Cupcakes at a Wedding: How Bite-Sized Cakes Can Tower Above the Rest

More and more couples are mixing their big day up with a tower stand of individual wedding cupcakes instead of the traditional solid tiered cake.

Cupcakes are normally associated with birthday or street parties, but baking fanatics are drawn to their charm and how much decorative genius can be applied to them. A party cupcake can be a yummy, but simple sponge affair with a little icing on top for colour, but a wedding cupcake needs something more.

Seeing as a wedding tends to be a formal event, many people would prefer the decorations and food to be as professional as possible. Popular British quality food store, Marks & Spencer currently sells a select range of wedding cakes with the typical three or four tiers required to serve around one hundred guests in prices up to £300.

Most professional cake makers (including Marks & Spencer) are just as happy to provide wedding cupcakes as they are a traditional cake, and at the price of roughly £1 per cupcake (depending on the complexity of the toppings), can be notable saving; there’s no need to worry about finding a specialist for the cupcakes.

Every guest will be enjoying at least one cupcake, and you’d be surprised at how lovely being given one can be. Unlike a sliced cake, no guest ends up with a piece with just plain icing on top or half of a decorative flower; they’re a little hand-made treat for every person there, each with detail for everyone to admire up close.

The paper cases around cupcakes come in such a variety of colours and shapes that there is always something to match the theme of the wedding, some people even get them specially printed with the happy couple’s names. They are typically around £3 for a pack of sixty and also eliminate the need for paper plates and forks.

Then there’s the actual cupcake itself. Most weddings are all about the colour white, so white cream or icing is a guaranteed winner, however it doesn’t have to end there. The cream can be whipped up high, with sweets or a little cherry on top, or it can be a beautiful smooth circle.

Though what really makes wedding cupcakes special is the detail on top of the icing. Silky looking edible flowers, colourful butterflies, silver bells and golden rings, all carefully painted or sculpted for every single cupcake.

But it doesn’t stop on the top of the cakes! There are plenty of baking tools and methods perfect for filling the centre of a cupcake with something special, from lemon icing to raspberry jam mixed with edible glitter.
Another point to consider is that cupcakes are small, light and non-filling, so guests will still feel up for dancing after the ceremonies.

The best thing about cupcakes is that anyone can have a go at them. They’re small and are quick to bake, so there’s plenty of time to practise and have fun learning to paint detail or shape icing for someone’s special day.

So why not consider a slightly different approach to the wedding cake on the happiest day of your life?

For some stunning photos of cupcake towers, visit Classikool’s Facebook blog and meet some of the creative community.