roots in Ancient Rome. The groom broke bread over the bride’s head as part of the nuptials to symbolize her submission and the end of her purity. The tradition started with a less sugary but equally sweet origin, and wedding cakes have evolved into centerpieces over the years.
Cutting the wedding cake is a symbol of the couple’s love and commitment to one another, and it is a public display that they are willing to share everything. The tradition of cutting the cake involves two partners cutting an inch into the cake and slicing it down cleanly, then making a connecting cut for a connecting cut.
To maintain the tradition, it is important not to cut the cake in a sawing motion, as it may cause the cake to shake and possibly fall over. Instead, slice pieces from the bottom tier so the top tier remains untouched. Each tier of the wedding cake has its own significance, and the top tier serves a special function.
Wedding planning can be stressful, but there are some sweet moments in the process, such as a wedding cake tasting. In medieval times, bakers would stack individual cake layers as high as possible for a couple’s wedding dessert, and the newlyweds’ fate was put to the ultimate test when they had to kiss over the towering layers.
In certain traditions, giving cake to loved ones is a way of spreading happiness and wealth.
📹 Making A Wedding Cake From 1769
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What is the origin of cake cutting culture?
The tradition of cutting cakes on birthdays is an extremely old tradition which was first started in Greece. According to the video, the Greek people started this custom to worship the moon goddess. The name of the moon goddess was Artemis. On their birthday, the devotees of this god used to offer round cakes to celebrate this day. The cake was round in shape, as it represented the moon. Devotees used to place a candle on it to signify the presence of the moonlight. Initially, the Greek people only followed this, but gradually this custom spread across nations. People started cutting cakes, which were offered to Artemis on their birthdays. The video, which was uploaded on Instagram, garnered more than 7 million views till now.
After watching the video, netizens were surprised to know that their birthday cakes were actually mooncakes. Others tried to post different theories for the same. One of the users claimed that the origin of birthday celebrations dates back to the ancient Egyptian coronation ceremonies. She said that the Greeks borrowed this tradition from the Egyptians. Even after this explanation, there were still some questions which netizens pondered. “But that still does not explain why it was a cake and not any other round sweet food,” wrote one of the users in the comment section of the post.
It is believed that the trend for cakes in the world was started by Irani Bakeries decades ago. It was then popularised by Monginis. It was started in the 1960s as a medium-priced shop that sold sandwiches, patties, pastries and sponge cakes. They also pioneered a special cake called the Celebration Cake. It was designed to mark special occasions.
What is the origin of the cake cutting tradition?
The tradition of cutting cakes on birthdays is an extremely old tradition which was first started in Greece. According to the video, the Greek people started this custom to worship the moon goddess. The name of the moon goddess was Artemis. On their birthday, the devotees of this god used to offer round cakes to celebrate this day. The cake was round in shape, as it represented the moon. Devotees used to place a candle on it to signify the presence of the moonlight. Initially, the Greek people only followed this, but gradually this custom spread across nations. People started cutting cakes, which were offered to Artemis on their birthdays. The video, which was uploaded on Instagram, garnered more than 7 million views till now.
After watching the video, netizens were surprised to know that their birthday cakes were actually mooncakes. Others tried to post different theories for the same. One of the users claimed that the origin of birthday celebrations dates back to the ancient Egyptian coronation ceremonies. She said that the Greeks borrowed this tradition from the Egyptians. Even after this explanation, there were still some questions which netizens pondered. “But that still does not explain why it was a cake and not any other round sweet food,” wrote one of the users in the comment section of the post.
It is believed that the trend for cakes in the world was started by Irani Bakeries decades ago. It was then popularised by Monginis. It was started in the 1960s as a medium-priced shop that sold sandwiches, patties, pastries and sponge cakes. They also pioneered a special cake called the Celebration Cake. It was designed to mark special occasions.
What is the significance of a wedding cake?
