During summer, it’s a great alternative to offer your guests beautiful small sweets, which are a bit lighter than a piece of cake. Our favourites include (but are certainly not limited to!) mini pavlovas filled with vanilla bean cream, passionfruit curd and topped with fresh seasonal fruits, panna cotta pots with fresh berries or lemon cheesecake pots topped with tart curds.

One of the main questions we get from our summer couples is: “Will my cake be okay on high heat days?”. The answer is yes, but there are certain ways we can minimise any issues. Listen to your cake maker and what they suggest during the hotter months. I am a big fan of ganache finished cakes in summer as the ganache is a bit more sturdy when it comes to hot days, minimising any risk.

A beautiful cake we did recently with dark chocolate and berries is great for all year round, but if white is your thing, some whipped white ganache would be beautiful contrasted with fresh berries and fruit. Ganache looks like buttercream but is so much more stable. Using foliage and succulents instead of florals is also a great way to have beautiful additions to your cake that wont wilt in the heat. The cake pictured below, uses plants provided by Foxy Evergreen even includes an air plant! It’s a stunning and unique way to have some natural elements with movement that will last all day long.

Living in Australia we do have to let brides and grooms know that during high summer weddings, having a large cake on display comes along with a few risks. We use loads of structural stability in our cakes to make sure no accidents happen, and our main tips are:

  • Keep your cake out of direct sunlight
  • If it is a super hot (40 degrees) get your venue to keep the cake in the fridge until just before the guests arrive (we also try and deliver as late as possible on those days)
  • Opt for a smaller cake and have slab cakes for portioning out the back
  • Fondant or ganache finishes are at a lower risk of melting issues
  • Have a gelati cart on hand. Cake and ice cream? Yes please!

Ms Zebra Says: Thanks Gina for all your wonderful insider knowledge. It can be so difficult to remember that even though summer is the perfect time for a wedding, a few elements don’t really love the heat like we do! 

About the author Gina of Miss Ladybird Cakes: With 10 years experience in creating beautiful cakes,
Miss Ladybird Cakes aims to make something that is both beautiful to look at, and beautiful to taste. If you’d like to discuss your catering, dessert or designer cake needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!