Question 1

What trends do you see emerging in 2023?

Accepted Answer

- Bold colours — accompanied by coordinating flowers. - Stencilling. It can elevate a classic simple cake with a touch of texture or gold leaf. - Texture. A free-hand textured design can be most striking between smooth iced tiers. - Naked or Semi naked cakes — decorated with fresh berries and blooms, coordinated with the venue décor.

Question 2

We're great cake lovers and want something that looks and tastes delicious for our summer wedding. What would you suggest that's on trend?

Accepted Answer

Small cakes and single tiers are hot for this summer and next. The semi-naked cake remains popular, but increasingly with white chocolate ganache as opposed to the more traditional sugarpaste finish. Painted cakes always make a statement and can reflect a seasonal theme beautifully. We're also seeing lots of interest in hooped cake stands which are amazing as they allow you to extend the design of the cake creating a stunning showpiece for the big day.

Question 3

We're big cake lovers but can't make up our minds what to choose for our big day. What's popular currently for an on-trend showstopper that looks and tastes great?

Accepted Answer

The colour trends we're seeing for 2022 are hot pinks alongside orange hues and also gold and green shades. Both are popular themes but if the bolder colours aren't for you, ivory, green, gold and peach tones remain on trend for more traditional cakes. Floral decorations can add a seasonal touch such as bold coloured tulips to provide that extra punch of colour. Not only do we use seasonal flowers and decorations, we also try to incorporate seasonality in our jams and preserves too, such as lemon curd, elderflower and rhubarb

Question 4

We want our wedding cake to reflect our autumn wedding theme – any ideas?

Accepted Answer

Trudy says: There are a number of ways you can do this with the look, taste and staging of your cake. Things like adding some seasonal flavours, such as apple spice, and using autumnal colours especially rich tones like burgundy and burnt orange. Incorporating natural elements into the design is also a good idea, like fallen leaves. These can be edible, pressed foliage or decorative sugar work; dried fruits and fresh seasonal berries work well too. To make a focal point of your cake go for a moody look and create a seasonal ambience.

Question 5

We're both great cake lovers and want a real showstopper for our wedding that not only tastes and looks great but is personal to us and reflects our lives and loves – is this possible?

Accepted Answer

Terri says: Absolutely! You can have something bespoke to you and tell your story through your wedding cake, whether it's by hand-painting key points in your life together on to it or by creating a unique design to reflect hobbies or favourite things. As well as how you want your dream cake to look, it's important to factor in how many portions you require, so no one misses out on tasting it too. As far as we're concerned, there are no limits and as much as we are truly happy to follow tradition and fashion, we do love a challenge!This four-tier, dairy-free cake was decorated with fondant icing and hand-painted with silhouettes to show various aspects of the couple's journey together including the proposal at the summit of Mount Snowdon, important places they'd visited, their house, dog and other meaningful things. It was airbrushed in an ombre effect from white, through pink into purple to match the colours of the memory lane roses they had for their wedding flowers.

Question 6

We've downsized our big day and will be having an intimate gathering instead followed by a bumper party to celebrate with all our friends and family next year. Although small in numbers, we still want our wedding day to be special though, especially the cake! What would you suggest?

Accepted Answer

Emma says: I firmly believe that the 'new normal' in whatever form that takes, is up to us as wedding suppliers to create with our existing couples and those newly engaged who are looking for a bit of direction. With the right creative people at the planning table, I think a micro wedding can truly be a thing of splendour. Slimming down your guest list can mean more money available to splash out on extras to add impact and create a more abundant affair. Your cake can still be a star of the show, beautifully presented and decorated to complement your wedding flowers by coordinating with your florist. I always prime each bloom, ensuring its hygienic and food safe, and each finished look is created organically on the day. Inspired by texture, form and colour, I love the final reveal of the florist's selection and finding the perfect placement for each stem or frond. Layering blooms, petals and greenery underneath the stand also helps create an ambience and a 'space' for the cake, hopefully generating a buzz so your guests will gather around to admire it.

Question 7

We're great cake lovers and want a real showstopper for our wedding. What's set to be popular for the year ahead?

Accepted Answer

Wendy says: Dried flowers and foliage are very on trend at the moment and mixing dried leaves with hand-crafted sugar flowers can make a delicate and eye-catching display for your wedding. With the number of guests allowed still likely to be restricted many couples are choosing smaller, one- or two-tier creations, which can still be strikingly beautiful and elegant. Adding texture is another key element. This can be achieved in many ways including ruffles, textured icing and wafer paper flowers from large blooms to tiny delicate ones directly on the icing. When it comes to colours, there's a move towards palettes of ochre, mustard and buttery tones in 2021, which will add a calm, relaxed vibe to your wedding.

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