Miniature wedding cakes

[plk]

My fiancee and I, in a likely misguided sense of culinary zeal, decided that we, with the help of willing family and friends, would do most of the cooking for our own wedding. This was more his idea than mine, but I'm going with it. There will be 50 people, and both the ceremony and reception will be held in our backyard. We're figuring out what kinds of things can be done safely ahead of time in quantities, how much we can store, how things will be heated and served, etc.

So, the cake scenario. We're both a little concerned about securely constructing, decorating, and then somehow moving, a single big cake. I had the bright idea of making cupcakes, but upon finding some example pics, thought that maybe miniature 2-layer cakes would be a little nicer. More work decorating, but clearly prettier.

I have located a source for mini 2-tier cake pans, but I'm unclear on how they work. It's a single mold rather than two small pans, so assuming that the open end is the large end, how do you keep these upright in the oven? Or, is there a different way of making these? The same site has 3-pc 3 tier cake pans which, being 3 pieces, would appear to bake separately. But, that set is twice the cost of the 2-tier mold, and besides, the third tier adds an undesirable level of complexity to the decorating. But, is the 2-tier cake an adequate dessert portion size? It's awfully hard to tell from the close-up pics. My guess is that with all the great professional and home bakers on this site, someone here has done this before. Any suggestions, or words of experience?

[miaomee]

plk, there is dimension stated with the miniature pans, it is rather small... each of it would produce a single serving. I've seen decorators using these pans to make miniature wedding cakes, but they don't bake using these pans, they apply a layer of chocolate, let cold and set and fill it with cakes, then remove the whole thing from the mold. I suggest you write to cooksdream to inquire on how to use their mini cake mold prior to purchase.

[Wendy DeBord]

Welcome to The eGullet Society of Arts and Letters plk!

Are you and your fiance' both professional chefs?

Gotta tell you the truth from my experience. I can't begin to help you with your mini cakes unless you survive the rest of my post and come back for more.

I used to co-own a catering business with my parents during the time I got married. It was only natural we/I'd cater my wedding.............we had the best food around and it was a group of foodies that would be at our wedding. We only had 50 people too. I rented a really funky/cool house that was totally equiped and I hired staff (the remaining employees that weren't invited guests).

The week of my wedding, my Mom got bogged down with dress problems. She was out shopping instead of prepping for my wedding. My parents decided to have a HUGE fight that week to add to the tension.

So the day of my wedding my florist doesn't show up. I called them and they've lost my order all together. Oh well, they bring out what they had- I got twice the amount of flowers I had ordered.....that worked to my benefit..........but it was last minute stress and work. My Mother arrives with our B level waitstaff to set up the food. NOTHING goes right. The minute my Dad arrives my Mother is now hugely distracted and the waitstaff I do have has no idea how to set up and prepare.

Long story.........I'll cut it shorter.

I wound up being in the kitchen and working my wedding. It really was horrible. As I look back I didn't relax and take my time to enjoy the day and my guests at all!!!!!! I have no fond memories of my wedding. My spouse was mad because my parents were fighting , my Mom didn't have things organized and I wasn't around. My sous chef wound up helping in the kitchen too, ignoring their date completely. The staff I hired and paid were totally worthless. I wound up feeling mad at them for the rest of their employment.

So my advice to you and anyone ever thinking about doing this:

Don't even dream of doing your own wedding with-out good PROFESSIONAL staff! Friends don't count, they become guests and they don't do the dirty work. When everyone goes home it's you and your new hubby picking up everything..........forget that sexy honeymoon night.........you'll be too tired.

Don't have any expectations. You must be people who like flying by the seat of your pants and don't care if things are all screwed up.

Best to do sort of the b.b.q. type meal. So if worse comes to worse everything is out and your guest can literally help themselves.

Be prepared you will NOT dance and socialize very much. Your guests will feel slighted. You'll be too distracted taking care of details to actually have fun.

I'm sorry, I just want you to know the reality. If this is what you want, we will do our best to guide you through it.

[chefette]

Like Wendy says - it is possible but not desireable. Stick with the cupcakes. If you don't do the stand thing and decorate them pretty and plate each one like a mini cake you will probably be loads happier before, durring, and after the big day.

Steve and I (both pastry pros) did our wedding cakes and I have to say it was alot of stress and work at the last minute that we didn't really need.

