It takes center stage, under dramatic lighting, elegantly dressed, looking almost as pretty as the bride. It’s wedding cake. And if you’re a guest at a wedding, you hope that, like the bride, it has character under all that frilly ornamentation.”Wedding cake is the last impression you leave with your guests,” says Cathy Fieberg, owner of Dessert Gourmet Pastries in Wheeling, the baker for many caterers. She says the preferred exterior style is plain white, kissed with a few frosting dots, a little piping and decorated with a white sugar bow. Cake decorators can match frosting colors with a swatch of the bridesmaid’s dress or mimic the lace on the bridal gown. Cakes can be round or square. But a simple appearance conveys sophistication. Costs usually run $2 to $5 a slice, depending on how elaborate the cake is.
Brides should not be afraid to speak up when tasting the caterer’s samplings. All bakers say their cakes taste as good as they look. But do they? Some people are rabid about cake quality. Bogna Iwanowska-Solak of Oak Mill Bakery in Niles says only scrumptious cake becomes a word-of-mouth advertisement, so to speak. For 15 years, she has researched baking trends in Europe. She favors light fillings (such as her pear mousse) in a cake drenched with white chocolate frosting. Brides still go for fresh fruit, fudge and lemon fillings. Bakers will gladly make different flavors for each tier.
As a guest at a wedding, you can only hope the bride cared enough to shop for superior cake. After you’ve devoted a day to attending the couple’s ceremony, danced to the Hokey Pokey and popped for a generous gift, you deserve to savor a splendid piece of cake.
OAK MILL BAKERY
8012 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles
847-318-6400
DESSERT GOURMET
190 Shepard Ave., Wheeling
847-215-7474
———-
Send inquiries to hlajewski@tribune.com
