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Having your cakeWedding cakes clearly express a couple’s personality and style – and many couples have a lot of fun with theirs. Often the inspiration comes from a magazine photo and individual touches are added to personalise both cake and decoration.
From Ruth’s perspective, it must also taste superb as only a cake made with entirely natural ingredients can. Even guests who don’t normally eat cake will always accept a slice as part of the celebration. Gone are the days of fruitcake only – now the choices are endless. Red Velvet Cake, anyone?
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Catherine and Gary
We wanted a very contemporary style wedding. My vibrant red dress, designed by Alison Blain, set the scene and the impressive architecture of the Great Hall complemented the look.
We definitely did not want a traditional fruit cake with white icing. After trawling the internet we found an idea we liked, Paul Pretty listened and took our modifications on board. It is a credit to Ruth Pretty‘s staff that they took a thumbnail image and turned it into a magnificent cake, which was the centrepiece of our dessert buffet.
The contemporary cake was made of chocolate, dramatically styled with shards of white and dark chocolate and inset with fresh raspberries, picked that very morning at Windsor Park. We loved it and so did our guests.
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Malinda and Terry
Jaunty hearts springing brightly from their cake expressed the fun and joy of Mal and Terry’s wedding at Springfield for family and friends. After their "feast with a family affair”, Mal said "Our wedding cake - made of dark rich chocolate, iced with white chocolate ganache and decorated with stylised hearts – left us feeling as though we had died and gone to heaven. It was a fabulous way to end the evening”.
Naturally, the chocolate was the best quality 70% dark Belgian for the rich, moist cake. The single layer was appropriate for a small, intimate family wedding party, where four generations of Mal’s family enjoyed the festivities.
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Patience and Pride
Ruth Pretty’s chefs enjoy the creative challenge of taking an idea or photo and turning into a reality that not only looks fabulous but tastes good as well. It is after all a cake and made to be devoured and enjoyed.
The style of wedding and menu usually determines the choice of cake, and is discussed at the initial meeting with bride and groom. A tiny slice of cake with coffee before guests leave is very different from a cake to be served as dessert, for example. Imagine a moist dark rich chocolate cake, iced with luscious chocolate ganache and spectacularly served as a dessert centrepiece, served with fresh raspberries, whipped cream and vanilla bean ice cream.
Many couples give their guests a mini cake to take home as a personal gift, and a slice of cake sent to absent friends or family members is always appreciated. Often one layer is served for more relaxed festivities the next day although tradition is still going strong with one tier saved for a christening. Passing around cake slices is traditionally one of the bridesmaids’ roles, and a great way for bridesmaids to talk with the guests.
Ruth’s chefs say a successfully decorated cake is "all in the preparation”. Like a painter, chefs first ensure the cake is level and the crumb smooth for a perfect finish. Icing and decorating demands the most patient chefs – some might say obsessive or perfectionist – to nail that elusive finish or intricate decorative detail.
Because of the time and care involved, Ruth only makes cakes for weddings they are catering. "We reserve that time and skill for our brides, including transporting the finished cake to the venue and setting it up in place. Cutting the cake is always a big moment, and we take pride in the finished cake. Our beautiful Georgian silver plate cake stand is much admired for its elegance.” she says.
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Hot cake trends• Classic fruitcakes with white icing are the little black dress of wedding cakes
and never go out of fashion
• Ruth’s traditional cakes are made with her classic rich Christmas cake recipe,
iced with just enough but not too much almond paste, and finished with smooth
white royal icing
• Accessories add individual flair: satin ribbons around each tier in the wedding
colours; bride and groom initials piped on the top tier; fresh flowers garnishes
like a single perfect bloom or a small posy to match bouquets
• Tall croquembouche celebration cakes are always spectacular. New Zealanders
prefer each profiterole filled with pastry cream although French traditionalists
claim the crunchy caramel topping and striking spun sugar is more important
• The popularity of cupcakes has declined after the initial peak, except for tiny
easier-to-eat versions with delicate frosting and edible garnishes like heartsease
flowers or crystallised orange peel
• Remember you heard it here first: towering confections are the next big thing,
including chocolate mendiants (a traditional French confection, made of discs
of highest quality chocolate studded with dried fruit, flowers and nuts); and
colourful delicate French macaroons
• Or maybe a dramatic large Bombe Alaska, big enough for all the guests to share
and lit with sparklers for high impact
For great wedding cake photos, click here |
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