10 Tips For Making Your Own Wedding Cake

1. Be practical.

Can you bake? How much do you like baking? Do your cakes taste nice? Are they pretty? And are you a calm and confident baker? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before you embark on baking your own wedding cake.

The cake is by no means, the most important feature at your wedding. But if you're going to ruin the day before, (or maybe even the day of) your wedding stressing about how it looks, tastes, or whether it's raw in the middle, it really isn't worth it.

2. Keep your cake simple.

Don't think that just because it's your wedding you need to create something elaborate that you've never baked before, (each tier represents a native fruit indigenous to northeast Cambodia), this isn't the time to experiment. Use a tried and tested recipe and something that you know you can bake, and decorate with ease.

For my sister's wedding, I baked three tiers of my signature chocolate Guinness cake. Nobody minded that all the tiers were the same, no one even noticed! If you make a mean pie, a legendary macaroon, or a champion cheesecake, why not do that instead? Who says a wedding cake has to be three tiers coated in white icing?

3. Prep in advance.

Do as much prep in advance as you can. Even if you've made this cake 100 times before, if you've never made it in such quantities, be sure to do at least one trial run (your friends and family will be only too happy to test it for you!)

Don't leave shopping for your ingredients for the day of the bake, have as much as possible prepped in advance.

If you can do your baking early, even better, fruit cakes and biscuit cakes often last longer, so these are great for baking several days before your wedding.

4. Do it for the right reasons.

Only bake your own wedding cake for the right reasons. If you're doing it because you can't afford a fancy bakery one, either go without a cake (no one will mind, and many won't even notice!) or opt for a simple supermarket cake and add some decorations.

You could also ask a friend to bake it, or request any bakers among your guests to bring along different bakes for the dessert table.

Only bake your wedding cake because it's something you'll really enjoy doing, not simply to save cash or impress your guests with all you managed to do yourself – seriously, it's not worth the stress and hassle!

5. Enlist a helper.

One. Uno. Singular. If you'll have a house full of people in the days before your wedding, maybe clear them out for the day, or borrow a friend's kitchen for your cake prep.

While it's advisable to have someone on hand to wash mixing bowls or in case you get a phone call, having too many people hanging over you while you create your masterpiece, will only stress you out.

6. Clear the kitchen.

While I suggest you clear the kitchen of people, you should also clear it of clutter too. Our homes get filled up with stuff before a wedding, so no boutonniere pins, no wedding cards, and no last-minute DIY projects.

Having a clear workspace will make your bake run so much smoother. You don't want to realize too late you forgot to add the vanilla because it was hidden under a pile of ribbons.

7. Free the day.

Set aside a whole day to make your cake. Yes, an entire day of no appointments, no dinner plans, no “just nipping out to pick up…”. While you might be able to time your bake, you won't be able to account for decoration, and if you rush it, it won't look right.

I spent about three hours icing and coconut-covering my friend's Pineapple Pina Colada wedding cake. I thought it would take an hour, max. But when it's such an important cake, even the most laid-back baker can become a meticulous perfectionist.

Oh, and tip 7.5 – be sure to let the cake cool before you add the icing!

8. Do it with decoration.

If you're nervous that your bake will look amateur, remember that the key is in the decoration. Even if you missed a spot on the icing, once you've added your final touches, it will look the part.

My sister's wedding cake didn't really look “weddingy” until I added the Mr & Mrs topper, while the plainest cake will look utterly polished with some blooms on top.

It doesn't matter if it's Mississippi mud pie or a twelve-tiered sponge, add flowers, foliage, a cake topper, or a fancy stand, and you'll have yourself a wedding cake!

(P.S. look to the naked cakes and simply decorated cakes throughout this post for inspiration.)

9. Think about transportation.

One of the best things about hiring a professional baker is that they'll often handle the daunting task of transporting your cake to your wedding venue.

Before you assemble your finished cake, think about the logistics; whether it should travel in pre-built tiers, or as separate cakes, will a cake tin do, or will you need bigger boxes, and who will you enlist to do it?

It's perhaps best if you can drop it off at the venue the night before, and do your assembling then. But whatever you do, please don't travel with it on your lap in your wedding car. Especially if it's chocolate!

12. Practice food safety.

While baking your own wedding cake can be a rewarding experience, it's crucial to practice proper food safety to avoid any issues on your big day. Make sure to wash your hands and equipment thoroughly before you begin, use fresh ingredients, and follow the recipe closely to ensure that your cake is cooked at the right temperature and for the recommended time. It's also essential to take precautions when storing and transporting your cake. For instance, you may want to use food-safe containers and wrap your cake tightly to prevent contamination.

14. Invest in the right equipment.

Baking your own wedding cake requires the right equipment. Make sure you have the appropriate baking pans, a good quality mixer, and any other tools necessary for your recipe. It's also important to have a sturdy cake stand or platter to display your cake on. Don't forget about decorating tools, such as piping bags, tips, and spatulas. Investing in the right equipment can make the process much smoother and more enjoyable.

15. Get creative with flavors.

One of the benefits of baking your own wedding cake is that you have complete control over the flavors. Don't be afraid to get creative and experiment with different combinations. Consider using seasonal ingredients or incorporating flavors that hold special meaning to you and your partner. You could also create a dessert table with a variety of treats, such as cupcakes, cookies, and pies, to offer your guests a range of options.