27 replies to this topic

[jgarner53]

I'm doing a very good friend's wedding cake. It's just going to be them and my husband and me, so it's just one 6-inch cake. No tiers, only one chance at flavor combinations. I've asked her what kinds of flavors she likes, and here's her response:

Still thinking about cakes! There are so many options; it's hard to zero in on one. I like these tastes:  vanilla creme brulee, carmel, hazlenut, orange/blood orange, pomegranate, plum, apricot, raspberry (ALL berries in fact), mango. We also love grapefruit! I think passion fruit sounds amazing. Mango and raspberry would look great together,..not sure about the right combination of any of the tastes...Any more suggestions?

The cake's going to be a basic genoise. Since they don't drink, I can't use any alcohol either to flavor the fillings or the syrup for the cake layers. The outside will be a basic IM buttercream.

Based on her suggestions, these are my thoughts: crème brulée is out (though we are having them to dinner the night before, and I will probably make that for dessert that night). Pomegranates and oranges/blood oranges seem more wintery to me, and plums and apricots strike me as being better suited to tarts. That leaves me with caramel, hazelnut, berries, mango, and passion fruit. The grapefruit thing throws me, as well. I could do a grapefruit curd, but can't possibly imagine it being very tasty as a cake filling.

The cake will likely be six layers, so there are five layers of filling. I could swap out a couple of layers of cake for a hazelnut dacquoise and do a caramel mousse filling, or do a hazelnut praline mousse filling, or mix fruits: raspberry + mango, mango + passion fruit, raspberry + apricot.

My friend is right. The possibilities are endless. Do you all have suggestions to help me clear my head?

[Curlz]

I am not a baker or pastry chef, but when I saw this post, I just had to reply...that note from the bride-to-be could have been written by me! Please--I'm begging you--go with a berry filling and some sort of lemon cake or frosting! Non-chocolate lovers ( ) know that berries are great with a tart touch. And/or I'd vote for the raspberry/mango combo, which is another favorite of mine.

[therese]

We did a raspberry filling with an almond cake and it was great. Raspberry and apricot or peach also wonderful, both going nicely with the almond (or vanilla if you want to incorporate that).

[WhiteTruffleGirl]

Whatever direction you go, do not put too many flavors in there. I personally would stick with two that tend to be crowd pleasers...like a raspberry gelee and a lemon curd or mousse.

[bkeith]

I got to here:

That leaves me with caramel, hazelnut, berries, mango, and passion fruit. The grapefruit thing throws me, as well. I could do a grapefruit curd, but can't possibly imagine it being very tasty as a cake filling.

and thought, "hazelnut dacqoise and something caramelly". Then I read this:

The cake will likely be six layers, so there are five layers of filling. I could swap out a couple of layers of cake for a hazelnut dacquoise and do a caramel mousse filling, or do a hazelnut praline mousse filling, or mix fruits: raspberry + mango, mango + passion fruit, raspberry + apricot.

I'd go with a couple layers of hazelnut dacquoise and alternating layers of caramel buttercream (or mousse) and passionfruit curd for the fillings.

[McDuff]

I once made passionfruit gel inserts for a wedding cake that worked nicely. You freeze them in the same pan the cake was baked in, then pop them out and add them as a layer.

[jgarner53]

I'd suggested lemon and raspberry to her, and since she didn't jump on it, I've kind of ruled that out (though it is one of my favorites)

Would passion fruit go with the hazelnut dacquoise and caramel buttercream (or mousse)?

[Megan Blocker]

Would passion fruit go with the hazelnut dacquoise and caramel buttercream (or mousse)?

I would think it would be too sweet with the caramel...

What's for dinner/lunch? That might help me come down on either the fruity or chocolatey side of things!

[chefpeon]

Gosh, I don't think you need any MORE ideas......
you already have too much to choose from!

One thing you'll learn soon.....don't give your clients too many choices....it just confuses them....and you. A better approach is to say, "This is what I do, and these are your choices", and give them a few flavor combos to choose from. It stresses people out less, when they don't have to make so many decisions.
In the same vein, asking questions like, "What do YOU like?" is a real can of worms, because as you've found, they'll rattle off a huge list, or tell you they like cabbage and liver.....which generally aren't "crowd pleasing" flavors.
I always gently remind the bride that they are feeding their GUESTS with the cake, and they need to consider what would please the most guests, rather than fulfilling some kinky cake flavor fantasy that nobody else is going to go for. If they really do want a weird flavor combo, or want the cake swimming in a liqueur soak, I always tell them they should have that as the top tier for themselves to enjoy, and the guests can enjoy a more mainstream flavor combination.

