Guide to Wedding Cake Styles, Shapes, and Icing

Let’s talk wedding cake styles, shapes, and icing. Judging by the photos below, wedding cakes and their designs seem only to be limited by the imagination of the cake maker. A wedding cake is a piece of art to be proudly displayed. It is a focal point at the wedding reception, and a sensory highlight so that each guest can drool and ogle the cake before it is sliced and diced.

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I simply love looking at the fabulous sweet cakes and imagining how each bite would taste

Wedding Cake Tradition

Although some wedding traditions have changed in recent years, the cake continues to be part of many weddings. The happy couple will share their first official sweet bite as husband and wife.

The cutting of a wedding cake is a crucial moment at the reception, and it is considered rude for any guests to leave before the first slice has been shared.  Given the amount of time and effort that goes into creating a wedding cake design, everyone should stay for this grandiose moment!

Ever heard of a wedding tradition called the cake pull?

Wedding Cake Design

Designing your cake can be both fun and delicious – especially when it comes to cake tasting day! The design itself should be a collaboration between you and your cake maker. Your cake should fit the look and feel of the your venue setting and theme.

For example, a 5-tier white Victorian-inspired wedding cake probably doesn’t belong at a barnyard reception.  It is an aesthetic choice as much as one of the environment your cake will exist.  Cakes usually stand on display for hours before they are served, and certain frosting such as whipped cream, custard, mousse or butter cream, are too delicate to withstand much heat.

When coming up with ideas consider the wedding reception setting, the flavors that you and your partner enjoy, the meal, and above all the cost.

Wedding Cake Styles & Construction

Most wedding cakes are layer cakes that have tiers.  The tiers are either separated by the use of columns to provide extra height, or stacked tiers with one layer atop another. Stacked tiers use either dowel rods, cake plates, or separator plates to keep them from collapsing into each other.

Traditional Cakes

• A tradition wedding cake tends to be a tiered cake in either a round or square shape and finished with white or cream fondant icing.
• You will often find that a traditional cake will have white piped detailing or a smooth finish along with ribbon or flower decorations.
• Traditionally fruitcakes were used both in America and England because they are hardier and do not need to be refrigerated.

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Contemporary/Modern Wedding Cakes

• Angled shapes will look more contemporary and cleaner than a round wedding cake.
• You can mix and match shapes – like square and hexagons – to give the cake a modern edge.
• If you want a real whimsical and quirky cake look at mixing three or more shapes (like the cake below).

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Wedding Cake Flavors & Filling

This is the fun part! Follow your sense of taste, smell, sight, and even touch to choose a flavor that you both love. If you are drawn to exotic flavors, be thoughtful of your wedding guests and make sure there is at least one tier of good ol’ chocolate, that will surely be a crowd pleaser.

Fillings like bananas, peanut butter, or coconut can often inspire extreme emotions,  so try offering another choice if these fillings are your primary selection.

Consider your reception menu and how the cake will pair. Just like you pair wine with food at your wedding, you need to consider pairing your cake flavors with the overall reception menu.  The main course should compliment the dessert, and finish nicely together. Serving a coconut-papaya cake with an Italian meal, may not be the greatest combo!

Wedding Cake Icing

​Whether conditions trump taste.  When it comes to icing on your wedding cake, it can be unstable and delicate. Unfortunately, you cannot choose icing by taste alone.  I am sure you have seen those baking T.V. shows where all of a sudden a beautiful cake looses its icing and becomes a naked cake. Don’t let that happen to you!

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Whether conditions trump taste.  When it comes to icing on your wedding cake, it can be unstable and delicate. Unfortunately, you cannot choose icing by taste alone.  I am sure you have seen those baking T.V. shows where all of a sudden a beautiful cake looses its icing and becomes a naked cake. Don’t let that happen to you!

1. ​Royal Icing: Made from egg whites and confectioner’s sugar, royal icing will harden when it is fully dried.  You would not ice a whole cake using royal icing, instead use it for decorating touches such as small flowers, piping, polka dots, beading, and lattice work.
2. Fondant: Also known as rolled fondant, is a popular icing choice for most wedding cakes.  It is versatile and will hold upmuch better in warmer climates or at an outdoor wedding. Fondant is made from sugar, corn syrup, glycerine and gelatin. It is  rolled out onto a smooth sheet, which is placed over the cake to give a clean finish. Fondant is sweet, however most people like the taste of buttercream better.
3. Marzipan: Created from hardened almond paste and sugar, this type of confection can be rolled and used as icing. It is mainly used to create realistic shapes like bride and groom figurines or flowers. One advantage is that marzipan can be painted with food coloring afterwards.
4. Buttercream: Just as the name implies, this lovely icing is made from butter, cream, sugar, and vanilla or whatever flavor you would like to mix with it. It is soft, creamy and spreads easily.  Buttercream cakes are not appropriate for outdoor weddings because any heat will melt the butter. Buttercream is perfect for cake designs such as rosettes, swags, or basket weave.

