How to Make Your Own Simple Wedding Cake
It's no secret that weddings can be expensive. One of the largest expenditures is the cake, with bakeries charging exorbitant rates for even a simple three-tiered cake. If you're searching for ways to lower your costs, and perhaps bring a little more of yourself to the day, you might consider making your own cake. With a small amount of practice and the right supplies, you can produce your own simple, lovely creation at a fraction of the cost. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Eight boxes cake mix
- 6-, 10-, and 14-inch cake pans, 2 inches deep
- Toothpicks
- Cooling racks
- Two 6-inch cardboard cake circles
- Two 10-inch cardboard cake circles
- One 16-inch covered cake board
- Scissors
- Turntable or Lazy Susan (optional, but helpful)
- Serrated knife
- Pastry brush
- 16 cups white buttercream icing
- Large offset spatula
- White, untextured paper towels
- Wooden dowel rods
- Decorating bags
- Icing tips and couplers
- Icing colors (optional)
Instructions
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Estimate how much cake you'll need to serve each guest a 1-by-2-inch piece. Don't include the top layer in your estimations if you plan to share it with your spouse on your first anniversary. According to Wilton's Wedding Cakes guide, a three-tiered white cake with 6-inch, 10-inch and 14-inch round layers should serve 100 guests. If you use other shapes or add tiers, you will have to adjust your calculations.
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Prepare cake batter as directed, and fill pans one-half to two-thirds of the way full. The 14-inch tier requires two boxes for each layer, and will take 50 to 55 minutes to bake at a lower temperature of 325 degrees, which prevents burning. One box will suffice for both 6-inch layers, which will take roughly 25 to 30 minutes to bake at 350 degrees. The 10-inch layers can be prepared as directed on the package. Cakes are done when they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then place them on cooling racks for at least an hour before icing.
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Center one 14-inch layer on a covered cake board and place on a turntable or lazy Susan. Using a serrated knife, cut across the top of the cake using a sawing motion. This removes the crown of the cake, ensuring level layers. Remove crumbs with a pastry brush and set first layer aside. Repeat with second layer and remove cake board from turntable. Do this with each 6- and 10-inch layer, using the same diameter cake circle.
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Prepare buttercream icing according to directions. Use icing of medium consistency. Buttercream icing is available as a mix at cake decorating supply stores or it can be made from scratch. Spread a half-inch thick layer of frosting over one 14-inch layer evenly and place the other 14-inch layer, leveled side down, on top. Repeat for the 6- and 10-inch tiers.
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Using your offset spatula, place a large amount of icing on top of the 14-inch tier and spread outward toward the edges. Cover the sides with icing. Smooth the sides by holding your spatula upright with the edge against the cake surface, slowly rotating it and removing extra icing from the sides as you go. Repeat until the sides are smooth. Use the edge of your spatula to smooth the cake top, drawing it from the edge to the center and discarding the excess icing. Rotate the cake a bit and repeat until you've done this for the entire surface. Finish by smoothing your spatula across the top. Allow to dry at least 15 minutes.
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Place the remaining 10-inch cake circle in the center of the bottom tier and press down gently to mark its position, then remove. Insert six wooden dowel rods cut to the same height as the bottom tier into this circle, about an inch and a half in from the imprinted outline, making sure to space them out. This will help distribute the weight of the cake and keep the upper layers from sinking in. Position middle tier in the center of the bottom tier. Repeat for the next tier, using four dowel rods. If you have a cake topper, don't forget to do this for it as well.
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Select a basic set of decorating tips and practice making flowers, leaves, dots and lines. You can experiment with icing colors to add richness and depth to your cake, if you desire. Dots, stars, swirls or ribbons can hide the transition from layer to layer and add beauty to your cake. This is your chance to put your personal stamp on your wedding cake, perhaps incorporating your colors or theme, so don't be afraid to let your imagination guide you.
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Tips & Warnings
After the icing has dried, you can lay a white, untextured piece of paper towel on the cake surface and rub lightly with the flat of your hand to further smooth the top and sides. For even greater savings, check with your local cake supply store to see if they rent pans out. Consider using flavors besides white cake--any kind is OK to use, as long as it isn't too soft or crumbly to support layers. Fillings like jam, fruit preserves and pastry cream may be substituted for buttercream frosting, if desired. Cake sparkles, luster dust, gum paste and fondant can all be used in cake decorations, depending on your budget, design needs and willingness to practice with these media. These are available at your local cake decorating or hobby store.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit romanlily: Flickr.com/creativecommons