I did 60 small two layer cakes for my sister's wedding last summer and it sure is alot of work not to be taken lightly. You are looking at some reallly cute little cakes produced by a pastry pro and comparing them to some cupcake displays. Of course the cakes are adorable - but think about your ability to really carry this off when you are the event coordinator for 50 guests on your big day when you want to be rested, beautied up and relaxed.

If you really want to do it yourself - stick with something simple and do kickass cupcakes. If you really want adorable little cakes buy them.

[annarborfoodie]

Thank you for this thread. I am getting married in August and was contemplating doing my own cake. This has convinced me that it's not the way to go. I'll stick to doing iced sugar cookies as the favors (can be done way ahead of time and I'm thinking of having a cookie party instead of a shower in order to enlist help) and leave the cake to the pros.

[CaliPoutine]

Thank you for this thread.    I am getting married in August and was contemplating doing my own cake.  This has convinced me that it's not the way to go.  I'll stick to doing iced sugar cookies as the favors (can be done way ahead of time and I'm thinking of having a cookie party instead of a shower in order to enlist help) and leave the cake to the pros.

←

Hi

I did some of the food at my wedding and I also made a cupcake tree. I followed the dimensions on that site and we spent a weekend, cutting circles out of huge cardboard refridgerator boxes. We made double layers and taped it together with duct tape( is there anything you can do with duct tape?) I covered the layers in green fabric and then used an irradecent green tulle over the top.

I baked 300 cupcakes and froze them. I made all the fillings 2 days before. On the morning of the wedding, 4 friends and myself filled and frosted them at the reception hall. It was a lot of work, but Im glad I did it. I needed to have the control over the food aspect. Everyone raved about the cupcakes.

I hired a man who smokes meats and he came with his smoker( a train caboose converted into a smoker). I served chicken with bbq sauce, potatoes, corn on the cob, a huge mixed baby green salad with vinagarette, my MIL made her famous coleslaw, I made a huge whack of baked beans( they cooked most of the day while we decorated) and I ordered rolls.

For my favor I ordered chinese takeout boxes and small ziplock bags( all from ebay). I labeled the bags 1 and 2. In the first bag I mixed up chicken brine and the 2nd bag was a spice blend. I wrote out the directions and added a clipart chicken image and cut them all out and included them in the bag. I also ordered labels for the front. I can give you a picture if you want. We tied a bit of ribbon on the top. They were absolutly fabulous( if I do say so myself) and I've heard people actually used them.

Good luck. Dont stress yourself out too much.

[Swisskaese]

I am getting married in April and had thought about making my own individual Cottin cakes. I have now decided to forget it and let the caterers do everything. As Wendy said, let someone else deal with all of the stress. You should enjoy your wedding and you can with only fifty guests.

Surely there is a good bakery where you live and with only fifty guests, you could have a small cake to cut for the pictures and make other desserts to serve. We are having a dessert table with 4 or 5 different desserts to choose from. You could make those desserts ahead of time if you want and not worry about all of the fancy decorating.

We could all make some suggestions for memorable desserts to serve at the dessert table, if you decide to go that way.

[plk]

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. I'll try to address them in order:

miaomee: Yes, thanks. I could tell it was a single serving, but it was difficult to tell if it was a particularly small single serving or not. I think I'll just have to see one in person to tell. And thanks for noticing that you don't actually bake in those tins. That's exactly what I was wondering. Those tins are out of the question, then.

Wendy: thanks for the welcome. No, my fiancee and I are not professionals, but neither are we trying to replicate a professional wedding experience. If we wanted formally plated dinners, passed appetizers, or any other type of skilled service, we would have the reception catered. This is going to be a backyard 4th of July barbeque, where the beef brisket, ribs, and turkey are smoked during the previous day. The side dishes, some brought by family and friends, and some prepared by us during the previous days, will be things that are ideally served at room temperature. I have not decided if things will be served family-style or available to pick up at a buffet table, but either way, there will be no plating of food. We'll be hiring a clean-up crew so that no one (including us) has to do the washing up. The atmosphere will really be much more like a holiday barbeque or family reunion than an intimate wedding. I know that we could hire caterers to do this, and to make the cake as well, but this is what we want to do. We've had practice receptions with different numbers of people, and while this will be the largest number yet, we still want to do it. It doesn't sound enjoyable to most people, but that's not really relevant. As it's our wedding, we want the food to be *from* us. We get what could very well go wrong, and we are doing what we can to make sure that problems are solved early on. And, there are a lot of other things that are simply not going to be part of this wedding. There will be no florist, no photographer, and no horrid bridal gown. Hopefully, no dancing. Just a big dinner with family and friends.

