Although traditionalists and romantics out there may shudder at just the thought of a fake cake, more and more couples are choosing to shun the standard wedding bake and opt for a dummy centrepiece instead. Whether it’s to save money or just because they’re not big fans of sponge, an increasing number of brides and grooms to be are serving polystyrene desserts on their big day.
Fake cakes
In general, fake wedding cakes are made from a strong, light material like polystyrene and layered up to resemble authentic tiered cakes. The tiers are then covered in real icing and fondant and finished with often intricate and elaborate decorations. Although they may look like the real deal, when they’re sliced into the couple will find nothing but plastic inside.
In most cases, the main motivation behind faking the cake is cost cutting. Fake cakes come in at a fraction of the price of wedding sponges, so if you and your other half are looking for ways to save cash, this could be a good option. This is especially true if neither you nor your other half are very keen on sponges or puddings, and this allows you to redirect your money to other areas that mean more to you.
Fake tiers
These days even real wedding cakes often come with a few fake tiers. As Hall of Cakes explains “Dummy tiers are often placed in cakes either to provide a solid base when fruit cake is not wanted or, when the client does not require a lot of cake but wants a very impressive design.” In general, this isn’t a cost cutting measure but an aesthetic one so don’t expect it to reduce the cost of your wedding centrepiece.
Let other desserts shine
After a big wedding breakfast, the last thing that most guests want to tuck into is a hefty slab of cake. As a result, wedding cake often goes uneaten and many newlyweds end up with a mountain of intricately iced sponge to deal with after the big day. If you’re planning on serving other desserts before your wedding cake, or even to forgo pudding altogether, a fake cake may be the perfect solution.
Reasons not to fake your cake
Although fake wedding cakes can save you money and take the pressure off of your waistline, there’s no denying that a beautiful sponge does make a fantastic centrepiece for a wedding day. If you want that classic cake cutting photo, or if you believe that cutting the cake will bring you good luck, a fake bake won’t do you any good at all. If your wedding budget is tight, you could ask any keen bakers you know if they’d be able to whip you up a centrepiece so you can save money while still enjoying a beautifully baked sponge.
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