Secrets well and truly out. The PDW team are pretty into cake. All cake. AND we happen to also be a little sneaky… We strategically timed our GOLD ISSUE to run right before the festive season in the hope that one of our wondrous wedding baker vendors would deliver the delicious goods in the form of festive season wedding cakes for your viewing (and dream tasting!) pleasure! And the divine Zee Scott has done just that in “The Glitz of Christmas Wrapped in Buttercream”… 

CHRISTMAS – undoubtedly my favourite time of year. Although, as a Brit, getting used to Christmas day basked in the sunshine was pretty daunting. It’s THE most wonderful time of year, enveloped in love, joy and a lot of glitz! And with Christmas nestled deep in the wedding season, it would be hard not to include a little bit of ‘Merry & Bright’ on your wedding day. Here are a few cake-y ways to introduce some festive joy!

GOLD, GLITTER AND GLITZ

Spandau Ballet once sang about ‘gold’ being indestructible … they hadn’t had the pleasure of being introduced to edible gold and silver! Available in sheets, flakes and edible paint; edible metallics can take any cake from glam to GLAMOROUS!

Want more glitz? There’s more! Edible glitter and shimmery lustre dust is available in a wide range of colours. Brushed on to accentuate accents or used to paint illustrations and florals onto smooth buttercream, ganache or fondant.

FLORALS & FRUIT – FRESH OR DRIED

Freeze-dried fruit, fruit powders and dried florals are widely available nowadays. Their flavour is pretty intense so, a little goes a long way! They also add a great pop of colour on a white or neutral base.

When it comes to fresh flowers, your cake designer will usually work with your florist to ensure you have matching florals throughout your day. From large floral ‘toppers’ to mini posies strategically place around your cake. When it comes to fresh flowers, I highly suggest you speak to a florist OR delve into some research. Some flowers can be toxic when ingested.

Dried flowers come in a wide range of floral varieties; whole, individual petals or confetti. Dried flowers can be casually sprinkled over your cake or deliberately placed onto smooth buttercream giving a ‘pressed flowers on canvas’ effect.

I highly suggest the following options for a pop of joyful flair:

• Fruit [whole]: Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries and Blackberries
• Fruits [crumbles and powders]: Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries and Banana.
• Flowers: Edible confetti, Red Pelargonium, Calendula petals and heads, Snapdragon, Rose Geranium, Rose buds/Petals, Cornflower [blue & pink] and Pressed Pansies.

COLOURS OF THE WORLD

…Spice up your life! From full-colour cakes to neutral backgrounds with rainbow splashes. The colour doesn’t have to stop outside… vanilla-based cakes can be coloured to match your theme. From ombre shades to cake layers of the rainbow.

FLAVOURS

The wedding world has graduated from traditional fruit cake BUT that doesn’t mean you couldn’t indulge! Nothing shouts Christmas more than a boozy fruit cake and trust me when it’s done ‘right’ it is good! Also, they don’t have to be covered in marzipan either… tell your caker Zee said so!

If you’re not ready to take a trip down ‘fruit lane’, you can still get fruity on your day. Try to select fruit that is in season: Cherries, Mango and passionfruit are great choices. Baked into cake batter or made into compotes, jams or puree fillings.

Try these cake/filling combinations for a berry burst:

• Coconut & Mango curd
• Chocolate & Cherry compote
• Lemon & Passionfruit curd

About Zee Scott: Zee Scott. The Caterer. Real food made from scratch! Buffet style pic’n’mix dishes perfect for brunching with friends and family, delightful afternoon teas and picnics in the sunshine! The Supper Club menu will see you dining with mismatched linens, candles and cocktails. Oh and don’t forget the buttercream creations to celebrate that special occasion! It’s just me … making the food I love… just for you. Simple food. Food. Simple!