Sunday Sweets: Wedding Wonders
February 20, 2011 Shaped and themed cakes are awesome, of course, but I still drool and dream over more traditional wedding cakes, too. After all, they've come a long way from just simple tiers with flowers - even the simple tiers with flowers!
Sub'd by Joey S., made by Delectable by SuHard to believe those tufted pinwheels and embroidered borders are all sugar. It's so perfect!
And check out the string work on this engagement beauty:
I love the curls on the top tier, and the piping on the bottom lace collar and upper level strings is simply awe-inspiring. Skill like this always renews my faith in cake artistry. :)
Sub'd by Becky N., made by Jackie NelsonLook at the design at the bottom of the skirt ruffles!
Sub'd by Tifany D., made by Elizabeth's CakesIf you've never stacked or tried to support cakes in the shape of a ball before, let me assure you: it's hard. And all that detail! Totally swoon-worthy.
Another rounded design:
Sub'd by Emily T., made by See-Through-Silence
See that lace border on top? Someone piped that. Yeah. Respect!
And speaking of mad piping skills:
By Tom S. of The Cake GalleryOr, for a more modern touch:
Sub'd by Danielle L., baker unknownThis has been one of my favorite designs since before I even started CW. I love the swirls and the bold flowers.
Sub'd by Chrystal B., made by Sugarbelle CakesWOW. Just...wow.
And finally, the cake that had me scooping my jaw off the desk:
Sub'd by Ashley D., made by Susan Trianos (aka Peecheekeeno)That's all *cake*, guys. Look at that tufted tier in the middle. LOOK AT IT. Now, tell me: how the heck do they DO that? Not to mention the perfect corset lacing, the bows, the ruffles, the porcelain-perfect gumpaste roses...seriously, I think I could stare at this all day. Just. Gorgeous.
Have a Sweet to nominate? Then send it to Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.
Reader Comments (94)
I love those butterflies! And that last one...holy smokes is it impressive!
The white-on-white engagement cake is simply exquisite! Were that my cake, the only knife that'd be allowed anywhere near it would be the one I was gripping, waving around, and sobbing "Noooooo! Don't touch! DON'T TOUCH!!!"
The pink multitiered, multi-bowed one is, IMO, thisclose to being a wreck :-} I mean, the piping is gorgeous, the quality of work is amazing but there is SO much going on!
I think these were some of the most amazing cakes you've ever shown! The artistry is divine!
While I can respect the effort thats been put into those cakes, I think wedding cakes are stinking boring. Why do most gals (and some vain guys) want to do something boring like lace, flowers, ribbons, butterflies, etc on their cakes?
I'm think of putting dinosaurs on mine :)
I am AMAZED at these. to be that good is a dream of mine!
O ... M ... G
I'm just gobsmacked at the utter perfection of these cakes! (Seriously, the standard wreckerators need to take lessons from these guys).
The piping skills on display in cake #3 (all white, with gorgeous piping) look rather like those on my engagement cake. But those butterflies are just awesome (Wish I'd had those!)
Cakes #6 (black and white with red roses) and #8 (yellow/lime with swirls and cascading purple flowers) are so striking and different! I am totally in love with them! (Especially #6)
#9 (clean plain white with curling cascade of blue butterflies) is similar to my wedding cake. I had plain white but with that curling cascade of deep purple irises (all made of sugar). I still love it.
But #4, #5, #7, and #10 just blew me away. I cannot fathom the amount of work that must have gone into those cakes. The corset lacing is just jaw-dropping, and that puffy quilting ... how do they do that???? And as for all that piped lacework in #7 ... I'm SO impressed, I'll have to invent a new word to describe that level of being impressed!
I'm with Shenaniganizer ... unless hubby and I renew our vows and have another "big day", there's not another wedding in my plans, but my 40th is only a few years away so I think I'm going to have to steal a few ideas from here for my cake.
Elizabeth
Sydney, Australia
Yay! I'm so excited to see Sweet Life on here. They are the most amazing place. If you live in Eugene, Oregon, then you know all about them. If you're ever passing through, you must go grab a pumpkin cookie or cupcake there! They also have an incredible assortment of vegan treats! Super yummy!
Q from Sweet Life (first cake) made my wedding cake. She is AMAZING! Our cake was beautiful and So delicious!!
Wow -- SUPER! I love all the beautiful daisies on these cakes.
Those are so lovely! I love when you point out something is all cake since I watch Cake Boss a lot and it seems they only use cereal treats to sculpt EVERYTHING. Ugh.
I love the modern one towards the end with the swirls and flowers! Absolutely beautiful! I saved the picture to reference for my own wedding! :)
SWEET LIFE! Freaking love that place. If you're ever in eugene, OR you have to visit there. Everything is awesome there!
I've always been one of those "big fancy wedding cakes are dumb, let's just get something that tastes great" types of gals.
Never. Again. That first cake - WANT!
Now where did that pesky boyfriend go? We need a proposal, stat!
Today's post was just breathtaking. I usually get hungry for cake when I read your blog, but it is unimagininable that people could cut into these works of art and actually eat them!
These cakes are wonderful. They truly show the talent of each baker. It is hard to pick a favourite, but the white engagement cake and the two you picked are amazing.
