Talking About Wedding Cake ....

A few fun tidbits and tips to think about when choosing your wedding cake.

The multitier wedding cake that is so familiar at receptions is modeled after the spires of St. Bride’s Church in England.

The average wedding cake costs between $500 and $700 and onwards up to thousands of dollars. Figure on $4.50 per serving.

Most wedding cakes still are made of round tiers. Square-tiered cakes look very sophisticated, but they have not put much of a dent in the popularity
of the traditional round.

Bakers routinely offer back-up sheet cakes for the wedding reception to make sure there is enough cake for all the guests, no matter what the size of the tiered version at the center of the room is. But it is increasingly popular for brides to plan for a table of various desserts in addition to the wedding cake.

According to the The Knot.com. Red velvet cake is by far the most popular flavor among brides (especially in the south). Bakers suggest that there only be two flavors in a three-tiered cake. The sheet cake can be another flavor altogether.

Make sure the bottom layer is a flavor the bride and groom both like. That is the layer they will cut and serve each other symbolizing their pledge to work together and to care for each other.


Brides often save the top layer to share with the groom on their first anniversary. But you can also preserve it in brandy to be shared on your 50th (don't know how it will taste -- but it can be done.) Some bakeries will also offer to re-create the top of the cake for the first wedding
anniversary.

Sources: Various web sites, comments by bakers and wedding planners).

Red Velvet Cake For Your Wedding Cake ... Not So Strange : )

What's one of the hottest wedding cake flavors today? Red Velvet cake -- an old Southern specialty that has had a resurgence of popularity. Couples love the color (Red) created by blemding cocoa powder and red food coloring and they crave the "not-too-sweet" batter and
cream cheese frosting. Red velvet is also a creative way to personalize your wedding -- it tastes great, looks great and makes a good conversation piece at the table : ) And, don't forget ... you can also make red velvet cupcakes! Need a recipe? Here is the easy version:

The Cake

1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) German Chocolate cake Mix

1 pkg (3.4 oz) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

2 Tbs. cocoa Powder

1 Cup sour cream

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

1 oz. liquid red food coloring

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup butter softened

4 cups confectioner's sugar

1 Tbs. milk

3/4 tsp. vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350^oF. Grease 2 (9") round cake pans. Combine cake mix, pudding mix and cocoa. Stir in sour cream, 1/2 cup water, oil, eggs and fool coloring. On medium speed beat 2 minutes. Divide batter between pans. Bake 30 minutes or until pick instead into centers comes out clean. Cool.
• Frosting: on medium beat cream cheese, and butter. Slowly beat in sugar, then milk and vanilla until fluffy. Fill and frost cake.

Want more recipes? Check out Smitten Kitten; Cake Man Raven; Epicurious; Martha Stewart's recipe or simply put a request in the search engine under "Red Velvet."

Easier still; buy one : ) at Amazon.com or Bake Me a Wish's Red Velvet Chocolate Anniversary Cake

Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's Day -- U Can Make It or Buy It : ) "YUM-O"

Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's Day!

Nothing says Valentine's Day better than Red Velvet Cake. It is a real treat. If you have never tried it, you are in for a big surprise! And, you can make it yourself. The name for red velvet cake comes from its red color. The most common story about the origin of this cake sites that this cake originated at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. A guest ordered a slice and liked it so much that she asked for the recipe. The hotel gave it up and billed her $100. Furious, she spread the recipe around in chain letters. Alas, the story is not true. (According to What's Cooking America,) the hotel has no record of this incident. No matter, it is good. Note (check out What's Cooking America -- Great site!) Another point of reference ... Steel Magnolias (movie starring Julia Roberts, Tom Skerret and Sally Fields); which had the famous "bloody armadillo" groom's cake scene. If you have not seen the movie, as stated above, the groom's cake was a red velvet cake. Because the cake is "that good" below are two receipes and resources where you can just "buy it." Enjoy.

Grandmother Paul's Red Velvet Cake

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 ounces red food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup melted marshmallows

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20
to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Source: Paula's Home Cooking

or you can buy one:

Red
Velvet Chocolate Anniversary Cake