Wedding Cake Alternatives: Non-Traditional Wedding Cake Options

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Brooke

I haven’t bumped into many people who say they don’t like cake. But apparently, they are out there. And in the past, People Who Don’t Like Cake would grin and bear their secret loathing (or their apathy…but that doesn’t sound very dramatic) when it came to their wedding. After all, you MUST have a ginormous wedding cake at your wedding, yes? A towering confection, an architectural wonder, made with more butter and eggs and sugar than you’ve eaten EVER?

Well, if you are among the People Who Don’t Like Cake, have I got news for you. Time to come out of the cake closet and rejoice in your new found freedom, because you don’t have to serve cake at your wedding. Well, not the big giant white white white kind, anyway. You can – gasp! – serve what you’d like.

In the past ten years or so, couples have begun to question the Wedding Rules in a big way. And one of the first rules to go out the window in the new millennium? The wedding gods will not smite you if you don’t have a multi-tiered cake. Let’s take a look at some of the options.

Alternatives, But Still, You Know, Cake. So you don’t loathe cake. You just aren’t a big fan of the giant, white, traditional version. Maybe something cake like? We all know that cupcakes are here to stay, and can be every bit as couture and gourmet as the fanciest, most expensive wedding cake. But for the small wedding (or the loaded couple), you might consider individual baby cakes. These adorable confections unleashed a mini trend in the late 1990s, and are still around. They can range from an individual, homespun cheesecake or bundt cake, to a wedding cake in miniature, complete with multiple tiers. Cake pops are another possibility. Like cupcakes, they can be artfully displayed to resemble tiers of a wedding cake, and are a good choice for couples who want to encourage portion control at their wedding.

Comfort Food as Wedding Confection. If it’s not possible for you to care less about cake, but you love comforting, homemade treats, what about a comfort food option? Think doughnuts. Who doesn’t love these decadent treats? There are so many options: powdered (perfect for that white dress!) chocolate-covered, fruit- and creme-filled, and more. Doughnuts piled high on tiered cake stands, we’re pretty sure your loved ones will love you more.

For a rustic ceremony, pie is another option. Or better yet…pie pops! In the shape of a pop or a slice, guests would be delighted to show up to your outdoor reception and find wedding pie! Let the fabulousness soak in! (Blueberry for something blue? Well, we can work on it.) Another approach to comfort might be the wedding milk and cookies bar. Imagine ice cold tumblers of fresh milk, with platters of giant cookies. Your favorite bakery might even dream up a “signature cookie” just for the two of you. Too informal? French macarons, with their elegance and endless adaptability, are another option, while remaining true to the cookie craze.

Cake Pops

The Mash Up: Think Sweets Table. Can’t choose? A sweets table featuring all of the above may be just the thing for you. Sweets tables resemble upscale versions of the dessert tables we remember from days-gone-by potlucks, and can incorporate all of the treats we’ve discussed above, with favorite candies thrown into the mix as well. Normally, sweets tables use a color theme to unify the desserts, thus giving the same sort of impact as a multi-tiered cake.

If you don’t love cake, breathe easier, because there’s never been a better time to get married! Your wedding sweets are only limited by your imagination. Decide what you’d like to serve at the biggest party of your life, and serve it. We’re pretty sure that if you are happy, your guests will follow.

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