Wedding Cakes Do's and Dont's

Wedding Cakes - Do's and Dont's

You spent several hundred dollars for a beautiful and elaborate wedding cake, a replica of one that you saw in a magazine. Everyone remarks on how pretty it is, and you are delighted. Then, a half hour into the reception, just as you are beginning to relax and enjoy yourself, your coordinator tells you that the cake is starting to collapse and you need to cut it now while there is still time to salvage it and to get those special pictures. You rush to the cake table, place a forced smile on your face and quickly cut the cake.

Unfortunately, this scenario occurs all too often, especially at summer weddings, but it can be prevented. You can alleviate some of the problems by considering the following things when you choose your cake:

• Cakes don't tolerate heat, particularly those made with buttercreme icing, nor do they tolerate wind. Keep the cake indoors, if possible, or in the shade. If the cake must be placed outdoors, first place it in a refrigerator, if possible.

Place the cake in a location that is level; otherwise, the layers may tip or slide. Shim the table legs if necessary to make them level. This is particularly important at outdoor locations.

• Cakes that have pillars between the layers are more apt to tip or collapse than those in which the layers are stacked on top of one another or placed on individual pedestals. Neither pillars nor pedestals do well in windy locations, however.

• Have the cake delivered as late as possible so that it doesn't stand for several hours before being cut.

• If you choose to use colored icing on your cake, the food coloring can stain your gown and your hands. Butter and shortening used in the icing will also stain, particularly if you wipe your hands on your gown (a natural tendency when they are sticky). Use forks, not your fingers, to serve each other and don't under any circumstances shove cake in each other's face.

With a bit of planning, you can have your cake and eat it too.