I've spent so many years talking to freaked out brides that I figure I can qualify for a real-time certificate in counseling. Sheesh.

As whitetrufflegirl says, I ditto not using too many flavors in one cake. The palate can only distinguish few flavors at once, and getting too complicated is overkill, and subtle flavor nuances can get lost. My cakes usually balance just two flavors, which is always quite suitable, not to mention easier for me.

Edited by chefpeon, 11 July 2005 - 01:12 PM.

[kitwilliams]

Best filling I ever made for a wedding cake was a passionfruit mousse. They're still talking about it. I can't recommend that flavor enough. Go for it! (You've probably received more advice and opinions than you wanted!)

[jgarner53]

Thanks, Anne, but since my husband and I are the only "guests" (they are eloping), I'm not too worried about encouraging her to think about pleasing us. Really, this cake is for them, but you do make a great point about not giving too many choices.

I think I'll narrow it down to the hazelnut dacquoise/caramel option OR mango + raspberry (alternating layers). I think that passionfruit/raspberry would be too tart (since both are tart fruits).

As for dinner, it hasn't been decided yet. I recommended a French restaurant, but I haven't heard back from them yet. Since it's just 4 of us, not too much pre-planning has to go into it.

[Curlz]

I think that passionfruit/raspberry would be too tart (since both are tart fruits).

I think that sounds wonderful! All the more so if the frosting is the sweet part of the cake...
Just two cents more from a non-chocoholic/hate-anything-too-sugary gal! Wrong forum...I know...

[Megan Blocker]

I think I'll narrow it down to the hazelnut dacquoise/caramel option OR mango + raspberry (alternating layers). I think that passionfruit/raspberry would be too tart (since both are tart fruits).

I think both of those sound delicious - and since you don't know what you'll be eating, it's really just which she'd like better!

[MarieinLA]

I know coconut was not on her list, but I've been combining passionfruit curd as a filling in coconut cake and passionfruit buttercream and it's quite yummy if I may say so myself....so many options...

[jgarner53]

I know coconut was not on her list, but I've been combining passionfruit curd as a filling in coconut cake and passionfruit buttercream and it's quite yummy if I may say so myself....so many options...

I actually kind of like that combination myself, and I don't even LIKE coconut. Citizen Cake, a high-end bakery here, does what they call the "retro shag" cake - cake filled with passionfruit mousse, iced with buttercream, and then coated with coconut flakes to look like shag carpeting.

[Abra]

There's one combination that I don't think has been mentioned, and that sounds really yummy to me. Caramel with mango, like dulce de leche with grilled mango slices, as a reference point.

[sugarbuzz]

I haven't used this in a cake although it is thick enough where you could use it..I make a caramel mascarpone as a filling for my apple crepes. Maybe pair it with an orange-cardamom flavored mousse or pastry cream?
Or maybe infuse the cake with orange zest & cardamom with the mascarpone filling & very thin layers of passionfruit curd? I've seen passionfruit caramel so why not pair them together? Or forget the passionfruit & make some type of apple filling.


I got knocked offline before I could tell how to make the caramel mascarpone. I beat about 1 lb. of mascarpone with a little cream with a paddle until it's smooth & then just add your favorite homemade caramel. I say homemade because that way you can make it as thick as you like. Thicker is better in this recipe.

Edited by sugarbuzz, 12 July 2005 - 11:34 AM.

[Joni]

Best filling I ever made for a wedding cake was a passionfruit mousse.  They're still talking about it.  I can't recommend that flavor enough.  Go for it!  (You've probably received more advice and opinions than you wanted!)

Sounds fabulous..would you be willing to share your mousse recipe ...I love passionfruit and use the Perfect Puree Passionfruit...thank you!!

[freddurf]

I know coconut was not on her list, but I've been combining passionfruit curd as a filling in coconut cake and passionfruit buttercream and it's quite yummy if I may say so myself....so many options...

I don't want to steal this post from jgarner53, but I've been drooling ever since I read this post! The other post regarding the passion fruit mousse has also caught my interest. Care to share your recipe? I have an abundant supply of passion fruit so I need a few recipes to test out.

[Pam R]

What about a hazelnut something with a raspberry something? I like that combo.

