Every new wedding season brings with it exciting trends. Of course, the tastiest of trends is wedding cake choices. Mmm! Just the idea is enough to tingle those tastebuds and make your mouth water. Let’s review some of the hottest wedding cake trends for 2022 that can take the cake portion of your special day from boring and traditional to delectable and unforgettable.
Wedding cake trends will continue to be driven by intentionality and personality. Luckily, this is not the time to worry about carbs, so free yourself of that notion. Before calling the bakeries or pastry chefs, jot down your ideas and explore some options. Then, grab your groom and get ready for the real fun: cake sampling.
As with everything associated with your wedding, decisions are dictated by how much you want to spend. And naturally, the more elaborate the cake, the more expensive. However, a beautiful cake does not have to bust your budget.
You’ll want to choose a baker (or store) early on. Once you’ve zeroed in on a few that you like, arrange a meeting for a cake consultation so you can share details about your wedding venues and your vision for your fabulous cake. Brides on a tighter budget might find that grocery store bakeries offer great and affordable options. Supermarkets have zeroed in on the wedding cake business. In-house bakers or pastry chefs possess increasingly sophisticated skills that go far beyond decorative piping.
No matter what type of baker you choose, as with all of your other wedding vendors, it is wise to decide on your budget before getting carried away. Speaking of prices, cake prices are generally calculated by the amount of labor and hours the baker spends on the cake and on the number of guests you expect to feed. Most bakers price wedding cakes by the slice, which could vary from $1.50 a portion up to $15 or more a piece.
No matter your style or budget, your wedding cake (or alternative to one) is a prime opportunity to tap into your creative side, enhance your wedding decor, and, most importantly, delight your guests with a sweet treat at the end of the celebration.
Flavors and Decor
While vanilla remains on-trend as the most popular flavor, it is followed closely by chocolate. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is a real crowd-pleaser, as is red velvet cake. Many brides also choose to have layers in toffee, fudge, coffee, carrot, and fruity flavors.
You might also consider providing a gluten-free or vegan alternative cake to accommodate guests with food restrictions or special diets.
Black Cakes
If your styles range toward the contemporary, let your love of modern décor set the tone. Black is one of the hottest new wedding colors, and it’s a color that works with every color palette or style.
Floating Tiers
We’re talking impressive cakes that look like they’re doing balancing acts. Still, they are sculptures (this isn’t your mama’s floating tier cake). Instead, bakers use electromagnets to float the top tier above the other layers. Whether they’re floating on flowers or 3-D shapes, a floating cake done right is nothing short of magical.
Understated Textures
It’s all in the details. To be more specific, you’ll be seeing cakes with a focus on unique textures in the fondant or frosting—whether you want it to emulate something as soft as velvet or as “hard” as concrete. Get creative!
Single Level
A single-tier cake is the height of trendy minimalism. Worried it won’t be able to feed all of your guests? Have a sheet cake to supplement (the oldest trick in the book). Also, a simple design doesn’t mean the flavor has to be boring—use it as an opportunity to incorporate
fun fillings.
Once you’ve nailed your favorite flavors, have fun with décor. A few trending styles:
Tile Prints
From terrazzo to beach-themed mosaics, tile prints are among the boldest wedding cake trends for 2022. Couples who want to make a statement with their wedding cake will love this trend, especially since it goes well with other eye-catching elements, like metallic foils, bright colors, and geometric accents.
Deckle Edges
This type of cake is intentionally left a little rough around the edges, and the result is undeniably sweet. Deckle edge cakes give the illusion of ruffles (or even flower petals) encircling your cake, making this trend a fabulous choice for a romantic or classic wedding theme. The term “deckle” is borrowed from stationery. Perhaps you’ve seen wedding invitation suites and escort cards with torn or raw edges that create a vintage, antique look.
Edible Flowers
Edible flowers (yes, really!) remain a significant wedding cake trend. Couples accent their wedding cakes with elaborate cascading flowers to fresh greenery and floral cake toppers. Still, this trend is an unexpected way to incorporate botanical elements into your dessert tables.
Pansies, carnations, marigolds, violets, and even some types of roses are all edible.
Write On
The trend for wedding cakes with writing on follows the fashion for monochrome cakes, as they tend to be white cakes with black iced writing. Many couples choose a single word or phrase, while others have a whole poem or verse in beautiful writing on their cake. A comment about monograms. Why not stake your claim on your cake with your initials? This is the South, y’all, and a monogram is a great way to honor your newly shared last name or combination of your first initials. Customize the look with painting, piping, or appliqué. The options are nearly endless.
While cakes may grow smaller, they may be more dynamic in detail. A well-designed smaller cake can have a significant wow factor. Whether it’s an intricate pattern inspired by the detail on your gown or vibrant flowers that play with your color palette, plan your wedding cake ideas for 2022 with inspiration, creativity, and a “don’t give a damn what your mother says” attitude.
This is for the wedding couple to celebrate, and a simple marzipan fruitcake won’t do.
Every couple has a clear vision for their dream wedding. Whether leaning on a wedding planner for guidance or taking a more hands-on approach, it’s never been more fun (or tasty!) bringing your dream into reality.