The cake symbolizes good luck. Wedding cakes were originally symbols of prosperity, luck, and fertility. The cake was meant to ensure a long and happy life with many children. The tiered wedding cake style was first created in London. The tiered wedding cake style was inspired by St Brides church in London. William Rich, an apprentice baker, fell in love with Susannah Prichard, his boss’s daughter. Rich made an elaborate cake for his wedding to impress his future father-in-law. He looked around for ideas and saw the steeple nearby. That’s how it all started.
Cake cutting. The cake cutting is the first thing a couple does together, but in the past, the bride did it alone to symbolize losing her virginity. I’m glad this tradition has changed over time.
Is cake important in wedding?
In many weddings, the cake-cutting ceremony is an important part of the reception, and it is often accompanied by music, speeches, and toasts. The cutting of the cake is seen as a symbol of the couples unity and the start of their life together.
While some couples may choose to break with tradition and opt for alternative desserts, such as cupcakes or macarons, the wedding cake remains a popular and meaningful tradition for many couples.
Its important to note that the significance of wedding cake varies across different cultures and religions. For example, in some cultures, the wedding cake is not the centrepiece of the reception, but rather other sweet treats are served to guests.
What is the origin of cake cutting in weddings?
Cutting the cake. This tradition is a great photo opportunity. The cake cutting is the first thing a couple does together. In the past, the bride did this alone to symbolize losing her virginity. Cake cutting became more complicated as cakes got taller and more guests showed up. The bride and groom usually don’t cut the cake together. Instead, the caterer does it.
Bride and Groom Feed Each Other Cake. The second act is when the bride and groom eat a small piece of cake together. This is romantic and sweet, showing a commitment to each other and love.
In some cases, the groom or bride has started grinding the cake into their partner’s face. If you don’t agree to this beforehand, it’s best to stick with a simple feeding.
Who invented cake and why?
Cakes probably first appeared in ancient Egypt. Yeast makes them light and fluffy. Honey was also used as a sweetener. Nuts and spices were added for flavor, and the cakes were sometimes iced with honey or syrup. The Roman Empire also made cakes. Olive oil cake was popular, flavored with rosemary and other herbs. Another popular cake was plum cake, made with dried fruits and nuts. Cake became more popular in the Middle Ages when sugar became more available. Sugar was expensive, so only the wealthy could bake cakes. Wedding cakes were fancy, often with lots of layers and decorations like gold leaf and sugar roses.
Where did the cake tradition come from?
Cakes have been part of Western European birthday celebrations since the 19th century. But cakes and birthdays may go back to ancient Roman times. In Roman culture, cakes were sometimes served at special birthdays and weddings. These were flat cakes made from flour, nuts, yeast, and honey. In Germany by the 18th century, people started celebrating birthdays with cakes and candles. One of the first times a birthday cake with candles was used was at Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf’s birthday party in 1746 in Germany. His cake was as big as an oven could make it, with candles marking the years of his age. From the 18th century, elaborate cakes continued to be made, with multiple layers, icing, and decorations. These cakes were only for the rich. The Industrial Revolution and the spread of goods made birthday cakes affordable for everyone. Many cultures serve cake on birthdays. In Western cultures, birthday cakes for children often have candles on top. In the Anglosphere, the number of candles often corresponds to the age of the person being celebrated. Sometimes, one extra candle is used for luck. Another popular option is to use candles shaped like the digits of the person’s age. Sparklers can be used instead of or with candles.
What does the cake symbolize?
Cake symbolizes many things. Cake means a lot in birthday celebrations. It represents joy and sweetness. Blowing out the candles is a way to make a wish for the upcoming year. Cutting and sharing the cake with loved ones symbolizes sharing happiness and good fortune.
Why we like cake. Cake at birthdays has a psychological effect. Cake is for celebrations and special occasions. It makes people excited and happy. A cake makes people happy.
Cake brings people together. Cake brings people together. It’s the centerpiece at birthday parties. Eating cake with friends and family makes us feel closer and stronger. It lets people get together, celebrate, and make memories.
Is it OK to not serve wedding cake?
Not into sweets? Don’t skip dessert. Your guests will expect it. Ask your caterer about a dessert served after the main course, or arrange a dessert bar where guests can choose whatever they like. If coffee or a nightcap is more your style, pair the sweets with your favorite way to end the night.
