The wedding cake is a delicious multi tiered dessert steeped in tradition. Did you know that long before brides and grooms smashed cake into each others faces, guests used to throw cake at the bride as a symbol of fertility? Mind you it was the Medieval Times and cake was made from wheat and barley, but still! Can you imagine the outrage if a guest tried this today?
More recently though, we’ve seen a surge in creative wedding cakes with the rise of cake shows on TV. As with most wedding trends, we’re now seeing these fondant laden desserts start to fizzle out as most couples are opting for more modest cakes. In fact, more and more couples are opting against cake entirely and going for options that are better suited to their wedding. Wedding cakes tend to be on the pricey side and just aren’t a priority for some couples who would rather spend the money elsewhere (ahem, like wedding videography) or use other confectionery options.
So if you’re one of those people who are ready to ditch the wedding cake (cupcakes and cake pops included) for something different, let us help you find a suitable wedding cake alternative that will still get you the wow factor of a large tiered cake for 1/4 of the price tag.
Tiered Donuts
Not only are they delicious and affordable, but they surprisingly look quite pretty adorned with flowers! The great thing about donuts is you can get them in an array of icing colours to suit your wedding, they don’t require slicing and you can get multiple flavors! Donuts are the latest craze in wedding desserts and if you we’re hoping for something a bit more upscale, fear not, many bakeries are now whipping up gourmet donuts with beautiful toppings for fancier affairs (we’re talking gold flakes, lavender petals, and fresh berries!) Yum!
Cheese Wheel Cake
For the savoury-over-sweet fans out there, this cheese cake is for you! A stacked cheese wheel with a variety of flavours and ages makes for a great conversation starter and would appease all guests. Adorn it with dried fruits, nuts and flowers to class it up for an upscale wedding, or leave it bare with the additions on the side for a more casual event.
Tiered Pies
For many sweet fans out there, pie trumps cake. If that sounds like you and your honey, why not opt for tiered pies in ascending sizes instead of a tiered cake. We’ve seen pie bars popping up at weddings as of late, but this takes the pie trend to the next level with multiple stacks creating that extra wow factor.
Croquembouche
Croquembouche is a classic french dessert. Fluffy pastry ball are stacked high into a cone shape and bound together by sticky caramel drizzles. Guests can peel pieces off one by one making it an easy to serve option.
Cinnamon Roll Cake
Now if this doesn’t scream brunch wedding, I don’t know what will. Delicious, warm cinnamon buns tiered with icing drizzled on top. Enough said.
Crepe Stacks
Much like the cinnamon roll cake, these crepe stacks would be the perfect addition to a brunch wedding. Quick, easy and affordable, all this option needs is a sprinkling of icing sugar and you’re good to go!
Whoopie Pies
This American classic is perfect for a country or backyard wedding. Whoopie pies (or moon pies) are two cookies or small round mounds of cake with a sweet frosting in between. They are easy and a classic making them perfect for a laid back affair. What’s great about this treat is that you can alternate flavours of cookie/cake and icing to cater to all of your guests tastes. Whoopie!
Macaron Tower
Another confectionery treat hailing from France, macaron (not to be confused with macaroons) towers are quite popular for weddings. The treat consists of two soft meringue based biscuits with ganache or buttercream in the center. They come in every colour of the rainbow thanks to food colouring and can therefor be customized to suit your wedding. They also come in a variety of flavours, including but not limited to chocolate, raspberry, vanilla bean and my personal favourite, pistachio.
Meringue Tower
Another great option is a meringue tower. Similar to macarons, meringue comes in a rainbow of colours to suit any theme. These bite sized treats make for easy serving and can double as a party favour.
Pavlova
Last but not least we have Pavlova, the traditional New Zealand & Australian dessert named after a famed ballerina. This light meringue dish is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. It is great for a summer wedding and is commonly served topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
And there you have it! Ten wedding cake alternatives that are delicious, will suit any style of wedding, won’t break the bank AND will wow your guests. Did any of these options stick out to you or do you have another cake alternative you love? Let us know in the comment section!