The Ultimate Guide to Your Wedding Cake in Italy
You are getting married and you are thinking about your Italian wedding menu? Don’t forget the cake! Here is everything you need to know about the wedding cake tradition and how it works in Italy, as well as the best cake cut ideas for your wedding in Italy.
The wedding cake tradition
The wedding cake tradition dates as far back as Roman times. The groom broke bread over the bride’s head to symbolize the end of her purity.
In modern times, wedding cake cutting means something different. It is considered the first meal the couple eats together. The hands of the groom and bride unite when cutting the cake to symbolize mutual support and care. The cut from the bottom layer is a ritual that enhances the longevity and continuity of their love story.
How to make wedding cake cutting unique and memorable? Here are some ideas!
Italian wedding cakes
Many cakes look amazing but don’t taste that way because of the layers of icing many people dislike. You don’t want your guests to leave all the cake, right? It probably won’t happen in Italy.
As you know, Italians love good, high-quality food. This is why they prefer a balance of great taste and beauty for the wedding cake. Icing is usually very thin, so everyone can enjoy its incredible flavor.
What are the most famous Italian wedding cakes? It depends on your taste. You usually see at weddings cakes made from Pan di Spagna (sponge cake), Millefoglie (mille-feuille), or Bavarese.
Another Italian tradition is to put confetti on the dessert table – in Italian, this word means sugared almonds, which can have different flavors. The most renowned ones are made from hazelnuts, pistachio, or chocolate but nowadays, the variety of tastes are endless!
Insider tricks for your wedding cake cut
Some couples want their wedding cake to look spectacular and it’s impossible to achieve without icing. Does it mean you have to give up the taste? No way! Here are some tricks experienced chefs and wedding planners use to make the wedding cake cut perfect while you enjoy the best taste you can get.
Faux wedding cake
Experienced chefs can make a fake cake with a real bottom slice you can cut. Since they are made by true professionals, they look like real masterpieces.
No one will notice the upper layers are made from polystyrene covered with icing and you will be able to have spectacular wedding photos with the most beautiful cake ever, without giving up the taste.
Real-time cake
Another thing you can do during your Italian wedding is hiring a chef to make the cake in real-time right in front of your guests. This is a unique experience – to see the cake made from scratch and to enjoy the creamy taste of an actual Italian millefoglie made on the spot with a glass of champagne or spumante.
The couple can add decorations to the cake or choose something they like and also learn something about Italian cuisine in the meantime.
Mini cakes
Many couples like mini-cakes instead of big ones. This will probably be something popular in the next years due to coronavirus limitations. I recommend having a big wedding cake and having the most important Italian desserts in small portions, so your guests can taste them all from a dessert table.
You can also use the mini-cakes as a placeholder with the names of your guests.
Check my blog post about the most famous Italian desserts for your wedding.
Wedding cake timing
Timing is very important for the wedding cake cut. The best idea is not to make your guests sit again after the cake cut to eat it. Ideally, after the cake cutting, the guests, who have been sitting at a dinner table for some hours now, want to dance and have fun, so make the waiters walk through tables with the cake, while guests are free to move, dance or chat.
In this way, people who don’t want to have cake, can go dancing or do something else, like go to the open bar. Make sure you choose good spumante or prosecco to serve with your wedding cake.
Last but not least, don’t forget to choose the right wedding song for your cake cutting! You can choose something Italian or your favorite romantic ballads.
Did you learn something new? Contact me with your wedding cake ideas and I will be happy to turn them into reality on your unique wedding day!