The Groom’s Cake — a Toothsome Tribute to Your New Other Half
Almost every day, someone asks me about the groom's cake. What is it? Where did the tradition start, and why do today's couples keep it going? Should the groom's cake show up at the rehearsal dinner, or the wedding? Is it supposed to be made of chocolate?
When many people think of the groom's cake, they picture that quirky red velvet armadillo from "Steel Magnolias." Often, their second thought is, "why would I want that my wedding?" In reality, though, the groom's cake is a deeply-rooted Southern custom, every bit as traditional as the explosion of wedding cookies you find at many Western Pennsylvania weddings — and it doesn't have to be an armadillo.
According to superstition, any single woman at a wedding should go home with a slice of groom's cake and sleep with it under her pillow. That night, according to legend, she'll dream of her future husband. Whether or not the folklore holds true, it seems that the old Southern tradition of the groom's cake is making a comeback — not only in the South but in metropolitan areas all over the nation, where designers are whipping up elaborate confections that reflect the groom's interests in a dramatic and memorable way.
At Jody's Pantry, we've seen the groom honored in cake form with requests ranging from a whimsical farm, complete with cows and John Deere tractors, to an intricate scale of justice architected with marbelized fondant — for a lawyer, of course. More common requests include cakes that resemble tuxedos, complete with lapels, bow tie and a small boutonniere made of fondant. Also popular this year are realistic "gift baskets," complete with grapevine or fondant handles, and fresh fruit or chocolate-dipped strawberries that spill out from the center. Sports themes also make a frequent showing: footballs and basketballs are popular, and so are cakes in the shape of baseball caps.
As for when to serve this tempting tribute to the other half? There's no right or wrong answer — the rehearsal dinner is perfectly appropriate, as is the wedding reception itself. Either way, guests and groom alike are sure to enjoy this chance to see the groom's interests or hobbies reflected in this once-in-a-lifetime form.
Still, there are guidelines involved, based on when you serve it. If serving the groom's cake at the rehearsal dinner, make sure the cake is whatever flavor the groom likes best — carrot cake, coconut cream, red velvet — whatever he loves.
But if you're serving the groom's cake at the wedding, this is a great opportunity to choose something rich and chocolate that offsets the traditional white wedding cake, such as a chocolate fudge torte with a decadent raspberry or chocolate mousse filling, or perhaps a peanut or almond creme. Seasonal factors play a role too. For example, many couples opt for a cream cheese-frosted, pecan-filled carrot cake for a fall wedding.
How much does a groom's cake cost? Just as with any other "occasion" cake, the pricing depends on the complexity of your design, the type of cake you choose, and any flavorings or fillings you desire. Basic buttercream designs start at around $1.25 per serving, and hit $8 a serving and up for the more intricate fondant designs. This is just a general guideline, though, as pricing differs widely from city to city, not to mention the variation between home-based bakers and licensed designers with storefronts. As always, if you want to make sure the finished result is a total delight, ask ahead of time for a taste test, customer referrals, and a Department of Agriculture license.
Now you've got the fine print out of the way, it's time to get creative. From beer kegs to briefcases and race cars to reptiles, a talented baker can replicate just about anything in cake that your imagination can dream up. So honor your groom — and his vocation or favorite hobby — with a cake to remember, while adding a little whimsy to your reception. Who knows? Maybe even your single friends will benefit from your creative groom's cake, and enjoy some remarkable "sweet dreams."
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Cheryl - recently went to a wedding where the “cake” was actually a tower of assorted cup cakes. It worked and worked well.
As for the “cake table,” I assume you mean grooms cake — what about a sheet cake that is made to look like an apron? You could have cooking utensils coming out of the pocket (real or frosting). Course, the chef’s hat works for me, too.
Good luck and have fun!
I am getting married in June of 2008 and my husband to be loves Nascar. I am wanting to do a Bristol Motor Speedway cake or something similar. Any suggestions??
I am also looking for ideas for a Nascar theme cake. Do you have any ideas to share?
belinda,
google image nascar cake also nascar wedding cake then nascar grooms cake. i thought the checkered flag cakes with the fave driver number was great!! good luck!!
belinda, here is the site with the kit.
*bakeshop
my son is getting married in August and one of the things that I was looking forward to was getting him a custom made grooms cake (nothing inappropriate) that reflects his personality. We told the bride that, and she said fine and now we have found out that she has ordered the grooms cake without consulting us, but expect us to pay for it. Who decorates the grooms table at the reception? The bride informed us that she was, does the grooms family get to do anything other than host the rehearsel dinner?