[Joni]

I know coconut was not on her list, but I've been combining passionfruit curd as a filling in coconut cake and passionfruit buttercream and it's quite yummy if I may say so myself....so many options...

I don't want to steal this post from jgarner53, but I've been drooling ever since I read this post! The other post regarding the passion fruit mousse has also caught my interest. Care to share your recipe? I have an abundant supply of passion fruit so I need a few recipes to test out.

I would also like to know how to make the passionfruit buttercream...if anyone has an idea. This cake was especially good -- even after being transported on the plane from SF and probably 2 days old!

[MarieinLA]

I add passionfruit curd to a plain swiss buttercream (no vanilla). I don't know the proportions because I add the curd to taste once the buttercream is done. Next time I make it I'll pay more attention and post the proportions...

[JamericanDiva]

Thanks for sharing these ideas, guys... I myself am working on a wedding cake for my church. They are having a rededication ceremony for the married couples. Initially I was going to do the strawberry shortcake type of cake listed in Dede Wilson's book, but decided that I didn't want to wash and hull so many strawberries. Anything to make my life easier. I am working on the gumpaste flowers now, so it might be best to stick with a mousse. I think I'm going to try the passionfruit mousse mentioned. Would this mousse be best with a yellow cake or a white cake? I plan to cover the cake in fondant. Do you think passionfruit buttercream in addition to the mousse filling will be too much?

Edited by JamericanDiva, 20 July 2005 - 09:30 AM.

[annachan]

I'm doing a very good friend's wedding cake. It's just going to be them and my husband and me, so it's just one 6-inch cake. No tiers, only one chance at flavor combinations. I've asked her what kinds of flavors she likes, and here's her response:

Still thinking about cakes! There are so many options; it's hard to zero in on one. I like these tastes:  vanilla creme brulee, carmel, hazlenut, orange/blood orange, pomegranate, plum, apricot, raspberry (ALL berries in fact), mango. We also love grapefruit! I think passion fruit sounds amazing. Mango and raspberry would look great together,..not sure about the right combination of any of the tastes...Any more suggestions?

The cake's going to be a basic genoise. Since they don't drink, I can't use any alcohol either to flavor the fillings or the syrup for the cake layers. The outside will be a basic IM buttercream.

Based on her suggestions, these are my thoughts: crème brulée is out (though we are having them to dinner the night before, and I will probably make that for dessert that night). Pomegranates and oranges/blood oranges seem more wintery to me, and plums and apricots strike me as being better suited to tarts. That leaves me with caramel, hazelnut, berries, mango, and passion fruit. The grapefruit thing throws me, as well. I could do a grapefruit curd, but can't possibly imagine it being very tasty as a cake filling.

The cake will likely be six layers, so there are five layers of filling. I could swap out a couple of layers of cake for a hazelnut dacquoise and do a caramel mousse filling, or do a hazelnut praline mousse filling, or mix fruits: raspberry + mango, mango + passion fruit, raspberry + apricot.

My friend is right. The possibilities are endless. Do you all have suggestions to help me clear my head?

Chocolate cake with hazelnut buttercream....that's what I had for my wedding cake....

[onehsancare]

We did a raspberry filling with an almond cake and it was great.

What did you use to ice this? I'm planning to make an almond cake with a raspberry filling, but I want to cover it in fondant. I thought I'd ice it in a buttercream before applying the fondant, but amaretto/almond BC might be too much almond.

Any suggestions?

Carolyn

PS--if you've got great recipes for the almond cake, raspberry filling, or both, could you share them, pls?

[kitwilliams]

sorry not to respond before...the passionfruit mousse is (I think) originally from The Cake Bible...called Fruit Cloud, I believe. Just substitute passionfruit puree for the raspberry.

and let me know if i'm wrong and it is not there...i'll hunt it down.

[RuthWells]

sorry not to respond before...the passionfruit mousse is (I think) originally from The Cake Bible...called Fruit Cloud, I believe.  Just substitute passionfruit puree for the raspberry.

and let me know if i'm wrong and it is not there...i'll hunt it down.

Hi Kit,

Is this the Cake Bible recipe where you essentially fold a fruit curd or puree into an Italian meringue?

[kitwilliams]

Hi Kit,

Is this the Cake Bible recipe where you essentially fold a fruit curd or puree into an Italian meringue?

No, it's simpler. A portion of the fruit puree in which the sugar is dissolved, remaining puree in which the gelatin is bloomed, these combined and then mixed into lightly whipped cream. Voila!