A New "Old" Trend in Wedding Cakes: The Mini-Cake

I absolutely LOVE mini wedding cakes and was so happy to receive the following information about this new trend from Kelly at The Wedding Shoppe Directory. Anybody planning to have mini cakes at their wedding?

For over a century the centerpiece of wedding receptions has traditionally been a multi-tiered yellow cake covered in snow white frosting. As many of today's brides strive to make their weddings unique, there has been a revival of a custom that dates back to the Middle Ages, the mini-cake. Wheat has long been revered as a symbol of fertility, this belief lead wedding guests of that era to bring small baked pastries as a gesture of good luck to the bride and groom. The mini-cakes were stacked upon each other and the newlyweds were to kiss across the pile to ensure a happy family life.

While this may not hold true for the modern bride's choice of serving mini-cakes or oversized cupcakes, it does create a special experience for wedding guests. There are many ways mini-cakes can be a memorable part of a reception, for example they can be wrapped in individual boxes tied with a delicate ribbon, or stylishly displayed on elaborate wedding cupcake stands that are draped in fresh flowers, and they can even be stacked on various sized plates to form a look similar to formal wedding cake tiers. Although these cakes are smaller, they are often decorated with the exquisite detail which reflects the personality of the couple. Some designs include honeymoon destinations and shared interests such as sports, while others emphasize the wedding theme with jeweled candies and multi-colored hand crafted sugar flowers.

Cake Designer Deborah of Strongbow Inn Bakery finds that "many weddings are coordinating their colors with the cake design". While the mini-cake brings something different to the reception, it does leave out some time-honored traditions. If a bride wants to capture the moment when she cuts the first two slices of cake as her husbands hand rests atop of hers while using a keepsake silver cake knife or wants the miniature nuptial statues that gaze into each others eyes, then it is suggested that a smaller cake is made to keep these "old" traditions a part of this "new" trend. Deborah says that, "our bakery typically creates tiered displays from 200-500 mini-cakes with a six inch cake on the top tier".

The presentation and style of the mini-cake has come a long way since its creation, but if they do become a part of your wedding memories they promise to create a part of the reception that the couple and their guests will treasure forever.

Above Mini Wedding Cake Images courtesy of:
Top Left from Brides.com, Top Right from Pink Cake Box
Bottom Row (left to right): Peggy Porschen, Carrie's Cakes, and Miette Cakes