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New wedding couples these days are starting to go for a
different take on the wedding cake. They want to do something
different then the classic white multi layered cake that
has been the norm for so many years. Current cakes are stacked
to the ceiling with delicious icings, flavors, fillings,
and decorations. Some couples are looking for something
new and cutting edge to bring to their wedding cake to make
their day all the more memorable. To achieve this couples
look to other cultures to give their guests a tasty new
cake to enjoy. Here are a few examples.
Caribbean Island Ideas
Couples search for a taste of tropical flavor in their
wedding cakes, can look to the Caribbean Islands for new
flavors to use in their cakes and introduce to their guests.
Fruitcakes are a common wedding dessert at receptions for
newly wed Caribbean couples. These cakes are typically darker
in color and are covered in dried fruit. Flavors used in
these cakes come from rum, wine, and sherry, which is a
fortified wine from Spain. A similar desert is also a big
favorite in the West Indies. In Bermuda, cedar saplings
sit atop the wedding cake as a symbol of the couple's love
for each other. Following the ceremony the ceder saplings
are replanted into the ground so they can grow as the couple
grows as man and wife.
Asian Themes
Tradition that has emerged in Japan is to put fake wedding
cakes on display in the reception hall. The fake cakes are
made of rubber on the inside and are iced with wax. When
it comes time for the bride and groom to cut the cake a
puff of steam comes out of it. Instead of rubber, Styrofoam
is used instead and a thick heavy layer of icing coats the
cake. The real cakes are put aside in the kitchen until
the time comes to serve it. Chinese wedding cakes are layered,
but the layers are a symbol of the "ladder of success".
Korean weddings feature a layered sponge cake toped with
non-dairy based cream.
European Delights
Germans take on a similar tradition as the Koreans with
sponge cake. Their take on it includes a nut flavor with
either liquor or syrup. Jam, nougat, and marzipan is
also sometimes used as a filling. Marzipan is a sweet filling
made with sugar and almond meal. Ganache and fondant are
two options used as a topping for the cakes. French wedding
cakes are comprised of cream filled pastries coated in caramel,
which are proudly displayed in the shape of a pyramid. Norway
sees their cakes toped with cream, cheese, and syrup. Iceland
borrows from France's pyramid style display with their ring
shaped almond pastries. The centers of the rings are filled
with chocolate.
Denmark and Iceland have similar dishes. They fill their
ring shaped desert with fresh fruit. Their desert is made
of almond and the German marzipan. Sorbet, candy, or fresh
fruit is used to fill the center of the rings. The British
Isles feature a tasty fruitcake toped with different fruited
then coated in cognac. Other options for the coating are
fondant, brandy butter, or marzipan. Irish and Scottish
cakes feature different liquors such as whisky or brandy.
The layers are joined with an almond paste between them.
Mediterranean Magic
The most common Italian wedding cake has layers of pound
cake with chocolate and vanilla custard, rum cream, and
fruit. These beautiful cakes are topped with a royal icing
and flowers. Flavors featured in Greek wedding cakes are
honey and sesame seeds. Quince is also added as a symbol
of the couple’s life long commitment to one another.
Sourdough wedding bread, flourless almond cake, and sliced
almond decorations are other Greek wedding staples.
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