Non Traditional Wedding Cakes
There are a lot of reasons for choosing a non-traditional wedding cake. Some couples simply don't like cake. Some couples are from two different cultures, and what is traditional to one may not be traditional to the other. Some couples just prefer something quirkier, or have personal reasons for choosing an alternative. Whatever the reason, the options for non-traditional wedding cakes or wedding cake alternatives are as broad as your imagination.
One popular alternative to a traditional wedding cake, is a tiered stack of some other type of cake product. This can be in the form of a stack of cupcakes, cake pops, snack cakes, brownies, cookies, or even the bride and groom's favourite brand of doughnuts. If you can manage to serve it before it melts, ice cream cake is a great crowd-pleaser.
Another popular form of non-traditional wedding cake is to serve another type of dessert altogether. Some couples have served cheesecake, tiramisu, stacks of crepes, pie, or even s'mores from a tiered stand to simulate a cake. For chocolate lovers, the tiered look of a chocolate fountain can also stand in for the traditional cake. For a summer wedding, a mound of strawberries, plain or dipped in chocolate, could be a nice seasonal alternative.
Paradoxically, sometimes the easiest way to be non-traditional is to simply borrow another culture's traditions. Try serving an Indonesian Kek Laips Sarawak, a type of layered cake, or the traditional French tower of cream puffs, the croquembouche. Norwegians enjoy a tradition of wedding bread rather than cake, and Icelanders serve a kransakaka, a stack of ring-shaped pastries with candies or chocolates in the center. In Great Britain, most wedding cakes are dense fruitcake, which means that for the British, an American-style tiered sponge cake would be non-traditional.
For those couples who don't like sweets at all, a stack of cheese wheels can stand in for the cake. Some have even opted for a multi-tiered pork pie instead of a traditional cake. If the couple's first date was fast food, they could serve a tiered stack of fast food burgers. For the party crowd, some have even served a tiered tray of alcoholic beverages or gelatin shots instead of cake. For die-hard carnivores, why not a multi-tiered meatloaf, "frosted" with mashed potatoes and decorated with bacon?
A wedding is a celebration of a couple's love, and it can take a plethora of creative forms as varied as each married couple. Have fun and be creative. One of these non-traditional offerings is likely to be remembered long after that special day.