What does 🎂 mean from a guy?
A 🎂 is a way to compliment someone who is very attractive. The 🎂 helps you compliment anyone’s figure. People can also use a 🎂 to talk about working out.
“Im hitting the gym so I can have a tasty 🎂.”; “Remember, Captain Americas 🎂 is Americas 🎂!”; “Im a total 🎂 person and I cannot lie.”
This meaning was popularized in 2015 when the artist DNCE released a song called “Cake By The Ocean.” This hit single hinted at summer fun with catchy lyrics like, “I keep on hopin’ and eat cake by the ocean.” A 🎂 is a joke about having sex at the beach.
Why are cakes culturally significant?
I discovered it was loaded with symbolism and folklore, and that in most cultures and religions around the globe, throughout history people have historically consumed cake on ceremonial occasions. Cakes have often had a role in rituals and have been immortalised in myth.
In the west, our modern cakes have become a much more everyday item and we might feel they have lost much of their mysticism, but theyre still served at significant points in the life cycle like weddings and birthdays, and are often the centrepiece to a celebration or ceremony.
Its one of the things Ive always loved about my job – every day is somebodys big day, and the cakes we bake mark significant life milestones. Cake, in our culture, remains an important symbol.
📹 What does cutting the cake at a wedding symbolize?
What does cutting the cake at a wedding symbolize? Mar 24, 2019 The Bride and Groom Feeding Each Other Cake The second …
This is a fruit cake, traditional for English weddings. However they need to be made 2 months in advance to be soaked in brandy week by week. My mother’s cake in 1959 was 5 layers and my grandmother made it. 144 eggs and she brought it on the plane from Canada to Boston in 5 boxes, had to buy a seat just for the cake boxes. It fed 250 guests.
I got married 30 yrs ago and my cake weighed 54 kilos . It was divine and sublime . A dear family friend made it. Traditional fruit cake three tiers stacked on top of each other and hand made spring flowers . Honestly that was my favourite part of the whole wedding . The top tier was supposed to be kept in the freezer for my unborn sons christening . My father ate it . So our friend made one for my son only weighing 7 kilos lol
I’d just like to say thank you. I started perusal your articles because my best friend was enamored with your content and your positivity, creativity, and pokemon kept my interest. My best friend/roommate passed away from lymphoma in late March 2022 and I just saw this article pop up. So again, thank you. From both of us. And rest in peace, Kyriakos ‘Ken’ Alexopoulos 💗
There used to be a tradition in England, when wedding cakes were still fruit cakes, that one layer would be kept to be used the next year for the first child’s christening cake. Fruit cakes keep very well when liberally laced with brandy or rum. And my heartiest congratulations on your wedding. May you have many happy years together.
Congratulations on your wedding! So thrilled for you. Side note: When teaching me how to cook, my granny taught me that the ingredients “dried fruit” doesn’t really mean to add the fruit in dried. The are supposed to be soaked in water overnight barely covered or added to water, barely covered, and placed on a med/low heat for a hour (keep a watch on it to make sure the water doesn’t get low). Then added to the recipe. This is one of the “just known” so was rarely added to recipes. Kinda like salt isn’t added to old recipes.
I got married 17 years ago, and darling Aussie step-grandmother made our wedding cake- a traditional fruit cake. Very old fashioned and traditional in Australia and England. Interestingly, in Chile (my country of birth and heritage), our cakes are sickeningly sweet sponges soaked in caramel, fruit, fruit juice, custard or jam & cream, topped in merengue icing. I prefer my Chilean sugary cakes, but the heritage and history behind the traditional fruit cake is very striking.
My Groom Cake was a foot wide glazed donut with perfect maple frosting from Ally’s Donuts in North Kingstown, RI. It was awesome. The actual wedding cake was deeply chocolate with dark chocolate ganache and raspberry compote filling, with a white chocolate frosting. We slow danced to Elvis. Hope yours is as fun, congrats!
