Forest themed cake with ribbon, crystals and handprinted winter landscape with glittering deer topper. Cake: Cake Opera; Photography: Five15fifteen Photo Co

Why are winter weddings the best? That may be up for debate between warm and cold weather lovers; but as the industry’s top cake artists have proven, winter weddings set the stage for some truly magical cake designs. December and January weddings may initially conjure up images of winter wedding cakes with snowflakes and sparkling accents, but there are countless possibilities when it comes to the rich color palettes and icy glamour of the holiday season. 

Sweet and Petite Winter Wedding Cakes

Don’t be fooled by a smaller wedding cake – these sweet and petite creations have no shortage of artistic details, as demonstrated by The Cake Opera in Canada. Silvery blue fondant looks dreamy and ethereal against exquisitely painted birch tree panels with silver reindeer figures. If couples have their heart set on a holiday wedding date but don’t want to go with the traditional red and green color palette, icy shades and silver accents are an elegant alternative.

Left: Hexagonal cake with hand-painted chinoiserie reproductions. Perfect Endings, Napa CA; Photography: Michael Martin; Right: Red pagoda cake with gold scribing accents. Mandarin Oriental, Miami, Miami, FL; Photography: Ron Manville

Bold and Beautiful Winter Wedding Cakes

If deep crimson shades and golden finishes are on par with a couple’s winter wedding vision, then architectural cake designs are perfect for an aesthetic that is bold and dramatic without being too kitschy. A towering wedding cake by Perfect Endings makes for a spectacular focal point for a wedding reception, using hexagonal shapes and hand-painted chinoiserie inspired images.

Alternatively, a red pagoda cake with gold scribing accents is smaller in scale but just as impactful. It’s a fabulous option for winter weddings that take place in February, just in time for Lunar New Year.

Left: Croquembouche featuring hand painting inspired by vintage Audubon bird prints, sugar roses dipped in 24K gold and golden sugar leaves. Anna Elizabeth Cakes, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Photography: Colin Whelan; Right: LoLoLove is a rose wedding cake. Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard, Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Los Angeles, CA; Location: Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, CA; Photography: Ron Manville

Non-traditional Winter Wedding Cakes

There’s something incredibly charming about a croquembouche. This croquembouche by Anna Elizabeth Cakes features hand-painted decals inspired by vintage Audubon bird prints and is finished with gold sugar leaves and sugar roses dipped in 24k gold.

Executive Pastry Chef for Wolfgang Puck’s Fine Dining Group, Sherry Yard, also created a stunning non-traditional winter wedding cake option with incredible sugar work, which pops against all-white tiers.

Left: As Seen in “Being in love never goes out of style”; Right: Hand-painted pomegranate flowers, gum paste pomegranates, coconut palm trees and fronds. Bonnie Gordon Cakes, Toronto, ON Canada; Photography: Michael Kohn Photography

Domed Winter Wedding Cakes

Adding a domed element to one’s wedding cake design adds a regal touch. A taupe buttercream wedding cake by Palmer Butterfield Cakes is topped with a sugar dome, wrapped in lace, and adorned with confectioned flowers and birds. Bonnie Gordon Cakes also created a geometric masterpiece with hand-painted pomegranate flowers, gum paste pomegranates, coconut palm trees, and fronds. 

Left: Hand-cut logo and miniature sugar fashion collection on black fondant. Joshua John Russell, Atlanta, GA; Right: Detailed sugar blooms frame this sophisticated and simple silhouette. White Cakery Co.; Toronto, ON, Canada

Modern Winter Wedding Cakes

Sculptural elements and minimalistic aesthetics can both lend themselves to a modern winter wedding cake design. Joshua John Russel designed a gorgeous cake displaying a logo, and a miniature sugar fashion collection set against black fondant; and White Cakery Co. in Toronto designed a simple yet sophisticated wedding cake topped with sugar blossoms. 

Bastien Blanc-Tailleur is a luxury cake artist based in Paris, catering to the most discerning clients throughout Paris and beyond. From fairytale weddings at Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte, to lavish celebrations at the Paris Opera House, Bastien’s cakes always offer a show stopping focal point with towering tiers, handcrafted moldings, and the most meticulous details. We had a chat with the Parisian cake artist to learn more about his work, the creative process, and what couples can expect when working with a top wedding cake designer.

GO: How did you get started as a luxury cake artist?
BBT: I began with a very scholastic approach, focusing on the basics of pastry making. My apprenticeship lasted over 4 years, because French pastry making is very elaborate, with a myriad of techniques to be mastered.

