An outstanding cake is the focal point of your holiday celebration

There are cakes, there are special cakes, and then there are super special cakes for super special weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and other never-to-be-forgotten celebrations.

Not surprisingly, very few people have the talent, skill, know-how, or equipment to create a marvelous cake at home. When nothing but the absolute best and most memorable cake will do, it’s time to bring in a professional.

Deciding what you want for your special holiday cake takes time, though, and research. Professional cake companies have online catalogs where you can browse through photos and descriptions of the various types of cakes they specialize in.

Most extra-special cakes need to be ordered several months in advance, so once you’ve decided which company you want to order from, contact them by email or phone as early as possible. Tell them what type of celebration you’re planning, when it will occur, and how many people you’re expecting. Then discuss the cake style, design, ingredients, flavors, decorations, and colors you want. They will be happy to consult with you and may give you some additional options you might not have considered.

Special holiday cakes

While wedding cakes account for the majority of gourmet cakes, many additional celebrations, holidays, and special occasions may also call for a super special cake. These include:

• milestone birthdays,
• milestone anniversaries,
• baby showers,
• corporate milestones,
• Christmas,
• Mother’s Day,
• Thanksgiving,
• Super Bowl Sunday.

And don’t forget that holiday cakes don’t have to be made out of cake batter. Specially decorated cheesecakes and ice cream cakes are unique and delicious alternatives to a traditional cake.

Traditional wedding cakes

Wedding cakes can be as traditional or as modern as you wish. Take into consideration where and how formal the wedding will be, where and at what time of day the reception will be held, how the reception venue will be decorated, and the approximate number of guests expected to attend.

A traditional church wedding and reception usually call for a traditional wedding cake. This is where the tall multi-tiered cake shines. But it doesn’t have to be the quintessential round white cake with white icing, delicate rosettes, and a bride and groom figurine on top. Sugar flower drapes on white or ecru frosting also are very popular today. The flowers can be of any kind and color and are often accompanied by green leaves and/or vines. A bouquet of matching flowers, real or sugar, makes an elegant top-tier adornment.

For a slightly less traditional but very elegant look, consider a metallic frosting of pale gold or silver with one of the middle tiers adorned by a single large sugar flower.

Another modern trend is to have the couple’s new shared monogram incorporated into the frosting of one or more of the cake’s layers. The monogram itself can be hand-painted frosting on a frosting medallion. Or try a lightweight lacy metallic monogram on a frosting medallion.

Non-traditional wedding cakes

A wedding and reception held at a hotel, country club, park, beach, or other outdoor location can still feature a traditional wedding cake if desired, but often the cake is less formal and more whimsical.

Consider any special plans the couple has made. If they’re headed to Hawaii for their honeymoon, a tropical- or ocean-themed cake might be just the thing. Setting up housekeeping across the country or across the world, layer holiday cakes can be made in the shape of any tall building (a skyscraper, a lighthouse, the Eiffel Tower, etc.) and decorated so as to resemble the actual building.

If the couple shares a particular passion, this, too, can be the inspiration for a very special and personalized wedding cake. Bookworms or writers might like a layer cake with the layers made to look like stacked books. Travel aficionados might prefer their cake tiers to look like various pieces of luggage.