You don't have to be a pro baker to pull off this big-occasion dessert.
I’m at an age where I hear a lot of wedding talk. All my friends are in wedding parties or traveling to weddings or planning one for themselves—and the cost comes up a lot. Weddings are a $70 billion industry here in the US, and while there’s nothing I love more than attending a big wedding, I understand why so many couples are turning to more intimate events.
These smaller celebrations are a great opportunity to get your loved ones involved in the process. When my brother and his wife got married this summer, everyone had a special role to play—my partner designed the floral arrangements, the bride’s mom made her wedding dress, and I got to bake the wedding cake. Now, this is the part where I tell you that I am not a professional baker. I have never been to culinary school, nor have I ever worked in a bakery. But I love baking—I’ve been doing it since I was a kid and usually bake something at home every week. And for a lot of occasions, that’s more than enough. I didn’t need to be a professional baker to make a beautiful cake, and you don’t either. You just need to be willing to put in some effort. So volunteer to bake the cake for your childhood best friend, your cousin, or even yourself. It might feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to. When the time came for my brother’s wedding, I packed my favorite baking tools into a suitcase, flew to Seattle, and took over a family member’s kitchen for the weekend. Yes, a couple things went wrong, and nobody noticed. Everyone was just excited to eat cake. I got engaged recently, and the first thing my fiancée and I agreed on was that we would have a small wedding. We still have a lot of planning to do, but there’s one thing we know for sure—I will be baking our cake, and it will definitely be chocolaty. Pick your flavors Let’s talk process. Start by thinking about your flavors—do you want something bright and citrusy, or maybe decadent and chocolaty? In my case the couple loved fruit and tea flavors, so I settled on a tender olive oil cake sandwiched between layers of lemon curd and raspberry cream, all wrapped in a chamomile Italian meringue buttercream. Your cake can be as simple or complicated as you like. Don’t be afraid to mix and match cakes or frostings from recipes you already love. You might want to incorporate a cake soak or some macerated fruit or jam, but don't feel like you need to make the composition complicated or fancy. Embrace techniques you’re already confident with. Do a trial run Once you’ve figured out your recipes, do a trial run. This will help you make sure you like the flavors and think about any logistical hurdles. How much time do you need to set aside to bake? Do you need to scale up your recipe? How much fridge space will you need? Chaos is sure to ensue over any wedding weekend, so figuring out any variables in advance will make you feel most at ease going into the process. And now you have a great excuse to have some friends or family over for dessert . Gather the right tools For me, the nonnegotiables were a good oven thermometer , solid baking pans , a kitchen thermometer , and my favorite offset spatula for frosting. Decorate with your heart This cake doesn’t have to look like it came from a professional caterer. It can look homemade because it is! You can practice frosting your cake in your trial run, but if pipework feels scary, don’t do it. I opted for edible flowers and I think fresh fruit also looks very chic on a cake. Neither option requires much extra skill, but make sure you know what flowers to look for. And feel free to customize your cake however you want. Don’t like the look of a tiered cake? Make a stylish sheet cake instead. Think white is a boring color for a dessert? Make a pink buttercream instead. My best advice Things might not go quite as planned. Your buttercream may take longer than expected to whip up, you might have slightly less lemon curd than you originally intended . Or everything might go perfectly. Give yourself the buffer of extra time, and a little grace. And if you wear mascara, make sure it’s waterproof—when my new sister-in-law saw the cake, it felt so special that she started crying, and then inevitably so did I. Now, the cakes! These showstopping recipes hit the sweet spot: They’re spectacular enough for a big occasion and specifically designed for home bakers. Chocolate Fudge Cake If intense chocolate flavor is what you seek, make this cake as is. Or pair the chocolate cake with another frosting ; or pair the chocolate frosting with another cake . Raspberry Cake With Whipped Cream Filling Do you dream of a vibrant and striking pink cake to mark the occasion? Opt for this light and airy fruit and cream cake. I borrowed the recipe for the whipped cream filling and used it with other flavors too. Southern-Style Caramel Cake With a buttery, vanilla-scented cake and a rich caramel frosting, this is the perfect cake for anyone with a serious sweet tooth. Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake If you’re accommodating dietary restrictions, then making your own cake is a great way to go. This gluten-free cake is soft and fluffy and topped with a pudding-like chocolate frosting. Easy Sheet Cake With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Big sheet cakes are very en vogue at the moment. And they’re great for a big crowd: Double or quadruple the batter so everyone can enjoy a second slice. Or use this guide to easily make a round layer cake out of the baked sheet cakes. Chocolate Sheet Cake With Brown Butter Frosting Another sheet cake moment because any great party will be made even better with the addition of this staff-favorite frosting. No-Mixer Vanilla Cake With Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting The plush base of this cake comes together easily without the use of a stand mixer, so you can spend most of your time decorating however you like. Glitzy gold glitter? Traditional white pearl sprinkles? Edible sugar flowers? The choice is yours. Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate-Orange Frosting This cake doubles down on the classic pairing of chocolate and orange. And it’s totally vegan, so everyone at your celebration can enjoy a slice. Olive Oil Cake Don’t like the traditionally frosted, layered cake and want something more simple? Make this moist, not-too-sweet cake and dollop with whipped cream and berries for a light end to a festive day. Victoria Sponge Cake If you’re looking for something elegant, try this classic British cake. It’s a great choice for those brunch and lunch wedding parties that are becoming more popular. Life-of-the-Party Layer Cake Want to go above and beyond for decoration? This cake is a maximalist’s dream. And it’s also delicious. As one reviewer shared, “The vanilla cake is fabulous. The frosting is the best frosting that I have ever made. The finished cake is a real showstopper. My guests took pictures and thought it was one of the best cakes that they ever had.”
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