For the cakes themselves, whether they are cakes or cupcakes, they will be on a tree or tier, so they will not be directly plated and served. We may well end up doing cupcakes instead of cakes, depending on how difficult they are to make and decorate. I would likely want to start 2 days beforehand, which does present issues of how to keep them moist. Prehaps spritzing or painting them with a flavored sugar syrup would help with that.

Anyway, I do appreciate the advice.

Edited January 28, 2005 by plk (log)

[K8memphis]

Wull even though I agree with everyone - I did do my own wedding cake - but it was 26 years ago before I grew any amount of brain - those little bitty cakes are way more time consuming than you can possibly realize - even stacking cupcakes on a stand is very time consuming - wull you'll only have 50 after all. But it is nerve wracking because it is so last minute.

And and and I am doing my daughter's wedding cake in May but but but - it will take some time setting up on that day and applying the flowers - we have the reception place there for the night before thoughout that day - ceremony in the same place - it will be baked way ahead of time - flowers made ahead of time - secure boxes made well in advance of baking so I can freeze them already iced - take them from the freezer into the frige the night before - it's a very pretty style that will be a breeze to set up - it's gonna be just stacking up five tiers plop, plop, plop, plop, plop - it will be relaxing to put on the flowers - maybe I'll get my sister & neice to help y'know?

The sides of the cake and the boards will be flush. The flowers are different size smallish white blossoms and just cover where a bottom border would be if there was one and creep up the sides real random though & cover the board too - hanging down some climbing up some - like a solid cover from the border up to mid-way then the top is all just plain - butter colored icing & white flowers - It's a Martha Stewart design.

I really didn't mean to hijack your post - just rambling...

In other words, I have a very lenient plan. I mean even my husband or son or one of the bridesmaids could set this up & apply the flowers y'know??? I have backup plans with back up kwim???

So it sure can be done - but this will surely be the most painless cake I've ever done.

Now the groom's cake on the other hand...

[chefpeon]

Oh, you guys are so RIGHT ON!

After I read the initial post, I was sitting there thinking, how could I reply without being all negative? As a professional, even *I* dread those horrible miniature wedding cake orders.

I did a wedding for 300 once, and that was really a time consuming bummer of a time. I had

fun decorating and assembling the first 20 or so, but after that it was a mini wedding cake

nightmare. You know what? It's a lot harder to ice up miniature cakes nicely than it is larger cakes. I actually prefer to cover miniature cakes in fondant, so I don't have to be so careful

with the buttercream part. Anyway, next time I have a request for miniature wedding cakes,

I am either going to:

A) charge a RIDICULOUS amount of money (that way if they still want them and are willing

to pay my price, it'll be worth it) or,

B) just say "no".

I'm inclined to go with "A".

Anyway, I concur with everyone.....do the cupcake thing. It'll be food from you to your guests,

you'll be able to easily pull it off with little or no stress, and they'll be yummy. Cupcakes freeze really well, so you'll be able to make them in advance. Just pull 'em out of the freezer and ice 'em up the day before.

Cupcake trees for weddings got real popular a few years ago after a photo was published in a

Martha Stewart publication, and in my wedding season of 2001, I had my tree going out once

or twice a week. I built a permanent one, using a large dowel, round wood boards and the appropriate hardware. Covered each round board in green polyfoil and decorated the edges

with silk leaves. It was kind of drag getting that thing back every time it went out. My clients

would never return it of course (even though I charged a deposit every time), and when

I'd go to the hotel to fetch it, it seemed like no one in the kitchen knew what happened to it.

One time I found it out back next to the dumpster! Never mind that I had stickers on it saying

"Please return to...." Arghhh!

