How To Plan Your Wedding Cake, According To Kate Middleton’s Baker

A wedding cake is a pivotal part of the day – so significant that it warrants its own moment at the reception. So how should couples go about choosing one? How many tiers should you go for? What flavour is the biggest crowd-pleaser? And how should it be stored? We’ve enlisted one of the UK’s top bakers, Fiona Cairns, to share her expert advice.

The cake maker and Nyetimber brand partner has been baking beautiful bakes for over 40 years, and in 2011, she was given the commission of a lifetime: to create the wedding cake for Prince William and Kate Middleton. Along with her team, Cairns produced a suitably decadent eight-tiered fruit cake decorated with sugar paste flowers and a monogram of the couple. Here, she shares her advice for couples in the throes of planning a wedding.

Fiona Cairns’ Guide To Wedding Cakes

How far in advance should you organise your wedding cake?

Ideally you should start to think about your cake and research options when you start to plan your wedding day. There are so many options and elements to consider, so it’s a good idea to start the process as early as possible.

Where can couples find inspiration?

Inspiration for your wedding cake can come from so many different places. Every wedding is unique and as the cake is central to the whole day, it should reflect the styling and colour schemes. You can take inspiration from the season, floral arrangements or even your dress or shoes. For the Prince and Princess of Wales’ wedding cake, we were sent a small piece of the lace from the princess’s wedding dress which we replicated in delicate piping onto the cake.

What factors should people think about when deciding what cake they want?

To start with, think of the number of guests that will attend and if you are having a formal or informal wedding. Wedding cakes can take many forms so a three-tiered iced cake may not be the best for an informal small wedding, for example. When thinking of flavours, try to think of something to suit most guests. Fruit cake is traditional but not so in favour for modern weddings. Flavours like lemon and elderflower, chocolate, golden sponge with vanilla and raspberry tend to be more popular.

What trends are you seeing in wedding cakes at the moment?

There are so many trends that it’s best to take inspiration from something more personal to you. There are many styles you can research to find something that suits your taste. Lambeth piping is an intricate piping technique that works well on ornate designs, but fresh or pressed flowers and fresh fruit can make equally beautiful designs that are more understated.

Any tips for matching the cake to the venue/wedding style?

The number one thing to think about is where and how the cake will be displayed. This is often an afterthought but needs to be considered at the beginning of the process. Factors like location, lighting and cake stand all play a pivotal role. 

How did it feel to be asked to make the cake for Prince William and Princess Kate?

It was a huge privilege, and we felt truly honoured as a team to be asked to make this historical cake for the future King of England. The process was long and as you can imagine a little stressful at times, it took a team of highly skilled staff to design and construct. It is our most important commission, and we would do it all again, especially after hearing that William and Kate said on the day that the cake was ‘beyond their expectations’.

Freezing a slice to enjoy on an anniversary – yes or no?

Yes. Great idea! Traditionally the top tier of the wedding cake is fruit cake and is kept to celebrate the birth of a first child or anniversary. It’s best to wrap the cake in greaseproof paper and then foil and put in an air-tight Tupperware before storing in the freezer. Once defrosted the cake should be stripped, re-iced and decorated.

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How to decide the size of the cake?

The size of the cake is dependent on the number of people attending and your wedding cake maker can advise on this. Do also consider positioning in the venue and transportation in advance.

Any top tips for the day – how should the cake be stored?

Be aware of the conditions; for example, if you have a marquee wedding ensure the cake is stored inside the night before the wedding and not in the marquee itself. Wedding cakes need to be kept cool and dry. Give responsibility of the wedding cake to a trusted member of the wedding party or hand over responsibility to the caterer.

Additional Top Tips

• Make sure if it’s a tiered cake that the table is level – use a spirit level to check. 
• Determine what cake stand you would like at the start of the process, as this could throw a curveball once the baking has begun!
• Select a nice cloth for the cake table and ensure that the size of the table suits the size of the cake. A huge table would make a small cake look even smaller.
• Ensure that there is a suitable knife available to cut your style of cake, and that it is laid out in advance.

Find out more at fionacairns.com and nyetimber.com