j. sorelle

WARNING: the photos in this post are going to make your mouth water…and your going to want to eat cake as soon as possible! We know we did. Not only are cakes by Megan Joy Cakes absolutely, stunningly gorgeous, they are mouth-watering delicious too. We asked Megan for her take on the latest cake trends, and she happily shared her expertise and experience with us. Pay attention brides.

“I’m so excited to see this new direction that wedding cakes are heading in,” said Megan. “Not only are they are an elegant dessert course, but also multi-dimensional works of art created not just by a baker, but a cake artist.”

In Megan’s words…

1. There is a Stronger Emphasis on Flavor
It’s funny how many clients mention the wedding cakes of their friends and family during tastings, and how good or bad they were. People always, always remember the wedding cake! 

Now that we have so many cake reality shows on television, people are becoming more educated about cakes and how they’re made. They’re seeking cakes that are made from scratch, and use real ingredients. Cake has become a great canvas for creativity too – local and seasonal flavor pairings are also gaining popularity.

As a pastry chef, I love this new attitude towards cake. When I first started Megan Joy Cakes, I sought to craft cake that served like a plated dessert – composed of contrasting flavors and textures with balance. My clients love that their wedding cake is unlike anything their guests have ever had before, and that it’s delicious without being too heavy or sweet. 

I often utilize as many local flavors as I can. In the summer I preserve Palisade peaches for a peach butter cake that’s swirled with ground pecans and layered with a vanilla whiskey buttercream, made with Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey. So many of our Rocky Mountain weddings are destination brides and they love when they can give their guests an extra taste of Colorado. 

2. Cake is Getting Dessert Course Treatment
Gone are the days of crumbly, sad-looking corner pieces of cake hurriedly plopped onto your plate. Clients are definitely giving the last course of their wedding menu a lot more attention.

I have received increasing requests for plated accompaniments to the cake. Whether it’s a small petit four (a 1-2 bite-sized dessert), or two served along on the cake plate, or a full-on plated presentation, this is a classy and formal way to highlight your sliced wedding cake.

Some clients like to serve the sliced cake with a custom sauce and garnishes. I’ve had clients opt to serve two or three smaller slices as a cake tasting duo or trio. 

It’s common now for the wedding cake to have its own menu for guests to read from before they are served their special dessert course. 

3. Cake with Texture & Detail
There is much less of the heavy, brightly colored, flat fondant look and a new shift towards texture, lightness, and movement in the exterior design of wedding cakes. 

Fondant, edible sugar dough, is being used not only for covering the cake, but for adding texture to it as well. Rather than being applied in thick pieces, it’s rolled very thin and layered. I often use this application with fondant strips or feathers, which are also positioned irregularly so there’s some movement in the design. This look invites light to flow through the exterior design, and is striking pin-lighted or in natural daylight.

Intricate design details that take hours upon hours to complete are in high demand as well, and just like designer wedding gowns, they attain audible admiration and their price tag ensures that not everyone can have that same cake.

Megan Joy Cakes is located in Vail, CO, but she delivers cakes all over Colorado, as well as to other destinations such as Charleston, South Carolina. See more from Megan here.

{images via Megan Joy Cakes and Cara Leonard Photography}