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When the plain white cake won't do
By KATE WOOD

If a plain white wedding cake isn't the dessert of your dreams, ditch it. These days, at least when it comes to cakes, anything goes. Far beyond white-frosted tiers separated by columns, bakers are coming up with couture confections with innovative shapes, bold colors and exquisite details that are sure to dazzle even the most sophisticated couples. So how can you get the perfect cake? Let's break it down slice by slice.

Find Your Baker
Finding a baker is easy as pie (er, cake) so long as you know what you're looking for: Keep your must-have ideas and, more importantly, your budget top of mind when you're meeting with designers. Check out the local area message boards on TheKnot.com to find bakers in your area, or ask your caterer or reception site manager (they likely have a few bakers they know and have learned to trust). Before you take a bite of anything, make appointments to meet with a few to talk about your ideas, your budget (and their price range) and review their portfolios.

If you like a photograph from the baker's portfolio, make sure it represents work done by current staff. When you think you've made your match, book the baker to secure his or her services. A deposit is usually required at this time. Some top bakers book up to a year in advance, so when you meet someone you're happy with, don't hesitate to sign on the dotted line.

Cake Basics

Cost: Be prepared to pay anywhere from $1.50 all the way up to $20 a slice (the more complicated the cake, the more you pay). Fondant icing is generally more expensive than butter cream, and if you want elaborate molded shapes, vibrant colors and/or handmade sugar-flower detailing, you'll have to pay for the cake designer's time and labor. A good cost-cutting option is to order a cake for half of the head count _ your guests can be served half-servings and you can supplement with ice cream or fruit. Or have the cake of your dreams made on a small scale for a price you can comfortably afford, and then order sheet cakes of the same flavor to be cut in the kitchen (not all designers will do this, so ask upfront if you're interested). Trust us _ no one will know the difference.

Size: Your baker will help you figure out exactly how big your cake needs to be to feed your crowd, but a general rule of thumb is that four tiers will feed about 150 people. If you are planning on saving the top tier of your cake for your first anniversary, don't forget to subtract that when you're deciding on the size of your cake (and remember to be sure your caterer or wedding coordinator knows to box it up as soon as the cake cutting's over so it doesn't get served).

Care: Once your masterpiece is a reality, you must make certain great care will be taken in transporting it to the reception site. Most cake designers prefer to deliver the precious cargo themselves, and we think the peace of mind that the cake will arrive in top form is definitely worth the delivery fee. Make certain the baker has a contact person at the reception site so he or she can give the catering manager or event planner any pertinent information on handling it _ the cake might have to be refrigerated or stationed in a cool, out-of-the-way location in the reception room, for instance.

Cake Trends

So what else is new in the world of cakes? Here's the 411 on the latest cake trends:
Fancy flavors: Your wedding cake shouldn't be all looks; it's got to taste great, too. The days of dry white cake with as much flavor as a piece of cardboard are long gone. Top designers are seeing a trend for more complex flavorings such as coconut-key lime, blood-orange and mango, or chocolate hazelnut mocha. Your selection of flavors may be based on the season, with heavier combinations like chocolate cake with mocha praline filling perfect for winter weddings, and lighter sponge cakes with fruits, curds and preserves more ideal for a summer affair. Be aware, however, that the expensive ingredients involved in making these couture concoctions may raise your price per slice considerably.

New shapes: Cake designers tell us the trend now is toward stacked tiers with no space in between and geometric shapes, with squares being a particular favorite. We've seen lots of different shapes, from triangles to hexagons (yep, that's six sides!). Some brides and grooms are even opting for wild, off-kilter stacks, with tiers that lean to one side or that zigzag. If you're not totally ready to embrace this trend, talk to your baker about ways you can incorporate just a bit of it. For example, you could separate square tiers with stands, or put a square tier in between two round tiers.

Sugar flowers: Fresh flowers are always a favorite for wedding cakes, but we've been seeing a trend toward sugar flowers sculpted from pulled sugar, gum paste or even marzipan. Though sometimes these look like perfect replicas of the real thing (only tastier), more often they take on a more abstract look. Whether it's all-white petals and stems done on top of colored frosting for a Wedgwood-inspired look, or colorful, cartoonish blossoms that look like nothing found in nature, sugar flowers always make a sweet statement.

Personalized Cakes
Once you've nailed down the underpinnings, it's on to the fun part: deciding what your cake will look like. You can use any inspiration as your starting point, from your wedding colors to your reception space to the lace on your gown. Work with your baker to come up with a design that fits with the formality of your wedding and incorporates whatever personal flair you wish. Your baker will take this info and come up with a sketch of the proposed design. And don't forget the other fun part …the tastings.

_ For tons of cake photos and ideas, go to TheKnot.com/cakes for tons of inspiration-producing cake photos.

Enter your overall budgeted amount for your wedding and we'll let you know how it all breaks up among the things you'll need. You can then base your expenditures on that. Click here to begin...

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