I then went on to work for some first-rate pastry-makers where I was able to begin developing the artistic side of my job and sculpting with chocolate and sugar. These companies, of course, had me already working on wedding cakes for their clients. I then decided to create my own luxury brand to offer my services and develop a personal vision of the profession.

Today, I spend virtually all of my time creating and designing. I’m very lucky, because in many cases the job of pastry making can be quite repetitive.

GO: How would you describe your signature cake aesthetic?
BBT: I try hard to vary my work; I never make the same thing twice. All of my creations are custom-made which is why my cakes can sometimes be very different in terms of design and taste.

I adapt to the wants and needs of each client. Today, clients call on me not only for my artistic skills and the aesthetic quality of my cakes, but also for my solid pastry-making experience and savoir-faire.

I love cakes with their own signature flavor, and which represent French pastry-making tradition and savoir-faire, unrivaled even in today’s world.

I must admit, I love making cakes decorated with sugar flowers. I also draw my inspiration from the decorative arts – for example, I create a lot of baroque-style decors using acanthus leaves, palmettes and decorative moldings made of sugar.

GO: What are some of your most popular cake flavors? Can you create a custom cake flavor or filling for a couple?
BBT: I offer my clients a wide range of recipes to choose from, but I very often end up creating personalized recipes for them. One of my favorite recipes is for a cake made of a lemon Madeleine sponge cake, rhubarb and strawberry confit, and a light lemon and elderflower mousse.

GO: How long does it take to design an ornate, multi-tiered wedding cake and how far in advance should a couple place their order?
BBT: The most time-consuming part of the cakemaking process is making the sugar decorations and flowers. The whole process can sometimes take months, which is no problem because sugar decorations can be stored for long periods. Once the decorations are completed, I can then make the cake and finally decorate it, with patience.

Some decors require several hundred hours of work, which is why I can only accept a limited number of orders at a time. Usually, couples contact me a little under one year in advance. This ensures that I will be available and present on their wedding day. I can also handle very urgent orders, but they often generate extra costs because I have to manage a huge quantity of work in a very short time.

GO: Flowers are always a popular choice for wedding cake décor, but what are some other options for creating that wedding cake “wow” factor?
BBT: It’s true that flowers are one of the best-loved traditions on wedding cakes. But there are many other ways to create a WOW effect: by using moldings or copying the designs and embroidery from the bride’s dress, for example.

I always strive to design a cake that fits seamlessly into the celebration – one that goes with the room decorations and the wedding colors. Sometimes we can tie everything together by including the married couple’s initials or copying the designs on the invitations.

Once, I was asked to make a giant cake which was an exact replica of one the most famous French castles – the same castle where the wedding was held! This created a memorable moment for the bride and groom, as well as all of their guests.

GO: Where do you find the inspiration behind your cake designs?
BBT: To find inspiration, you have to be curious, open-minded and stay connected to the world and everything in it.

Sometimes I’m inspired by the work of other artists, things I might see in a museum, or at a luxury jewelry shop or someone’s interior décor. I try to reserve part of my time for exploring, not cloistering myself in my cake design studio. I engage in real dialogue with the other service providers at events – designers, florists, decorators – everyone has good ideas and we feed off each other.

GO: Do you specialize in any other desserts that a couple might want to incorporate into their dessert table?
BBT: For the moment, my business is mainly focused on making the main wedding cake, because I consider that my job is to offer the most personalized and most authentic service possible. I am physically present and spend a lot of time with my clients.

I like to give clients the option of using my services to offer their guests a gourmet goodie. It could be in the form of personalized chocolate bars, chocolate sculptures, decorated macaroons, or cookies.

GO: What is your favorite part of the cakemaking process?
BBT: While I love the part that consists of creating the decorations and making the cake to order, sometimes the most intense part of my job is all the work that needs to be done upstream. There are the sketches, coming up with the design, and holding any number of meetings to make sure the bride and groom have the cake of their dreams. This step is the most gratifying. Along with the big day, of course, when I am always on hand to set up and serve the cake to the wedding guests.

ChOOSING the Perfect Wedding Cake

What have you envisioned your wedding cake to look like? Today, skilled pastry chefs will surpass your every expectation. If you can imagine it, they will create it. In fact, they can create cakes that can surpass your imagination. Elevating their craft to an art form that extends far beyond simply baking, pastry chefs are creating wedding cakes that are architectural marvels and truly edible works of art.

