Choosing your wedding cake

by Christian Clayton

     One of the best and most fun parts of a wedding is the cake. Cutting it, smashing it in each other’s face, and, of course, eating it! Who doesn’t love cake?

     A wedding cake is the centerpiece of the reception. It is one of the most prominent things that your guests will notice. It can be used to tie in the colors or flavor of your celebration. It even can be a themed design, such as an ocean theme for a seaside wedding, or it can denote the couple’s interests or occupations.

Carolyn and Beau Fredderick of Woolwich chose this cake for their wedding. They were married Jan. 29, 2005, at the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Topsham. CLASSIC WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

     Like most things in planning your wedding, when it comes to hiring someone to make your cake, start early. Most good cake makers will be booked a year in advance, especially on many weekends throughout the year. Also, starting early will allow you to shop around and have time to meet with a cake maker to discuss your cake, to look at pictures of his or her work, and to possibly arrange a tasting.

     Trends in wedding cake design change with every new issue of Bride or Martha Stewart Living magazine. The trend for quite a few years has been toward non-traditional designs -- gone are the days of plastic pillars and the plastic bride and groom perched atop the cake. Cakes no longer have to be white or round or covered with gaudy decorations. These days, anything goes.

     And now it is acceptable to be creative with flavors. Many couples choose to have a different flavor for each tier. Again, the big shift has been away from the traditional white cake with white frosting -- think strawberry cheesecake, chocolate fudge cake with Kahlua ganâche, or raisin-studded carrot cake with lemon cream cheese icing. Again, have fun, it’s your wedding!

     Here are some tips from professional wedding cake makers to couples to help plan:

     1. Spend the money and hire a professional. You want something that looks beautiful and tastes good. Don’t count on Aunt Edna to make a cake for 200 people -- leave it to the pros.

     2. Have a basic idea of the following when contacting a cake maker:

     * How many people is the cake for?

     * Where and when is your reception?

     * Do you have an idea of what you would like your cake to look like (for example, pictures from a magazine)?

     * Is your reception indoors or outside (will your cake be sitting in the sun?)?

     * Do you have an idea of how much you would like to spend?

     * Is there any special theme, colors or decorations that you would like incorporated into your cake?

     3. When it comes to cost, most cake makers charge per person or per slice fee. Many have a basic rate to start with and increase the fee as the cost of the ingredients or the complexity of the design increases or changes. For the most part, you’ll get what you pay for. A reputable high-end cake maker will use quality ingredients and has the qualifications to deliver a beautiful and delicious cake and knows how to set it up at the right time. Also, don’t forget to factor in a delivery charge. For example, if your reception is two hours away from the cake maker, you will have to pay more for delivery.

     Christian Clayton is the owner of Grande Finale Cakes in Rockland. He is the former pastry chef for the Waldorf Astoria and was the Pastry Chef on the 1996 U.S. Culinary Olympic Team. He can be reached at www.grandefinalecakes.com or 888-209-2468.