What is the Grooms Cake
The Groom's cake is another one of those wedding traditions you may wonder about.And truly, no one knows for sure where the custom originated. Some say ancient European times, some say early American and a Southern tradition.
Earliest accounts state that this cake was a dark rich fruit cake offering to the couple, fertility. Some accounts state that this was the top layer of the cake that was then saved and eaten on the anniversary date! This makes sense since we all know how long a fruit cake can last, especially if it's liquor-soaked!
It's also said that the groom's cake was sliced and then individually packaged with monograms and ribbon and offered at the wedding. The young unmarried ladies would then take a slice of this home, sleeping with it under their pillow to dream of their future love.
As traditions have evolved over time, the grooms cake is still viewed as a darker cake that is offered at the reception. From the traditional fruit cake have come chocolate cakes and now fun themed cakes that represent something about the groom. Some brides will give this cake to the groom as a gift.
If you Google groom's cake images you will find amazing and spectacularly artistic cakes! In the movie Steel Magnolia's, there is a groom's cake in the shape of an armadillo. The best part of course, is that it was made of red velvet cake with a gray frosting! "That thing looks like an autopsy." stated so graciously by Shirley McClain's character.
In any case, the groom's cake has evolved and now can be anything you can come up with. We have seen sports teams, colleges, fraternities and hobbies used as inspiration.
Sometimes the groom's cake is presented on rehearsal night to the groom and shared by the wedding party and immediate family. This is a nice gesture since the grooms parents traditionally pay for the rehearsal dinner.
Often the cake will be presented along side the wedding cake at the wedding reception. other times this cake gets put out on an adjacent table along with the favors. Providing little boxes to encourage guests to take a slice home with them is a nice idea and the passing along of an ever evolving tradition.