Cake is the centerpiece for many happy celebrations and weddings lend themselves to making the cake a focal point at the wedding reception; especially when that focal point becomes a conversation piece. From an elegant off-white two-tiered creation adorned with colorful bursts of fresh flowers to an elaborate towering masterpiece where every tier is draped with a handcrafted lace pattern that resembles the wedding gown, the wedding cake is an opportunity to showcase a confectionary delight that guests will admire and appreciate. With an array of rich flavors and moist fillings, it can be as delightfully tasteful as it is visually stunning.

History of the Wedding Cake

Taking a stroll down history lane, we discover that the tradition of the wedding cake dates as far back as Ancient Rome. Made simply out of grains available at the time such as barely or wheat, it had a symbolic meaning and was meant to represent good luck and abundance of health for the newlyweds. Through the centuries the wedding cake evolved in different regions of the world, among different cultures and ethnic groups taking on different characteristics such as shape, size, color, flavors and reflecting the choices, innovation and creativity of those creating it.

The wedding cake was always meant to stand out and serve as an additional delight to the wedding celebration. Its sweetness was also an evolution considering at some point during the 16th century wedding cakes in Europe were savory. The sweetness attribute became a metaphor as a wish for the couple’s life to be happy, joyous and “sweet.”

Playfulness and fun, such as the bride and groom kissing while gusts would cheer on and encourage them, led to tiered, tall cakes where the couple would have to stretch and kiss over the tall cake without knocking it over.

As late as the early 19th century the wedding cake was also a symbol of a family’s social status where the size of the cake reflected wealth, affluence and economic status. The more elaborate the cake, the more it reflected a family’s high social standing.

 As we follow wedding cake evolution we encounter changes and innovations in styles, flavors and decoration preferences. The possibilities are literally endless. So when confronted with the task to choose your wedding cake as a bride or groom-to-be, lets see some of the terminology you may encounter to better help you arrive at your dream wedding cake creation.

Wedding Cake Fillings & Flavors

The interior of the wedding cake: Cake Filling refers to the choice of flavor you want your cake to have. Choosing between flavored creams or fresh fruit fillings such as raspberry, lemon, orange that are popular or even something more exotic like kiwi, mango or pomegranate are entirely up to your personal preference. Of course, let’s not forget the many variations of chocolate and its combinations such as chocolate hazelnut truffle, dark chocolate with white chocolate peppermint, butter almond and white chocolate ganache just to name a few. You may encounter options like Tropical Coconut Guava, Spiked Red Velvet, Ginger Spice, Grand Marnier or even Bananas Foster or Key Lime.

Wedding Cake Decoration

The exterior finish of the wedding cake: What is commonly referred to as frosting, entails numerous options for the “finishing” of the cake. You will hear terms like Royal Icing (made from egg whites and sifted icing sugar), Buttercream (made with real butter and sensitive to warm ambient temperatures,) Fondant (made with sugar, corn syrup, glycerin and gelatin,) or Marzipan (a paste made from ground almonds, sugar and egg whites.)

 
Within some of these options, there are variations. For example, there is American buttercream, soft and easy to cut and quite versatile for creating various designs such as swirls, weaves or swags. Italian or Swiss buttercream made with beaten egg whites (meringue) or Cream cheese buttercream where cream cheese is added to the mixture and compliments carrot or lemon cakes perfectly. Other options include whipped cream or in the case of hand-finishing, elaborate hand-painted designs elevating the wedding cake to an entirely different level.

Mini Wedding Cakes

Another option to the traditional wedding cake that has gained popularity, especially during the time of the Covid 19 pandemic but also earlier, is that of mini cakes. That is to say, individual mini cakes for each of your guests. Despite being a creative and dainty alternative, mini cakes also allow the choice of a variety of flavors or even fulfilling dietary guest restrictions such as gluten free, nut allergies or vegan preferences.

Whatever the outcome, make the selection of your wedding cake a pleasant journey, a delectable adventure. Treat it as an opportunity to explore, learn and have fun in the process. Besides, attending cake tastings and trying the multitude of options available to you until you encounter the ideal combination for your perfect wedding cake can be as enjoyable as it is necessary. 

Let you winter wedding cake be an opportunity to showcase a confectionary delight that guests will admire and appreciate; especially with a rich and warm flavor. Be inspired by Grace Ormonde's picks of the top 10 winter-inspired wedding cakes.