Wedding Cakes & Food Forum

Brightly Colored Cakes and Feedback You Got

Hello Knotties!

How did people respond when you said your cake wasn't going to white (or majority white/cream/light colored)?

And, if you still went through with it, how did it turn out and did people turn out to love it in the end?

We are considering a cake with red layers and blue layers. The way my FH describes it, it's going to be "AWESOME" and it's pretty much non-negotiable. However, everyone thinks he's crazy.

And, we drew a few practice drawings (nothing too fancy, just pens and colors) and I'm starting to think a royal blue cake (top and bottom tier) with a red middle tier would be really cool. Still, plenty of negative talk.

It is a marine corps wedding and he's pretty moto. He even wants the frosting design to be in gold over the red, and in red over the blue.

Anyone hear the negative talk before, but still go with a bright colored cake? Pictures? And did it matter to you what people said in the end? Did people like it after they saw the "real" cake?

Thanks for your ideas!

Re: Brightly Colored Cakes and Feedback You Got

  • edited December 2011
    I always love seeing 'non traditional' cakes at weddings.  A word of warning though. I went to an anniversary party recently and their cake had quite a bit of blue in the decor.  It ended up staining the teeth and lips of a lot of the guests, including the couple, and basically ruining their ideal photos. 

    I don't know if that's specific with blue or brightly colored icing in general, but something to keep in mind.
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  • RebeccaB88RebeccaB88 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Yeah... I'd be worried about the blue lips issue too.  I like unusual cakes and I think his creativity (and his attempt to be involved) is really sweet, but I'm not sure about this.  I mean, I love red velvet cake, but I don't know if I could eat blue cake.  I don't know if that much blue food coloring would taste good.  Can you get the bakery to make you a small tasting cake or something?  How about a white cake with raspberry and blueberry filling?  And I know they make edible gold leaf decorations, but they are not cheap at all.  The bakery could also use military-style ribbon to decorate the cakes. Or, make him a grooms cake with a Marine Corps theme.  Subtle military touches would be cool looking, but too much might make it look like a tribe of kindergarteners attacked it with tempera paint.
  • edited December 2011
    I think that it is your wedding and you should have what you want.
     
    That being said, the bold colors you have chosen will color your teeth.  I am fairly certain that you do not want blue teeth in your pictures.  I would suggest having a fondant covered cake.  This way you can have the bold colors with no staining issues.

    I know fondant has gotten a bad rep. over the past several years (thanks to Wilton crap that is available everywhere).  There are lots of brands, some great, some good and some really bad.  Ask your baker to let you try the brand they use at your tastings.  If you do not like the flavor see if they will use something different for your wedding (I suggest Fondarific brand).
  • edited December 2011
    In addition to staining your teeth, imagine what would happen if you dropped some of it on your dress.  

    I like the idea of doing the military-themed groom's cake.  The groom's cake is usually something fun and less formal, at least where I'm from.  
  • edited December 2011
    Eh, the mess on the dress could happen with any bit of coloured food. I, for example, for balsamic vinaigrette on mine.

    I do not regret my choice of salad dressing. I would certainly regret a meal of all white food more.

    Ultimately, I think you should do what you want, but if staining is a concern, perhaps you could pay your baker for a sample of their blue buttercream and see what happens when you eat it. Then you'll know one way or the other. 
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_brightly-colored-cakes-feedback-got?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:284bf724-2324-4d1d-9160-449db58bdc05Post:91790053-f87d-4909-9757-f1819f248589">Re: Brightly Colored Cakes and Feedback You Got</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Brightly Colored Cakes and Feedback You Got : Wouldn't eating blue fondant still cause a staining issue?
    Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]<div>
    </div><div>No. Fondant doesn't coat your teeth with fat, which is what buttercream is doing. Technically, if you took a napkin and rubbed it over the front of your teeth, it would remove that coloring, or at least some of it.</div><div>
    </div><div>Also, unless you get the fondant moist, say, dropping it out of your mouth, it can touch things and not leave behind a stain. However, since it is basically sugar, if you get it even a little wet, or are in a humid area, it going to be sticky and might leave some color behind.

    </div>
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  • Epic07032011Epic07032011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    FWIW the frosting isn't regular frosting, it's marzipan. Will it still stain teeth? I've never even thought of that part of it!

    I don't think colored marzipan stains teeth, at least not in the small candy size.

    Thanks for all your input! We still have a few months to really decide on the colors.
    I appreciate the suggestions!
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_brightly-colored-cakes-feedback-got?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:284bf724-2324-4d1d-9160-449db58bdc05Post:f6630be9-c7a9-4922-a9c6-a54973ff1c81">Re: Brightly Colored Cakes and Feedback You Got</a>:
    [QUOTE]FWIW the frosting isn't regular frosting, it's marzipan. Will it still stain teeth? I've never even thought of that part of it! I don't think colored marzipan stains teeth, at least not in the small candy size. Thanks for all your input! We still have a few months to really decide on the colors. I appreciate the suggestions!
    Posted by Epic07032011[/QUOTE]<div>Marzipan is going to act a lot like fondant, not taste wise, obviously, just looks and feel wise. Like fondant, it can get sticky when moist or humid, but it shouldn't stain your teeth.

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  • AbbeyS2011AbbeyS2011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I would consult with a baker about your ideas.  They can tell you about the possiblity of staining, as well as expense with the decoration ideas on the cake itself.

    Bottom line, it is your wedding, so have it your way!
    Anniversary
  • edited December 2011
    Found some ideas for you.





















    Just some ideas, I say go with what makes you happy.
  • RebeccaB88RebeccaB88 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Oh, I love the hat cake!
  • bltatabltata member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think if your baker says it won't stain and your tastings go well, go for it.  I think for a military wedding, it would be AWESOME.  I'm marrying an army guy and if he wanted something like that, I think it would go over extremely well.  He's pretty plain and traditional, though.
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  • Epic07032011Epic07032011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_brightly-colored-cakes-feedback-got?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:284bf724-2324-4d1d-9160-449db58bdc05Post:105f6787-ae7f-46da-a405-1ba4a31e0ca8">Re: Brightly Colored Cakes and Feedback You Got</a>:
    [QUOTE]Found some ideas for you. Just some ideas, I say go with what makes you happy.
    Posted by loriandedwin[/QUOTE]

    Thank you so much! That is very helpful. The baker said should could make it any color, same price. We already paid for it, and designed it (well, put together some designs from their photos of past cakes), so it's just about the color we want, and if people will hate it when they see it. (They hate the idea of it right now, I don't know, and he LOVES it.)


    PS OMG The cake tastes FANTASTIC! It's a cappucino cake with marzipan frosting, it tastes like almond coffee and it's super moist and super delicious. No matter if it's beautiful it will be tasty.

    AND the baker does this cool thing where you get a free 6" cake on your anniversary, so we can eat the whole cake at the party and still be "saving" the top for our anniversary. <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" />
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