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Wedding Cake ​Alternatives

​Fake Cake​: As the name implies a fake cake is just that – layers of foam shaped cake tiers.

The pictures below are of my wedding cake, which was entirely fake except for a small slice in the back. That way my husband and I could “cut the cake” and share a piece of real cake together. Of course, I mushed some of it in his mouth and made a small mess!

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After the cutting of the cake ceremony was finished, the cake was taken away and pre-cut sheet cake was served to our wedding guests.

​Sheet Cake: A sheet cakes is a fabulous option for a wedding, however, don’t get caught up in the myth that ordering a smaller  fake cake and serving sheet cake will be cheaper.

Besides not having to bake the cake, there is still a lot of work that goes into designing the fake cake.  The real bonus is not having to cut 150 pieces of cake for guests, which can take some time.

With a pre-cut sheet cake, the minute the cake cutting ceremony is over servers can start delivering slices of cake to your guests. You don’t want guests to leave because the cutting of the cake is complete, and nothing is scheduled next.

Gluten / Allergy Free Wedding Cake: Many couples (or there guests) may be allergic to certain ingredients like nuts and dairy. Definitely check with your cake baker as she will be happy to work with you to create a tier that is gluten, nut, or dairy free.

Wedding Cake Shapes

Sheet Cake: A sheet cakes is a fabulous option for a wedding, however, don’t get caught up in the myth that ordering a smaller  fake cake and serving sheet cake will be cheaper. Beside not having to bake the cake, there is still a lot of work that goes into designing the fake cake.  The real bonus is not having to cut 150 pieces of cake for guests, which can take some time. 

With a pre-cut sheet cake, the minute the cake cutting ceremony is over servers can start delivering slices of cake to your guests. You don’t want guests to leave because the cutting of the cake is complete, and nothing is scheduled next.

Gluten / Allergy Free Wedding Cake: Many couples (or there guests) may be allergic to certain ingredients like nuts and dairy. Definitely check with your cake baker as she will be happy to work with you to create a tier that is gluten, nut, or dairy free.

​We’ve seen some amazing wedding cakes on the blog over the years, some in ​shapes that you wouldn’t necessarily think at first. Talented bakers know how to mold and manipulate cakes into almost anything you can imagine!

​Here’s a few good examples of cake shapes:

Square Wedding Cake

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Hexagonal Wedding Cake

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​Round Wedding Cake

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​Mixing Wedding Cake Shapes

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​Wedding Cake Glossary

Applique – A sugar paste this is rolled out into a design and applied to fondant icing.

Beading – Beading is small pearl shapes that are piped around the edge of a cake.

Cornelli – A form of pipping that has no clear pattern, but creates a squiggly or lace effect.

Crystallized Flowers – Also known as sugar or candied flowers. Crystallized flowers are actual real edible flowers that are covered in sugar to retain their colorful appearance.

Dragée – Dragée are a colorful form of confectionery with a hard outer shell used for decorating. Examples would be silver coated balls or jordan almonds.

Draping – A mixture of gum paste and fondant is used to drape over a fondant covered cake with the effect of fabric.

Ganache – A mixture of cream and dark chocolate used as filling or icing.

Genoise – A classic French sponge cake that is much dryer than North American sponge cake and typically has layers of fruit filling soaked in liquor.

Gum Paste – A mixture of gelatin and sugar, it is used to create intricate shapes like fruits, seashells, figures and flowers.

Layer – Process where the cake is split and filled with either fruit or icing. Do not confuse this with tier.

Petal Dust – The cake designer will use this decorating dust with an artists brush to add color to icing or gum paste.

Pipping – Icing is used to create 3D designs on a cake by using a pipping bag. There are different types of pipping tips to achieve different looks.

Wedding Cake Inspiration from Bride’s Attire

Need some wedding cake inspiration? We love when an element of the bride’s attire becomes the basis of an entire wedding cake design. Whether it’s a necklace, the material of the dress, or a detail like covered buttons, a sash, or a brooch, we think that using your attire as inspiration is fantastic! Here are some of our favorite ideas.

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Necklace via this post, cake via Real Simple

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Dress via One Love Photo, Cake via Lovin Sullivan Cakes

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Dress via Katy Elliot, Cake via The Knot

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Dress via Dog n’ Bird, Cake via Pretty Little Things

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Dress via PreOwned Wedding Dresses Cake via Zoe Clark Cakes

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Dress via BridalWave, Cake via Maisie Fantaisie

Bottom Line

Now that you are an expert in wedding cake styles, shapes and icing, do you know what kind of cake stand you will display your cake on?

Most wedding cakes are pieces of art to be admired. Cake designers put a lot of time and effort into bringing your cake to life, and you may have put a good sum of your budget towards it as well.  Do be sure to give the cake a perfect stage to preform.

​I encourage you to check out our fantastic and informative post on how and what to display your lovely cake on in our post Wedding Cake Stands Perfect for Any Style.