Which Cake Style Should I Choose?

Naked, semi-naked, buttercream or fondant… choosing a wedding cake can be a complete minefield! How in the world do you decide, especially if you're not really an expert on cakes (apart from in terms of eating)?!

Nevertheless, the finish you go for is a big part of the overall style and visual effect of your wedding cake. A semi-naked cake with fresh flowers is well suited to a natural, bohemian, rustic inspired wedding with an emphasis on food and flavour and this style is frequently chosen by couples striving to achieve this vibe. Alternatively, a fondant covering, with clean lines and a fine finish, is well suited to a contemporary, classic wedding, such as one that is taking place at an historic or opulent venue. With all the overwhelming information out there, I’m here to tell you all you need to know before choosing your wedding cake style and finish.

Semi-Naked

Essentially, a semi-naked cake has buttercream applied to the outside of the sponge and scraped off with a bench scraper, leaving just a hint of sponge peeking through, giving the cake a rustic appearance. Typically, two types of buttercream are most frequently used to decorate this style of cake: American Buttercream or Cream Cheese Frosting, depending on the level of required sweetness! This style of cake is frequently placed on a log slice, and decorated with fresh flowers and green foliage or seasonal fruits.

Semi-Naked Wedding Cake @Sandy Cove Hotel

Pros: Has a natural look with a rustic finish and well suited to a barn venue or outdoor wedding. Looks absolutely stunning when decorated with fresh flowers. If you are looking for a more sustainable wedding cake, then this one’s for you as it often creates less waste than a fondant finished wedding cake. Semi-naked cakes are perfect all year round. In summer, they are able to withstand slightly higher temperatures because they’re not covered in lots of (meltable) buttercream. As the decoration tends to be more simple, and less time and ingredients required, they tend to be cheaper than buttercream or fondant cakes.

Cons: Design options are minimal, so the opportunity for a unique look is limited. Although, this style of cake will remain fresh for a good few days, it will not last as long as a buttercream or fondant covered cake.

Buttercream

The popularity of this design seems to be growing! The balance of flavour, texture, and simplicity is a good compromise for couples who prefer a more detailed finish but still crave that perfectly, ‘imperfect’ rustic finish. This style keeps a lot more moisture inside the cake because it is first layered with a smooth coating of Belgium white chocolate ganache before being finished with a full layer of buttercream. Typically, this cake is finished with beautiful fresh flowers or seasonal fruits and is well suited to wedding with an emphasis on food and flavour.

Textured Buttercream Cake Image @davidholifield

Pros: The underneath layer of chocolate, tastes sooo good!! The overall style cake looks modern and neat and has more styling options with the endless buttercream textures that can be created. An excellent sustainable option for eco-conscious couples.

Cons: Not as rustic looking as semi-naked cakes but still very much suited to a natural, outdoor wedding. Couples can be slightly restricted by the range of colours as it is difficult to achieve very rich shades with buttercream like you can with fondant.

Fondant

Here at Lulu’s all our fondant cakes are first coated with a layer of Belgium white chocolate ganache and then covered with the finest Swiss fondant to achieve a clean,  elegant fine finish. Compared to the above alternatives, fondant creates an amazing blank canvas for your cake to be decorated in so many ways! Usually decorated with hand-made sugar flowers - each leaf and petal can be completely personalised to your individual personalities and wedding theme.

Fondant Finished Cake @Sandy Cove Hotel

Pros: Super smooth and silky finish, with the opportunity for colours to be matched perfectly to your wedding theme. If you are after the classic white wedding cake, then a brilliant vivid white can be achieved using fondant. Fondant cakes keep fresh for so much longer because it seals in the moisture by acting like an air tight container

Cons: Super sweet, you can’t escape that it’s nearly 100% sugar! Not many guests actually eat the fondant covering, so this style often creates more waste than a buttercream or semi-naked cake, so not the most sustainable for eco-conscious couples.

What you should know about fondant: Out of the above alternatives, fondant cakes require the greatest amount of work. Labour hours quickly add up if you select sugar flowers or other elaborate decorations. However, as each leaf and petal may be completely personalised to your individual personalities and wedding preferences, it's worth every penny to accomplish the effect you're striving for; just keep in mind that you'll need to invest a large budget for a fully decorated fondant cake.

In summary, there are no limitations when it comes to originality, so in the end, it's completely up to you which cake finish you prefer to compliment your special day. Since creativity is limitless, there are numerous ways to modify a style of cake to capture your wedding vibe.

Take a look at our Gallery for more inspiration or alternatively, Contact Us to discuss your wedding cake style!