All posts by Angela Sandlin

The Naked Cake

The Naked Cake has been around for a long time but the credit for the creation of this rustic looking cake goes to Christina Tosi! The naked cake popularity really started making the wedding scene around 2014-2015. Bakers everywhere have created many versions and artistic creations of this trend. The thing about a trend is that it comes and goes. This trend is here to stay for a while. This baker is still getting requests for The Naked Cake or a semi-covered version I like to call semi-naked cake.

What is a naked cake you ask? A naked cake that has no frosting covering the sides. It could have jam, caramel, fresh fruit, ganache, and frosting fillings between the layers. You see the beauty of the fresh cake and fillings. Some of the fillings are allowed to drip over the sides of the cake. Fresh fruit is artfully arranged on top of the layers and around the base. A semi-naked cake has what decorators refer to as a crumb coat. This is a thin layer of frosting to hold the crumbs in place to allow for a flawless final finish on the cake. This semi-naked finish also help to prevent the cake from drying out quickly.

There are a lot of reasons to love a naked or semi-naked cake. This cake style really shines at a rustic outdoor or barn wedding. Make it 2 tiers or more and add beautiful fresh flowers then you have a beauty fit to be called a wedding cake. Some would argue that it is not fit for a wedding. They argue that the trend is one that they would like to see disappear. Some do not like the unfinished look of the cake. Some argue that it looks messy. I for one am happy to make them! I feel like you need a bit of education so that you know what you are ordering and are not disappointed with the final results.

One thing for you to be aware of, the lack of frosting leads to a danger of the cake drying out quickly. For this reason, I suggest a semi-naked finish so that the cake gets some coverage to prevent dry stale cake. I also suggest picking a filling that adds to the moisture content like a fruit filling or syrup filling. When deciding on where and when to set up the cake it is good to think about the fact that the longer it is in the open air before cutting, the drier it will be. so shorten up the display time.

Some things to think about when ordering; the contrast between white buttercream and a chocolate cake really is beautiful. Add burgundy and cream flowers with a little green filler leaves at the base of the cake and you have a masterpiece. Carrot cake with apricot filling, a cream-colored cheesecake flavored buttercream finish, and fresh garden-grown zinnias and Dahlias in pinks and reds with some burgundy yarrow filler is a beautiful cake!

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Wedding Cake Planning

The date is set…

Congratulations on your engagement! Planning a wedding is so exciting and now it is time to pick a cake artist! I have successfully navigated several wedding cakes. The key is to be prepared! (That was a pep talk for me) 😉 For you the bride, groom, wedding planner, mother of the bride, mother of the groom or amazing friend who is in charge of this portion of the wedding, I promise to be over the top amazing at what I do. That is my job and I am very good at making your vision a reality! My hope this post will give you a little bit of guidance and answer some questions you may have while looking for your dessert vendor or cake artist.

Wedding donuts

First things first

Every bride stocks her idea arsenal with Bride magazines, Pintrest boards and scribbled lists of ideas. Now it is time to think about the dessert! So many things can influence the design of the cake or your dessert table. Is a cake what you want? Are you thinking about a dessert table, a pie table, or a doughnut wall? Once you have decided what you want, don’t forget to talk about the details with your florist. It is helpful to let the florist know what to expect when it comes to the dessert table. Incorporate the decorations from your table centerpieces and flowers on your dessert table help to tie everything together beautifully.

A beautiful and delicious lattice topped wedding day rustic pie.

Theme and colors…

When is your wedding? Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring? Indoors or Out?  I picked those first because the time of year including heat and humidity are factors that determine where your cake can be displayed to keep it from melting! Decorations on and around the cake can reflect the season. What is your wedding theme? Vintage? Rustic? Beach? Woods? Classic? Modern? Your cake should reflect your theme! What are your colors? Traditional wedding cakes are white. It is very possible to reflect your theme in a white cake. Bring pictures of your wedding dress to your cake artist. Your wedding dress can be an amazing help when designing the perfect wedding cake.

Semi Naked wedding cakes with fresh flowers

Edible decorations…

Did you know that a wedding cake can shimmer? So many edible options will set your cake apart from the rest. Pearls, lace, gems, glitter, shimmer, feathers and so many more edibles resembling decorations on your dress can all be put on a cake. The only thing limiting your vision may be the size of your budget.

Wedding pies

Budget…

Yes, it is a reality that most of us have to follow a budget for things like this. I am also very good about helping you stay on your cake budget. The bigger the budget the more BLING, and pizzazz we can build into the cake. Have you seen the cake hanging like a chandler in the center of the hall?!? As beautiful and amazing as some of the cakes in magazine spreads and online are, sometimes the simple cakes, truly are the most breathtaking.

Vegan semi-naked wedding cake with fresh flowers.

The details…

Let’s keep this simple because I know you have a lot of planning and many more vendors to discuss every last detail with. My Requirements are simple.

#1. I do private cake tastings for weddings. I charge $50 for a box of 12 cupcakes (3 flavors).  I also do private dessert tastings for those who want a dessert table, cookie bar, bunt cake or a non-cake alternative for the wedding day. Cost is determined by dessert type ordered. I do not charge a lot of money for wedding cakes. I can do this because I have low overhead and I do not build in extra costs like your tasting.

#2. Please schedule your cake tasting as soon as possible. You can contact me through the contact form here on the website, or through any of my social media platforms.

#3. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot on my calendar and so that I can start purchasing supplies. Should you cancel, I will refund all money paid except the tasting cost and $100 deposit.

#4. Final payment is due 14 days before the event. I do not bake unless I haverecieved full payment.

Burlap, pearls, and lace cake.

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