When my husband and I were about to cut out cake we were told not to during photos. Later when served,I noticed there was no icing on the slice. I told my mom. Turns out our cake was to be use at another wedding that day. Mom was having none of that for what she paid for it (1970 $400 +) We ended up getting our money back and cake with icing plus the whole top tier to take home.
“I have followed Max and tasting history for almost a year now. I can stay without a doubt that I’ve come to enjoy Max’s humor and style. on a personal note I was going through a pretty tough time and I knew that every Tuesday I would find a moment of peace with tasting history. I’ve come to think of Max Miller as that person that would swoop in and take me away from my troubles for a little while. it’s very easy to imagine that’s how Jose and Max think of each other. I can’t think of two people that respect honor and love each other more than Max and Jose. I know they shall be there for each other in tough times, in times of scarcity and times of plentifulness. I know they shall be there to rescue each other. TO THE HAPPY COUPLE! MAY THEIR MARRIAGE BE A PROSPEROUS ONE. CHEERS!
When my parents were still married, my mum had the top tier of their wedding cake displayed in our china cabinet. apparently it was styrofoam covered in some sort of faux icing. It makes sense honestly, to have the top tier or two be decorative. what tickles me is the entirely fake extravagant wedding cakes that have one single slice of real cake incorporated in for photographing the married couple cutting the cake.then they usually roll out a sheet cake that’s much easier to slice up for 200 people
Oh just hearing you say “It’s my wedding!!!” really is a happy sound! Really made my day! Can’t wait to follow up on on your wedding!!! We wish you and Jose the BEST!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰 In Sri Lanka, “Wedding cake” is still mostly this fruit cake. (Though most of us turned to soft sponge cakes of flavours we like) people have gigantic cake “structures” made with mainly styrofoam and there is a tiiiny section the couple can cut into. The guest are given separate individually wrapped cakes. Funny to see how our people still stick to Victorian trends 🤔
I remember my mom mentioning that the top tier of wedding cakes being a fruitcake that would be set aside and eaten by the couple on their first anniversary for good fortune. I believe my older sister mentioned that her fruitcake tier had gone rancid by her first anniversary (she was married in the 1970’s) and had to be tossed. Interesting enough, the marriage was rocky and eventually ended in divorce.
The concrete-like external icing also works as an airtight container, helping in preserving the cake at room temperature for a longer time. I usually discard royal icing and sugar paste as they are too sweet and do not taste wonderful to me, but they are very helpful from a structural and decorative point of view.
I remember the moment I became truly positive I wasn’t making a mistake getting married. Listening to just my fiancee’s side of the phone conversation with the caterers for our reception: “What flavors of cake do you have available? … … Actually, white and yellow are colors.” 😀 Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials!
You know what: Having this many bowls in a way might be quite practical since more than one person would be in the kitchen and prepare the cake. So, every housemaid or cook or whatever could be taking care of one of those steps with one bowl at the same time. Probably works much faster this way 🙂 Also: my best wishes for your upcoming wedding and all the happiness to you and your partner 🙂
My Mother made fruit cake for my wedding without peel or nuts. It was sealed with marzipan and decorated with royal icing by a friend who was a professional cake decorator. She even made the flowers on the cake out of a special sugar paste. It isn’t traditionally served in wedges, but in small pieces that get wrapped firstly in cling film, and then with paper doilies tied on with ribbon and a little card or scroll with a message from the bride and groom printed on it. My Mom kept the top layer of her wedding cake well-wrapped in the freezer, and thawed it for my parents’ 15th anniversary and we ate it. It was delicious!
You’ve got massive quantities of flour, butter, sugar & eggs and “a quarter ounce of mace and the same of nutmegs”. That sounds as if you are barely going to be able to taste the spices. I haven’t been to a wedding recently but my impression is that we’re still doing fruit wedding cakes in Australia. Spicy, fruity (and sometimes somewhat alcoholic) Christmas cakes remain popular. Personal question: on the whole, do you prefer sweet or savoury foods – or are the historical recipes so different to many of the modern ones that it is hard to say?
