On wedding days, it's easy for much of the attention and details to be focused on the bride. From the dress to the floral arrangements, many elements cater to the bride's style and personality. This is why groom's cakes have become such a popular wedding tradition-they offer a chance to celebrate the groom!
A groom's cake is a personalized dessert created just for the groom to showcase his hobbies, interests, and tastes. It's a way for couples to make grooms feel special on their big day. The cake offers a fun design and flavor profile that caters specifically to the groom rather than following the more elegant style of the wedding cake.
If you're looking for a unique detail to make your groom feel celebrated, a customized groom's cake is the perfect addition. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing a design, working with a baker, popular trends, and how to incorporate a groom's cake into your reception details.
What Exactly Is a Groom's Cake?
A groom’s cake is a smaller secondary cake that complements the main wedding cake at the wedding reception. It is designed specifically to celebrate the groom's personality and interests with fun designs, shapes, and flavors.
The groom’s cake is usually displayed on its own dessert table at the reception venue. While the main wedding cake is elegantly decorated for the occasion, the groom’s cake offers a more casual, lighthearted feel.
Groom’s cakes are often shaped into something that illustrates the groom's hobby, passion, or favorite thing. Popular designs include sports themes, cars or trucks, video games, favorite foods, beloved movies, and pets.
Grooms Cake vs. the Main Wedding Cake
The main differences between a groom’s cake and a wedding cake are:
- Size: Groom’s cakes are smaller, generally serving 20-40 guests. The wedding cake is larger and serves all reception guests.
- Purpose: The wedding cake is traditional and elegant. The groom’s cake is fun, casual, and all about the groom.
- Design: Wedding cakes often feature flowers, pearls, and classic wedding designs. Groom’s cakes can be shaped like sports gear, dogs, bacon—anything!
- Cutting: The wedding cake is cut in a formal cake-cutting ceremony. The groom’s cake is usually cut after dinner.
- Cost: Groom’s cakes are typically less expensive than the main wedding cake.
Who Orders and Pays for Groom’s Cakes?
Traditionally, ordering and paying for the groom’s cake is the responsibility of the groom’s parents. However, this tradition is a bit outdated.
These days, the couple usually discusses interest in having a groom’s cake together. They then decide together who will handle ordering and payments. Sometimes it is split between both sets of parents or paid for by the couple.
The key is that the couple communicates to avoid confusion about who is handling the groom’s cake. Don’t assume the groom’s family will pay without discussing it. Make a plan that works for the responsible party's budget and preference.
History and Origins
The tradition of groom’s cakes dates back to Victorian England in the late 19th century. It was considered a chivalrous gesture for the bride’s family to provide a cake just for the groom. His cake was often more dense and richer than the finely decorated bride's cake.
In the United States, groom's cakes became popular in the South in the early 20th century. The cakes were presented at the rehearsal dinner and featured chocolate and fruitcake flavors.
Over time, the cakes evolved from a regional tradition to a popular wedding trend across the country. Groom’s cakes today feature personalized designs and more unique flavors than traditional chocolate and fruitcake.
Fun Traditions
There are some fun traditions associated with groom's cakes:
- The groom may or may not know the design ahead of time for a fun reveal at the reception.
- Single ladies at the wedding reception could take home a slice to place under their pillow. This was thought to bring dreams of their future husband.
- Guests say the richness of fruitcake represents abundance, so fruitcake groom's cakes were a wish for prosperity.
Tips for Selecting Your Groom's Cake
If you decide to incorporate a groom's cake into your wedding plans, here are some tips:
Think About Design
Determine if you want a themed cake based on the groom's interests or a simple, elegant cake.
Communicate must-have design elements to your baker.
Select a Reputable Baker
Look for bakers known for creative groom's cakes and check reviews. Meet with potential bakers to view past designs.
Consider a Flavor Profile
Choose flavors the groom will love. Popular options are chocolate, red velvet, carrot cake, lemon, and spice.
Measure the Venue Space
Know where the groom's cake will be displayed and measure the area beforehand so the cake is an appropriate size. (This suggestion applies to the actual wedding cake, too.)
Allow Time to Order
Speak to your baker at least a few months in advance of the wedding date. A custom groom's cake requires more time.
Stick to a Budget
Groom's cakes are often priced per slice. You might want to keep costs around $2-5 per slice for budgeting. Fondant cakes are more expensive.
Groom’s Cake Trends
Groom’s cakes provide an opportunity to showcase the groom’s interests with fun designs. Take inspiration from these popular groom’s cake trends:
Sports Themes
Designs featuring the groom’s favorite sports team in team colors are always a hit. Consider a football, hockey stick, basketball, or jersey design.
Hobby Nods
If the groom loves to fish, decorate the cake with fondant fish. For a gamer groom, create an 8-bit video game design.
Pet Cakes
Pet lovers will enjoy cakes shaped and designed like their dogs, cats, or other furry friends. Use the pet’s face or body as inspiration.
Food Cakes
Is your groom obsessed with burgers, pizza, bacon, or other foods? Make a funny food-shaped and designed cake!
Humorous Cakes
Go for a humorous cake with funny sayings, emoji designs, or a groom figure with comical facial expressions.
Geeky Cakes
Show off the groom's inner geek with cakes featuring Star Wars, comic books, or other pop culture themes.
Classic Cars/Trucks
Grooms who love classic cars or big trucks will get a kick out of a groom's case designed as a mini replica.
Monogram Cakes
For a sophisticated style, choose a bold monogram design in his first, middle, or last initial.
Creative Groom's Cake Flavors
While classic flavors like chocolate and vanilla work beautifully, today’s grooms are choosing more creative cake options:
-Red velvet cakes: Red velvet cake has risen in popularity in recent years for both wedding and groom's cakes. The bright red color catches the eye and pairs nicely with "groom" themed decorations. Red velvet is also a classic Southern cake flavor, tying it in with groom's cake tradition.
The creamy vanilla frosting balances the cocoa flavors in the cake. For a more modern twist, try cream cheese or chocolate ganache frosting on your red velvet groom's cake.
-Stout beer, whiskey, or rum cakes: These are a nice fit for grooms who enjoy craft brews.
-Margarita or piña colada cakes: This is a great fit for Houston, where we love Tex-Mex and margaritas. These flavors also work well for a destination wedding or tropical theme.
-Maple bacon, steak, or sausage cakes: Savory cakes appeal to the meat lover.
-S’mores or campfire cakes: Fun for an outdoor lover.
-Oreo, peanut butter, and other candy cakes: Satisfy the groom’s sweet tooth.
-Carrot, pumpkin, lemon, or berry cakes: Choose fruit flavors in season.
Tip for Serving
Depending on the reception size, you may choose to display the groom's cake but only serve it to the wedding party table rather than serve it as dessert to all guests.
Some other serving tips:
- Display the cake on a side dessert table near the main cake.
- Serve the groom’s cake after dinner is over and before the main cake cutting.
- Offer it on a dessert table with other sweets.
- Slice thin slivers so more guests can sample it.
- Set out small boxes or bags so guests can take home extra slices.
- For large cakes, serve a variety of flavors, like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
- Provide cocktail napkins and forks for easy eating.
Make It Memorable
Groom's cakes are a fun way to celebrate the groom and add personalized, lighthearted details to your wedding day. Follow these tips to order a cake he'll love. Just be sure to communicate with your baker early on and allow time for design and preparation. With so many creative options available these days, you can choose a groom's cake that showcases his unique personality.
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