ALL ABOUT ........ WEDDING CAKES.

....... Loving these wedding cake toppers.

To see more click HERE

Having read the above article in a newspaper got me thinking as to the history of the wedding cake.

Believed to date back to Roman times, a simple cake of either wheat or barley was broken over the bride's head in order to ensure her fertility. Eventually the cake grew in size and decoration until breaking it over the head of the bride became impractical ....... not to mention a waste of cake - I can't help but wonder if this tradition has been given a modern twist with newly-wed couples throwing cake at each other becoming increasingly popular.

Anyway, onto Medieval England which saw the introduction of a 'cake' made up of tiers of small sugar-free buns (again this has become popular with many newly-weds opting for a tower made up of individual cupcakes) which traditionally saw the couple trying to kiss over the top of the 'cake' without knocking it over. Those that managed to do so were said to be blessed with health and happiness.

By the early/mid 1600's, 'cakes' were basically sweet-mince pies made of sugary sweet breads though with sugar becoming ever more plentiful pure white icing sugar soon became a given, the colour not only alluding to the brides virginity but also as a status symbol to confirm the family's wealth.

However, it is said that it is largely thanks to a visiting French chef that we have the cake we are so familiar with today. Having an aversion to crumbs it is thought he was the first to design a tiered, frosted cake, a design which was to quickly catch on and remain popular to this day.

It was also around this time that it became popular that during the preparation of the cake a glass ring was hidden in the mix in the belief that any single woman lucky enough to find it would be the next to marry.

Another tradition of this time being that a tiny piece of 'cake' was passed through the bride's wedding ring before being given to any unwed women who would then place it under her pillow in the hope that they would dream of their future husband.

And what of cake toppers?

Though nigh on impossible to pinpoint the exact time in history when the first cake topper made its appearance, one theory has it that the cake topper came about when a bakers daughter asked her father to create a symbol of the love shared between her and the groom and, on thinking about it for many a day, the baker decided on a cake with two figurines on top.

 Able to date the mainstream spread of these creations to the 1920's, tradition has it that the topper, usually made of plaster and/or gum paste, depicted a couple in formal attire, the bride in a long white gown, complete with veil, the groom in a black morning dress though of course today there are many, many more options available.

Sources: Street Dierctory: The history of the wedding cake and cake toppers. Smithsonian: The strange history of the wedding cake. Cooks: Wedding cake history.


PS. Whilst on the subject of weddings you might want to check THIS OUT