Congratulations on your wedding. My aunt’s husband used to work for a major bakery. In the 1960s they were asked to produce the largest wedding cake that they had ever baked. It was 21 feet tall, had 9 tiers, took weeks to create, and half a day to put together at the wedding venue. The clients were one of England’s wealthiest families of Travellers (aka Gypsies). Apparently, the cost was about the same as buying a 3 bedroom house at the time. Traditionally, in a many tiered cake, the penultimate tier was saved to be eaten on the 1st Wedding Anniversary, and the top tier saved to be eaten at the christening of the first child.
In defence of Fruit Cakes in general and for Christmas and Weddings in particular: 1. If you don’t like it you haven’t tried mine and 2. Fruit Cakes, I believe because of the sugar and alcohol content, will keep in the fridge to the point that you can save a slice for your first anniversary or birth of first child and crumble &/or eat it then, which I think is a sweet tradition. No pun intended.
My mum in Scotland still makes fruit cakes like this for relatives weddings (her’s is a lot darker and more moist and less crumbly….sorry). She covers them in marzipan and fondant icing. She also makes Dundee Cake (named after my hometown) which also has almond flour added. Instead of the marzipan and icing, the top is decorated with blanched almonds. I make a Dundee cake (iced or with the blanched almonds) every Thanksgiving season to help me feel closer to my family across the ocean. It’s really expensive though! Like $70 of ingredients.
This sounds extraordinarily like my family fruitcake. Rather than icing that, we wrap slices in cheesecloth, and sprinkle peach brandy on the cheesecloth every day for a month (we keep the slices in tins). The outside of each slice turns crystalline from the brandy, and the inside remains cake-like and crumbly around the “sweetmeats.”
My dad makes traditional wedding cakes for family. Similar recipe only fruit and butter, seasoning( all spice etc ) all get boiled and then left to set before being mixed with dry ingredients and turned into cake. He does as you have and lines inside and covers outside of tin. They are delicious and always covered with marzipan and royal icing. Beautiful. Not made as much today but have been taught in my family for generations. Its always nice to see different variations xx
If I had to hazard a guess, the parchment or wood surrounding your cake pan is to function like baking strips – strips of cloth that go around the outside of the cake pan. Without them, the edges of the cake dry out and cook faster than the center of the cake, causing the cake bake in a domed shape, higher in the center than on the edges. Wet baking strips insulate the cake pan so that the cake bakes more evenly and thus more level, making them easier to decorate and stack for a tiered cake. For especially large cake pans (10″ in diameter or larger), a metal flower or decorators nail is put into the center of the cake for the same effect. This does leave a small hole in the cake, but that’s easy to disguise with icing.
What I’ve noticed about all of these old celebratory cake recipes (specifically from England or people of English decent) is that they are all very similar. Currants, almonds, candied peel, brandy, the same spice combinations. The one I am partial to is the victorian Christmas cake from English heritage. And congratulations on your wedding!
The last “Wedding cake” is similar to the Jamaican wedding cake in that it’s fruit cake with a marzipan icing! It’s not packed as tightly with the fruit, we also try to soak the fruit for at least 6 months in the liquor too, the cake is also very moist! Lastly the second layer of icing is usually a fondant.
The “wedding bread” reminds me of pre-christian slavic wedding tradition – instead of cutting the cake, the newlyweds would sort of tear in halves (groom from one side, bride from the other) a circular flat-ish bread called “kołacz”, which name comes from the polish word for wheel – “koło”, and indeed kołacz had a shape of wheel.
Hey I live in Banbury, born & raised! We still have Banbury cakes today, I’ve only had them at the canal day stalls but I think some places sell them year round. They originated on Parson’s Street in the 1500s, which is still pretty much our second high street, lined with shops & pubs etc! They’re kinda like a small sweet-ish pastry package with raisin-ey bits inside. Cool to see my hometown on here !
