The Sweet Life

Three hot trends dish up fun and creativity for dessert.

Cupcakes

The cupcake craze has been sweeping the nation ever since Carrie and Miranda first dined on them outside of Magnolia Bakery in an episode of Sex and the City. On the verge of edging out their three-tiered competition, cupcakes have become a sweet go-to alternative for a bride’s special day. “People like the fun, casual attribute of cupcakes, and how easy it is to serve them,” says Jennyfer Mancino, owner of The Sugar Suite in Maitland. The rise of the trend lends a hand to both brides worried about pleasing all of their guests and guests bored to tears with yet another vanilla cake. “Whether it’s fruit, chocolate or red velvet, the guests are getting a choice,” says Hollis Wilder, owner of Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly in Orlando. Brides also shouldn’t worry they’re sacrificing presentation for the sake of variety. Opulent cupcake towers can make these untraditional confections look shockingly close to their three-tiered cousin. 

Topsy-Turvy

One of the most interesting cake trends is the topsy-turvy cake, also known as the mad hatter. These whimsical, gravity-defying works of art are being chosen for a wide variety of weddings. “Brides want something different, but they want to stay somewhat traditional to the wedding,” says Pam Hummel, co-owner of Oviedo’s Frosting on the Cake. “They’re using the topsy-turvy setup or design in a more elegant way.” Designers have taken the Alice in Wonderland-esque style cake and decorated it with more contemporary elements in a formal fashion, giving brides the option of having much more than just a pretty cake. With each tier performing a balancing act, guests are sure to do a double take. 

Groom's Cakes

Traced back to the Victorian era, also with deep Southern roots, the groom’s cake fell out of favor for quite a while. But today’s brides have reinvented the tradition with more personal and creative options than ever before, “The groom’s cake has made a huge comeback,” says Richard Gregory, manager of Party Flavors Custom Cakes in Ocoee. “Intended to be a gift from the bride to the groom, it’s usually a fun flavor like chocolate or carrot and designed with a nod toward masculinity.” Guests at The Royal Wedding dined on a groom’s cake made of Prince William’s favorite snack, McVite’s Rich Tea Biscuits. A groom’s cake often is designed to represent a special interest of the groom, like a sport or hobby. To keep the groom’s cake from upstaging the traditional wedding cake, set them on a separate tables or displays.