With plenty of pre-nuptial decisions to make, few are as sweet as choosing a cake. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Strategically schedule your tasting as the same day as your wedding diet cheat day and enjoy a bunch of delicious treats; that’s it, right? Wrong. Did you think about how to preserve all of those delicate fondant florals? Or the cake size to number of guests ratio? What about different trends circulating the wedding world? While there is a lot to consider, don’t stress; Pastry Chef Angela Smith-Encio at The Don CeSar has all of your recently discovered sugar-coated concerns covered.
Before joining The Don CeSar team, Smith-Encio was creating confections for some of Miami’s top resorts and restaurants, including The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, The Forge and Little Palm Resort & Spa. She also held the position of cake artist for the entire Fontainebleau Miami Beach property, serving meetings, events, weddings and the property’s dining outlets. It was during her time in Miami that she won first place in a chocolate and cake competition for The Festival of Chocolate in 2012. But that wasn’t where her affinity for competing began; Smith-Encio started to enter baking competitions at just 15 years old and even won Food Network’s National Recipe Contest in 2005. While all pastries are her passion, designing desserts for matrimonial bliss is her true calling. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know before pulling the trigger on your dream wedding dessert.
Courtesy of The Don CeSar
What are the biggest makes couples can make when choosing a cake design?
The biggest mistake I see couples make is choosing a cake that is short and fat because they envisioned a three tiers cake but want to feed 100 people. It’s best to just add the extra tier. A wedding cake should be an elegant centerpiece for your wedding standing tall and proud for you. Your wedding cake should not resemble your shy cousin trying to slouch and hide in the corner.
What tips do you have for couples picking a cake design?
Pick a design that you like. It doesn’t matter what’s trending or what is hot this year. If you’ve always dreamed of a ruffle cake with rhinestones and swags or a black cake with skulls, go for it! It’s your day; you should have whatever you want.
Do you have any expert tips on how cake should be presented and served at a wedding?
When presenting a wedding cake, let the cake be the focus on the table. Make sure the cake is presented on some sort of pedestal. This way whether the cake is surrounded by flowers, candles or even mini desserts, the cake is still the center of attention.
What cake design trends do you see dying in 2019?
For 2019, I foresee the naked cake taking its leave from the wedding cake world.
What cake design trends/flavors do you foresee trending in 2019?
In the future, I foresee people focusing their cake choices solely on amazing taste and not on design so much. As a country, we are becoming more conscious of cuisine and I see that reflecting in our wedding cakes.