[EllenC]

Okay, a bunch of the professionals have chimed in, so here I go with nothing to lose. First, the disclaimer - I am not a professional. I bake because I feel like it. I have, however, helped with I don't even know how many weddings. At one I did 600 cream puffs and served wedding cake as well as light refreshments. Whenever I agree to do this it is my wedding gift to the bride and groom - meaning I don't charge for my time or the finished product. They generally buy the supplies. So now you know where I'm coming from.

Your idea for a reception sounds lovely to me. It is a great opportunity for members of both your families to get to know each other better and enjoy time with you and your spouse. Fifty people is not that many so that's really cool. I would strongly encourage you to do the cupcakes and freeze them. They will taste great and look darling. Individual wedding cakes are about the most difficult stess you can put yourself through. As Anne puts it, they are much harder to decorate. I also find they are more fragile so the waste factor goes up exponentially for a home baker. I am sure the pros are better at keeping that to a minimum.

As everybody here has implied, the biggest thing you need to deal with is the stress. How you handle that will decide everything else. If you approach this with the same attitude you show in your posts, you should be fine. By that I mean that you are determined to see this through and you are approaching this from the standpoint of the guests having fun and enjoying good food. I don't see any reason why you can't pull this off.

Edited January 28, 2005 by EllenC (log)

[rooftop1000]

Make graduated sized square cakes get 2 inch ribbon in "your color" stack the cakes like gifts and wrap with ribbons....

very sturdy and easy to box also

well thats what my wedding cake was suppsoed to be but the reception was Sept 15 2001 and the baker was stuck in Vegas....on our way home from our Florida elopement we had to pay cash for someone elses cake (they canceled reception) because of 9/11

after driving home from FLA at least my boss and co-workers picked up the slack on all the stuff I was supposed to be cooking

I cant wait to have an anniversary party ....I want "my" cake

T

[chefpeon]

Hee hee....

Just wanted to add.....

When I got married to my high school sweetheart in 1984 at 22 years old, I wasn't even in the food biz yet (I was on the fast track at Ma Bell), so I had my reception catered at a local restaurant. Of course, I planned the whole wedding myself, within the budget my parents gave me.....$2500, and I came in under budget too! The most expensive part? My dress. Oh vanity.

The cheapest thing? The cake! A la Albertsons!!! Yes, you heard right kids.....I had a grocery

store wedding cake! Ah, I was young and foolish (but I DID come in under budget!). What's really

amusing is when I was talking to the catering dude about the food. I wanted champagne of course, and I figured 4 bottles would be PLENTY for 100 people......Ha! Shoot, my husband and

I plowed through 2 of 'em.......! So the rest of my guests each got about a half a shot glass full

of champagne for the toast......but they didn't mind......since it was so much fun to see the bride all drunk!

Unfortunately, we divorced 8 years later, we're still good friends though. Anyway, when I got

married to my sweetie in August of 2003, I HAD been in the food biz for 14 years, and was

so jaded about weddings, that I didn't even want to DO the ceremony/reception thing. From

my point of view, weddings are such a waste of money....I just have so many more things

I'd rather spend money on! So my husband and I, being real minimalists, took our friend who

was an ordained minister out on our sailboat, along with my husband's son and sister, and

we sailed around Port Townsend Bay while saying our "I do's". I did make my own wedding

cake this time.....hee hee....it was only 4 inches tall. Chocolate, covered with ganache. One

bite for him and one bite for me. World's tiniest wedding cake at the world's tiniest wedding!

My sister-in-law, who is one heck of a photographer, took these pics, and gave them a nice

sepia tone....then presented them to us in a frame as a wedding present. So cool!

Yep, it's yours truly, and my wonderful husband Mark!

[BROWNSUGA]

I planned to make and decorate sugar cookies for my wedding. We had alot more guess. Of course, I didnt plan for the "unexpected" things to happen during the days before my wedding. Heck, who does? I was unable to complete the decorations. We still had cute, heart-shaped cookies. However, there were no decorations.

It sounds like it is going to be a "no fuss" get together. Whether it was created by a professional or yourself, I think cupcakes would be a better choice for the type of affair you are describing. Perhaps, if you were having a different type of "reception", mini cakes might be a better option. In addition, you plan on making these yourself. Why bother with the hassle of making time-consuming mini cakes? Dont get me wrong. I think they are absolutely gorgeous. However, I think I would choose something that is going to be alot less hassle like cupcakes.

