Hi all! I'm a fairly hobby based baker, I make cake for close family birthdays and for fun. I more like to do cookies brownies and treats. My cousin asked me to make her wedding cake for December. I've never made anything for such a high stake, even though she insists its not a big deal, obviously what beginner wouldn't be nervous.
She wants one of those long ones that have been trendy (picture for reference), there is supposed to be 40-50 people. I'm assuming I could bake 2-4 20" x 15" sheet cakes and cut each sheet in half or thirds the long way and stack it, or is that too much to hope. Does anyone have any alternative ways to build that shape? would the final cake being 5x5x40 be enough cake or too much? It'll be a lemon blueberry cake (if anyone knows a good blueberry filling recipe I'd love to see it in the comments!!) Would it be wrong to go by way of buying bucket of bakery frosting? (ex. premade from walmart or safeway bakery) Every time I have had to make my own buttercream it ends up kinda melty/too thin to pipe and looking separated, I can't emphasize how much I hate making my own frosting or how bad I am at it, if anyone has foolproof tips I would love to hear them!!
So sorry for all the questions, I need to make sure I am prepared!
by AdhesivenessDue9919
7 Comments
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I love the trend of the long cake! So much easier to cut and share with guests and they’re beautiful.
I would suggest doing a trial cake. Not as big as the intended cake for the wedding but at least get the height and width arranged!
I think a 5″x5″x40″ cake should be enough for 40-50 people considering a roughly 1½” slice could be cut in half and that would leave you with 50 slices that were about 1½”x2.5″x5″.
Thats soo pretty! Any more pictures?
Are those real flowers?
Totally not a baker by any means, but make lots from scratch for my family, Look into ermine frosting, it held up way better than any buttercream I’ve made!
I haven’t got a clue. I’m just here to wish you luck.
I’m not a pro baker but I bake cakes for most family events. My current favorite is a tall, 3 layer, rectangle cake, similar to this but shorter. I bake in a 9 x 13, cut into thirds, then layer. Here are some tips to make it not too overwhelming.
1. You can bake the cake a week ahead of time, wrap tightly and freeze. That way your only task the day before is construction. And your task day of the wedding would be transportation & last minute decoration.
2. Love your idea of using a baking sheet and cutting it down. Do a tria run on a smaller batch so you can try to get some cuts in (and can test different fillings). I do worry about the thin rim and the rise on the cakes or the fragility of thin layers it would produce. If you are in the US, check out the Webstaurant Store and see what other options there are with higher walls.
3. I agree with another commenter about the buttercream. It doesn’t set well enough to withstand transport & sitting out during the reception. During your trial, give [Ermine Buttercream](https://www.seriouseats.com/flour-frosting-recipe)or [Swiss Meringue](https://www.seriouseats.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-frosting-recipe) a try. It can be intimidating but sets beautifully and is very strong. Especially if you are adding a filling, you’ll need something to give structure & stability.
You can layer buttercream on top but the ermine is great for layering and crumb coating. You’re free to buy a bucket of buttercream for decorations but it is way too sweet for my preference.
4. I would prefer real flowers on this cake, just for ease. It think it lends a lot to the inspiration pic and will be less stressful to decorate day of the wedding.
You are going to do great! Post a pic when you complete it!