My dad was born in the 1950s. He recalls attending a wedding in America, and being shocked that they had a sponge cake. In Ireland, we kept up the tradition of fruit cakes for weddings. Since Irish fruit cake stays good for a long time, this gave rise to a tradition that if you had a multi-layer cake, the top layer would not be eaten on the day; instead, the couple would save it and eat it to celebrate the birth of their first child. When my cousin married a Brit last year, they combined traditions. Their cake had a sponge layer, a fruit cake later, and a chocolate cake layer. And it was so good.
Other than the rose water, that’s my Christmas cake recipe, but I use darker sugar.I soak the fruit for two days in the brandy and then let it mature before icing it for a good two months. (Feeding with extra brandy once a week, Prick it over with a cocktail stick to get the brandy in). I had someone who couldn’t have almonds so we got a walnut marzipan, turned the first layer of icing a delicate shade of green in about 10 days.
I’M LITERALLY SITTING ON THE COUCH WITH MY PARTNER CRYING WITH HAPPINESS FOR YOU BOTH AAAAAAAAA 😭😭😭😭 I’ve been subscribed since the beginning and your articles got me through an incredibly tough time in my life. I can’t be more grateful for you and José. I recently moved to OC and was low key excited to live close to one of my internet heros! Thank you for everything Max, and I hope you guys enjoy your special day!!
Congratulations on your wedding! Glad yours will be more elaborate than mine was—a “Reno Special” in the courthouse with two witnesses followed by my buddy Mike treating all four of us to sushi. The bride did bake a cake, but it was a bog standard Duncan Hines chocolate cake from the supermarket. May your marriage be long and happy—which would make yours far more so than mine turned out to be (we divorced after five years, thankfully without having had kids.)
My boyfriend and I are currently long distance and constantly watch your articles when we get to have time together. They bring us so much joy and laughs, we’ve even planned to make more than a few of them ourselves as well once we’re back together in person 😄 And we are genuinely so happy that you guys are finally able to get married and have the same amount of joy that you provide us! Wishing you both nothing but the best for the future 🥰❤
Literally smiling right now. I’m so happy for you two! Congratulations! I remember what my parents say in a couple weddings ago, “May you both have patience, understanding, and care for one another. A word of advice, when the both of you had a fight, don’t sleep until you get it right.” Well, that is the best I could remember. Bless you both on your wedding and live long lives together.
One set of my grandparents had two cakes at their wedding. Ostensibly it was to follow the idea of a “Bride’s cake” and a “Groom’s cake” but it actually came down to my grandfather not liking white cake and instead wanting carrot. As they so often did in their 65+ year marriage, they found an agreeable solution that left them both happy, which meant having both kinds.
YAY!! For the past couple weeks I’ve been like, “weren’t they supposed to be getting married around now? Oh no, I hope they didn’t have to postpone again 😕”. THEN TODAY I SAW WEDDING CAKE AND AM VERY HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH! Go make honest men out of each other, or whatever other heteropatriachal expression you think is most hilarious when applied to two dudes! 🤗
Congratulations max, may all go smoothly as your icing. Side note: my great grandmother was a confectioner in Liverpool, and during the war when she made wedding cakes, she took a train journey to the country and picked flowers. Then she candied them, primroses were very popular and my mum remembers helping her in the back kitchen to make them and dry them on a big black Victorian stove
Re: the paper tied outside the cake tin: when I make a huge, long-baking cake for Christmas that’s similar to this cake (recipe from BBC Good Food), I tie two layers of newspaper outside the tin. It apparently stops the outer part of the cake cooking too soon and, I assume, drying out or burning. (Then my cake rests for several weeks and gets fed with booze every couple of weeks till Xmas).
A beautiful Alcremie, the cream pokemon, in its Gigantamax form. Finally, after years of people wondering which pokemon is the most edible, pokemon went and made a cake pokemon (yes, before we had Swirlix and Vanillite but cmon this is literally whipped cream) and this one is on its Gigantamax form si its a giant cake, like an stadium size giant. Congratulacion on your wedding, buddy. Its gonna be a beautiful day for all of you. And of course its always great to see a LGBTQ brother reach his goals and just be happy whit his family. Cheers.