[JSkilling]

Anne,

To threadjack here... What would you consider ridculous to charge for these?? I've seen some prices on these that seem to make it worthwhile but then I've yet to decorate 300 of the same damn thing....

[chefpeon]

Anne,

To threadjack here... What would you consider ridculous to charge for these?? I've seen some prices on these that seem to make it worthwhile but then I've yet to decorate 300 of the same damn thing....

Hmmmm......kinda depends on my mood....but......I'm thinking "ridiculous" would start at $25.00 per cake. That's how much money I'd like to make for those li'l pain in the ass things. Otherwise.....forget it. My profit margin is so much higher when I do a single wedding cake....even if it's elaborate. So ya want mini wedding cakes, eh? Ok, I'll do 'em.....but it's gonna cost ya!!!

[JSkilling]

Check this out then...

http://www.justfab.com/listings/products.asp?cat=7

I have no idea what my area would support in prices but I know *I* couldn't afford to do this at my own wedding!! Cripes, that's more expensive than buying an all out cake...

[JSkilling]

I should answer the original question! Cupcakes, all the way. Though if you wanted to get a little fancier you could make something more like a petit four. If you cut the squares somewhat bigger and covered them all with poured fondant they could get a little quick piping of something and be a little more high end than a cupcake. I've seen these done on a cupcake tree with a ribbon tied around them and a flower piped atop and they are quite striking.

[K8memphis]

Clicky here & scroll down for some real cool cupcake liners.

[chefpeon]

Clicky here & scroll down for some real cool cupcake liners.

Hey, wow, and they have X-rated chocolate molds, cake pans and cookie cutters too!

Happy Valentines Day Honey! Have a Penis Pop!!!

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!

[JSkilling]

Just be sure not to give him the teeny weeny penis mold!!!!!!

[K8memphis]

Clicky here for a picture of another way to make your mini-tier cakes. This picture is depicting the method before they started making the molds for this. Wilton has molds now for this technique. You can find the molds at Michael's stores but apparently they are not on the Wilton website or I can't find them on there. But they will look similar to this when completed - depending on how you decorate them though.

You pour the melted candy melts into the mold, pour out the excess so you are just making a shell, let it set up. Then you fill that candy shell with cake and wa-a-ala smooth and pretty mini tier cakes for your wedding.

You'll need to keep them out of the heat of course at your reception and you'll want to practice this in advance but it is very doable, especially for just 50 servings. Just look carefully at Michaels' because the clerks often are not familiar with these.

Another idea for you.

[KatieLoeb]

Actually one of the prettiest "mini cake" displays I've ever seen was a large tray of cupcakes, each individually decorated with a large flower on top. It looked like a glorious bouquet and has to be easier than all those little tiers.

Making sheet cakes and cutting with different square molds and making tiny tiered square cakes might work with a "poured on" icing like ganache or poured fondant as someone else mentioned. It might not be as much torture as other molds and methods sound like they would be.

[Wendy DeBord]

I'd charge more then $25.00 per cake. Just because that's about average for a small b-day cake with just writing on it, nothing fancy. To put the details on a mini wedding cake, probably using fondant.........I don't think I'd ask for a penny less then $50.. Heck we get $50.00 per b-day cake at my work. Plus, to work on a larger cake is easier then a small one and the cost difference in cake ingredients is practically nothing........so smaller doesn't equal cheaper...........your fee is all about time involved. Even though customers think a smaller cake should be cheaper-it doesn't match reality.

P.S. Wow! Your sister did an excellent job Annie.

[alligande]

Just throwing my 2cents in, I think your reception sounds fun and manageable, but to prevent stress I have to agree the cup cakes are the way to go, those couple of days before your wedding can be pretty stressfull and icing cup cakes could be a fun undertaking.

I iced my own wedding cake, but did not make it (a tradtional fruit cake made well in advance). I got married in Tortola BVI in june where my mother lives, and had to get up at 5.00 am to handle the fondant as it was to hot any later. Oh and I discovered you cant refridgerate marzipan, my mum had bought it at xmas when it is shipped to the island and kept it in the fridge, as it crumbled the tears almost started, fourtuanetly there was a small amount left in the supermarket, but those cakes had the thinest layer of marzipan you could imagine. I had to do the icing myself as there was no one the island that did english style cakes, my only commercial option was crisco fluffy!!!

Have a fun Karen