To those that would not cut into these cakes; remember, that they are created as a temporary work of art intended to be eaten. The artist is honoured when you do so.
For those interested, during the early 1800s, a pastry cook named Mr. Rich, designed his daughter's wedding cake using a church steeple as inspiration for a tiered cake. The book, "Londonders' Larder" by Annette Hope, states that this started the "fashion for tiered and pillared 'bride's cakes' which continues to this day."
So beautiful!
Wow to that first cake..just wow. I love all of them and will probably stare at them in wonder for hours. Now who would dare cut into these beauties?
I loved the one from Sugar Bell Cakes, fantastic.
Thought 1: If my sweetheart sees these, I'll have to get a third job.
Thought 2: It'd be worth it.
Thought 3 (in line with those who can't see cutting into these): This is why there is sheet cake.
If one of these was at my wedding (cue 'Dream On' by Aerosmith), I would so put it in a 3-D scanner, make a model of it and have some fanatically detailed artist-type person paint said model to match exactly. Then and only then would the original be allowed to disappear.
I am completely flabbergasted by all of these cakes, even the more foofy ones which are not particularly to my taste. Oh, the rounded white cake, what a joy! and irridescent butterflies! And jawdroppingly stunning piping on the engagement cake!
The thing I adore the most though is the bride and groom topper on the first cake - it seems like he's leaning in to kiss her cheek, and it looks so sweet and chic compared to the tacky poorly painted jobs you usually see in cake decorating shops. Want!
I've never posted before despite being a long time reader, but the power of piping has broken me at last!
The other day we were watching
"Graham Norton" on BBC America, where once he had featured your website, and he again featured you...this time by advertising your book, and giving a copy to Kate Hudson! We are so proud of your accomplishment!
I'm with John on this one: those blue butterflies are super gorgeous!
~Ashlee
http://theDragonsHoard.bigcartel.com | Handmade gemstone jewellery
Gorgeous!
Am I the only one that thinks that the black and red one looks like a pregnant bridesmaid?
They are all lovely to look at, but sadly I'll bet they are not all lovely to eat. I honestly think we've gone a bit to far towards the appearance over substance.
I love, love, love the first one! Absolutely beautiful!
My mom created cake #4, the dress-inspired cake. Decorating had been her full-time job for 15 years, and let me assure you she took just as much pride in the quality of her baking as her decorating. She no longer is able to decorate as much due to what I'm sure many decorators are familiar with, carpal tunnel. But, you can still get one of the most crazy delicious cakes you've ever had out of her!
So, on the second one... you think the crooked tier is on purpose? 'Cause nothing else on the cake is tilted. It really looks like a mistake, covered over by flowers, but I don't know how that mistake could occur! And if it's on purpose, it's just kinda... weird, since nothing else is topsy turvy. Beautiful! But weird.
The wedding cakes were AWESOME. I love seeing good wedding cakes as much as I love seeing the wrecks. Though after seeing these I am starting to rethink doing my own wedding cake, even if it's not going to be like these.
DJ
These are so beautiful, and worth every penny...any idea how much these cakes sell for?
Just curious--are those flowers on the first cake sugar or fresh cut? If they're baker-made, that would be the best use of color/shape in sugar flower creation I've ever seen. And, of course, if they're fresh, great use of flowers!
Really love all of the cakes; the handwork is so exquisite on some of them with the lace and piping.
WV: pickedle I picked le cake, and then I changed my mind yet again when I saw the next one.
Oh my droolworthy cake dreams.
That stacked sphere cake, dreamy. Could you imagine it in steampunk colors?
And the last. Simply stunning.
All the cakes are fantastic.
My jaw's on the floor.
Gorgeous.
Love the white on white, tufting, and the blue butterflies!
Way to go for a Sunday!!
!!Di
I *love* John's favorite. The butterflies are amazing! I can't imagine the amount of work that went in to that. I wouldn't want to cut into any of these cakes; they're too beautiful!
I am sure the last one is a display cake made for a competition and not *real cake*- though I confidently think the maker could do it actual cake. Susan's amazing!!!! Fact checking- priceless.
Sara
OK, so I thought the last one was my favorite....until I zoomed in on the white-on-white engagement cake. The butterflies are STUNNING! And the piping...the piping is NOT TOUCHING THE CAKE at some parts! Wha?! How?! The laws of physics don't exist for that cake! Simply magnificent!!
WOOOOOOW!!!!! The first one is so pretty. I have a weakness for rainbows ^_^
yay. u featured the sweet i sent in! (the one no one else seemed to like ... but to each his/her own) :-)
I'm hyperventilating over the mauve Victorian one.
These are amazing! 5, 6, 8, and 9 are definitely my favorites. I want to get married just to have one of these cakes!! :3
I would LOVE to have a cake like the first one for my wedding! So simple but so awesome!
Thank you SO much for the honor of featuring one of my wedding cakes! I was so excited! And perhaps a bit humbled to be featured with the other amazing cakes. And BTW- my cakes taste AMAZING (ask any of my clients)!!
Thanks Jen- I love this site!
What a great collection of wedding cakes, i think my favourite has to be the one with the blue butterflies but then I'm a sucker for anything with butterflies on it!
My mind is blowed the last one and the one with the bride in the background. superb!