One: have the best wedding day ever man. You deserve it. Or else…. Two: I really felt the “I feel sorry for whoever had to clean my kitchen” part I made my now wife scratch made cupcakes once. First thing I did was drop the flour into the counter, shot gunning flour into my chest… It did not get better from there. Took me an hour just to clean afterwards. Either way, seriously have a great wedding
True story: in the early 1980s, I was on a Junior Year Abroad program in London. The family I was staying with had me babysit their kids while they went to a big event at the Guildhall in London with Her Majesty the queen. At the end of the meal, they were all served cake, similar to this fruitcake. The cake itself was the final tier of a cake served to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria which had been sealed in marzipan. They brought me home a slice since there were extras. It was the best fruitcake I have ever tasted. ETA: Congratulations and Best Wishes
Congratulations! Hope you have a fab day. We still have the top tier of our wedding cake, which was 25 years next Feb. Ours was a traditional fruit cake with marzipan and royal icing. It looked like a castle with battlements and swords on the side an all. One of the British traditions is you’re supposed to keep the top tier for the christening of the first child, but since we never had rug rats, ours is still on the sideboard.
My mother handmade a wedding fruit cake for my sister’s wedding, and she spent months periodically soaking the cake in rum. By the time the wedding came it was so moist that the cake stained through some of the white fondant along the bottom turning it brown. My sister also had a sponge wedding cake made.
My father’s mother made a traditional white fruitcake, with shortening instead of butter, and egg whites only. It sounds dreadful, but was actually quite nice when fresh, especially if you put the coconut in it. (She advised omitting the coconut if you planned to keep the cake for a while.) My father made a small tier of the white fruitcake for the top of our wedding cake. The rest was white sponge cake, which a friend made. She added the fruitcake tier and decorated the whole. She made a chocolate groom cake as well. It did have icing – groom cake seems to have drifted from its no-icing days. May you and José enjoy many more years of happiness!
It’s still very much in line with a traditional British wedding cake recipe and royal icing is still fairly commonly used, less so than fondant as it’s a bit of a pig to work with in comparison. The sugarcraft can get a touch insane though. I remember helping my mother with that growing up (she made wedding cakes professionally). The flowers were made individually, roses down to each petal, then if they were made using white icing we individually coloured them. Even if they were dyed they’d get a dusting so that the colour wasn’t uniform.
In another life I made wedding cakes, I used to use folded newspaper, dampened, tied round the tin with string. I made the paper a good few layers thick. It prevents the outside of the cake cooking before the inside, as that stops the cake from doming. It works with all cakes, sponge and fruit. Preppy kitchen has a few articles about cake strips, which are the modern version of the paper. Congratulations on your forthcoming nuptials, I wish you and Jose many happy years together.
I’ve seen natural musk for sale on the internet before. I don’t know if i can endorse buying it though because some species of musk deer are endangered, and musk can only really be harvested wild. For a substitute though, you can use musk mallow or ambrette seeds (Abelmoschus moschatus) which are relatively easy to find online
To try to answer how the parchment helps to keep the sides from drying out, I believe it’s basically just making a heat shield. So using aluminum foil in the same way (loosely around the sides) would likely do the same thing. This allowing the sides of the cake to not get over heated and dry out while the center of the cake is still cooking. The wooden garth, I would think, might need to be dampened? If not, or maybe even if so, I would also assume the temperature would be low enough as to not set the wood on fire. I love this episode! And Congratulations on you upcoming wedding! 💖 -Ava
Congrats and good luck with the wedding. Just a bit of advice from someone who has had to deal with dozens if not hundreds of weddings, don’t panic if things seem to be going sideways. Focus on the reason why you are there and not the way you get there. An imperfect wedding filled with love will always beat a perfect wedding filled with stress. ¡Que sean muy felices toda su vida! May you both be happy and content for all of your days together.