HELP!!!! Getting married in July ‘08. My soon to be husband does not want a cake…instead he wants cup cakes. I guess this is fine, but what would I do for his cake table? He’s a chef, and I honestly don’t know what to use other than a chef’s hat…. any suggestions.
Oh Lisa I can picture something really fun here. This would be a whimsical spin off on duck hunting since I hate the idea of death at a wedding. (Forgive my Bambi Complex). Any way — what about a cake — sheet, round, or otherwise, decorated to look like a pond (or woods) and use rubber duckies? Oriental Trading Co. (mail order via internet or mail) has literally every imaginable themed rubber duckies — Christmas to luau and everything in between. They come in various sizes (the small ones are adorable). Check it out and see if something along those lines might tickle your fancy.
(I am not connected to the Oriental Trading Co in any way other than a customer!) :O)
Good luck and have fun.
Any ideas on duck hunting?
Wow Jessica — that’s a lot to express with one cake. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. A collage might work. Some bakeries can also reproduce pictures onto the top. This sounds strange but I have seen it done and it was quite effective. Perhaps tiers would be another approach. Each one respresenting one of your ideas. If you are talking LSU (as in the university) maybe you could express that portion using the colors or mascot. (The design on the football field — the close up of the tigetr’s eye — is great!)
By “shots” do you mean shots of liquor? If so, I’ve never seen that done before. But then again, why not? It’s all in what you want to make it and what would be meaningful to you and your groom.
I want to combine fleur de lis, lsu, army, and golf for the groom’s cake. any ideas? i thought of maybe a collage. and then I thought it would be fun to surround the cake with shots for each of the groomsmen to take. have any ideas on how i should make the cake?
Emily -
History holds that the GROOM’S CAKE wasn’t served at all but rather pieces were sent home in little boxes with the unmarried female guests to put under their pillows so that they might met the man of their dreams. That traditon is not followed much these days and it is usually served at the rehearsal party or reception. To order the size right for you, consult your baker. Describe to him/her what you have in mind and I am sure they will set you on the right track. Have fun!
Donna - What about a cake in the shape of a car? Or a 2-3 layer chocolate cake (more or less traditional looking) with a model car as the topper?
How big do you order a groom’s cake typically? If we were having a wedding reception of 150 people and ordered the Wedding Cake to be enough for that many, would we half the size and make the groom’s cake for 75 also? Or is the groom’s cake just really for the groom and therefore pretty small? Thanks!!
How big do you order a groom’s cake typically? If we were having a wedding reception of 150 people and ordered the Wedding Cake to be enough for that many, would we half the size and make the groom’s cake for 75 also? Or is the groom’s cake just really for the groom and therefore pretty small? Thanks!
My finance loves tigers and cars (specifically the old Porsche and Corvette’s). Any ideas or pictures of cakes that follow that theme?
Brittany –
A fishing theme seems to be a natural. What about a fish itself — either serious or whimsical? If it is fly fishing, I can see a wicker basket with fish or gear. Geez — the sky’s the limit here. Have fun!
My husband to be is a major hunter/fisherman. They are both his passion and I want one of those to be his groom’s cake. But I want it to still look good. If you can help me with some ideas and possibly some pics that will help greatly. Thanks
Hunting theme, egh? Well, since we are talking a wedding here, I would avoid anything “death” related and go to the humorous side. What about something using cammo? Or maybe a hunting dog? Something associated with the sport but on an upbeat note.
Good luck.
Robin: try …
http://www.cakesetcetera.co.uk/uploadedimages/5584a.jpg
http://www.cakesbyyvonne.com/shotgunshells.JPG
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-7919480820973_1962_3754159
http://bethsbakeshoppe.com/page134104557.aspx
http://www.pohlmanscakes.com/images/cakes/groom3deer.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandascakes/622453065/
My fiance is a huge deer hunter. Can you give me some ideas of a deer hunting grooms cake? I would like to see some pics if you have any. Thanks.
Mandy - you may have answered your own question if it was along the lines that the BRIDE comes up with the idea for the GROOM’S CAKE. History holds that it wasn’t served at all but rather pieces were sent home in little boxes with the unmarried female guests to put under their pillows so that they might met the man of their dreams.
Although style-wise the sky’s the limit, tradition holds that is it different than the wedding cake (as in chocolate frosting rather than white). In this day and age it seems the GROOM’S CAKE is a time for something whimsical and reflective of the groom’s personality or interests (i.e. boating might mean a nautical theme).
Have fun !
Alright I just really looked at the above words and answerd my own question