Before I can even watch this all the way through, CONGRATULATIONS!! I’m so excited and happy for you both, you cut such a handsome figure together and I couldn’t be more joyous about you guys finally tying the knot! Onto the cake!! I think this came out phenomenally, I’ve often used the ‘wrap a towel around the springform’ technique when making cheesecake, it helps to diffuse the heat coming through the sides so it bakes more evenly, resulting in a smoother surface on the finished product. I wonder if some honeyed or brandied figs wouldn’t fit into this cake really well and add some more moisture to the whole crumb. 🤔
I’ve gotta say that this recipe, what with the double icing, sounds just like the Christmas cake my dad makes every year – a boozy fruit cake covered first with marzipan, then with royal icing. Sounds good! Wedding cake? Christmas cake? Either way, cake is cake. And congratulations to you both Max and José!
Congratulations, Max and José! And a great article again as usual. The fruitcake as wedding cake is still a thing in England I believe. At least it was a few decades back – I have a very modern cookbook from the late 70s or early 80s that gives a fruitcake recipe as “wedding cake” without comment or alternative.
That cake looks very ap-peel-ing. It’s very close to the wedding cake that my mom made and we wrapped up in little two-bite pieces for the flower girls to hand out to everyone during the reception. The ornate one that was on display was rented from a local bakery and was named Inga (that’s what it said on the receipt, anyway). I want to send you and your sweetheart all the best on your big day. It will go amazingly. Congratulations!
Congratulations on the upcoming wedding! Thank you so much for posting all these lovely articles of historical recipes and teaching us about the context around them. This website is literally two of my favourite things combined, food and history! It’s always such fun to watch these articles while eating or cooking something myself. Thanks so much for these articles and I hope you manage to take a good chunk of time off to rest for the wedding 🙂
Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I could give you a short history on the groom’s cake, since those still existed in my small town well into the 1960s. There were two cakes prepared for a wedding, the bride’s cake, which was eaten at the reception, and the groom’s cake. The groom’s cake was unfrosted and cut into small pieces which were well wrapped and given to the single people present. They were to take those home and put them under their pillows. That night, they would dream of the person they would marry.
As for my nephew, Max, who shall be married this coming Friday, I wish him much eating of cake with spice at breakfast. He is such a delight, marrying the most perfect of husbands. I find myself feeling somewhat jealous, for their love be so pure. My heart and all my well-wishes be with them on the coming day of their nuptials.
The mention of snakes in pies reminds me of a very old childhood memory I had. I was in Newcastle, Australia and walking along the side of my mum’s crappy rental, when I stumbled upon a red belly black snake just slithering along. Me, being the child I was, figured the logical solution to stop the tyranny of the snake was to crush it with a brick. After failing that a few times, the snake, rather fairly I think, bit me, on one of my ring fingers. So I picked it up, making sure to do so by the head since I was a clever murderous toddler and figured “If I pick it up by the tail it’ll fucking swing around and bite me.” Obviously, since I had learned that revenge was a dish best served with irony, I decided the only logical thing to do to teach the snake a lesson was bite it back. Then, I showed it to my mum, who kinda didn’t believe me when I proudly declared “I have a snake” until it started wiggling and she told me to toss the thing. Luckily, she took me to the hospital and it was only a dry bite, so no venom was injected, and red bellies aren’t super lethal. But yeah, if there are snakes in pies, I’d just eat the thing.
Yay! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I am so happy for you both! I’m sure you’re wedding will be beautiful & fun and be full of amazing moments 🙂 Do us all a favor and keep track of how many times you say about the catering either, “I could have done this better” or “I need to try to make this” lol! Sending love & best wishes.
Awwwww congratulations!!!! Im sure your wedding was spectacular and the cake must have been deeeeeelish. Cheers 🥂 to you and yours for a long, happy & healthy marriage together ❤ also, im sooooo making this cake! It sounded and looked soo good so i have i try it and lucky for me, it my great-aunt’s 99th bday so i have the perfect excuse to make it lol thanks for this article & recipe!
Congratulations you two. Very happy to see you two finally tying the knot. I hope you enjoy your day and please don’t worry about social media too much. My niece was just married last week and she didn’t even take any pictures of her own lol. (Hell she barely had her phone on her) which to me, is the best way to spend it. Enjoy your day. It’s yours.