Homemade Wedding Cake Recipes for Brides Who Don't Want a Bakery Cake

In my close-knit Italian family, when a relative becomes engaged and begins making wedding plans, my aunt is the first to be contacted with pleads to make the wedding cake. Whether the bride or groom is a niece, nephew, second cousin, or distant relative, a wedding would not be complete without my Aunt Louise's homemade creation. Although a bakery wedding cake is more practical and less troublesome, a homemade cake adds a special touch and uniqueness to the wedding reception. For that reason, more couples are seeking out family members or friends - just as they do for their bridal party - to make their wedding cake.

No one in our family is quite sure how my Aunt Louise became the designated wedding cake maker. Perhaps it is her creativity. For as long as I can remember, she has always created lovely ceramic pieces, made decorative birthday cakes, or carefully formed bunnies from bread dough for her homemade baskets at Easter. Even today at age 72, my aunt continues to make wedding cakes for family members. And no cake is too big or too intricate for her. From three-tiered layers with lovely hand-decorated flowers to masterpieces complete with water fountains and columns, my aunt has never failed in bringing a special tradition to a family wedding.

While making a homemade wedding cake can be more work and more venturesome than in the hands of a professional, the supplies now carried by party and craft stores can make the task that much easier. Plus, the end result can truly represent a couple's wedding day. Not only can the wedding cake be made in the bride or groom's favorite shape and cake flavor, the couple will know that the cake was made with love by someone who truly knows and understands their personalities - something that's hard to achieve using a commercial baker. Some couples choose simple, elegant tiered cakes, while others select more majestic masterpieces with spiral staircases, bridges and water fountains.

Whatever your preference, the recipes below will get you started if you happen to be one of the honored ones chosen to make a couple's wedding cake. For those not fortunate to have a family member or close friend willing to make the wedding cake, most bakeries will accept custom cake orders at an additional charge.

Here are some guidelines to use when deciding upon a bakery to create your wedding cake.

* Order your cake at least three months before the wedding, especially if you have special preferences.

* Have an idea of the style of cake you want (bring a photo if possible), including flavor and decorations.

* The size of the wedding cake depends on the number of people attending the reception. The baker can give you an idea of how many people and what the cost would be. Generally, a three-tier cake would serve 150 people, a four-tier between 225-250 people, and a five and six-tier about 300 people.

* If you want the frosting to match the color of the bridesmaids gowns, provide a sample to the baker.

* Some bakers prefer using a "dummy cake." With this alternative, the baker will make a sheet cake already pre-cut to serve guests, while the wedding cake on display is plastic, foam molds. Only the top layer, which the bride and groom cut, is real. Decide whether you would want this option before your visit to the bakery.

For brides having their wedding cake family made, you might want to provide the following basic Wedding White Cake recipe. The recipe can be successfully multiplied by eight and other flavors can be substituted or add-in like fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever the couple likes incorporated. The cake can be iced with Twice-Cooked or Swiss Meringue Icing. The recipe below makes three, 8-inch round layer cakes.

WEDDING WHITE CAKE
3 1/2 cups cake flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
2 cups sifted sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
7 or 8 egg whites

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour before measuring, and resift twice with baking powder and salt. In another bowl, cream the butter. Add sifted sugar gradually and cream until very light. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk. Stir the batter until smooth after each addition. Then, beat in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold them gently into the cake batter. Bake in three greased 8-inch round pans about 25 minutes.

TWICE-COOKED ICING FOR WEDDING CAKE
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbls. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. or more hot water

Stir sugar and water until sugar is dissolved, and then boil without stirring. Meanwhile, whip the egg whites and salt until stiff. Sift and add very slowly 3 tablespoons sugar, whipping constantly. When the syrup begins to fall in heavy drops from a spoon, add a small quantity to the eggs and sugar, beating continuously. Repeat the process, adding the syrup to the eggs in several parts. Beat the icing constantly. Have a pan ready, partly filled with water. Place it over heat. The bowl of icing should fit closely into this pan so that the bowl will be over but not in the water. When the water starts to boil, add the baking powder and cream of tartar. Continue to beat the icing until it sticks to the sides and bottom of the bowl and holds a point. Remove from the heat. Place as much as is required for the decoration, about a third, in a small bowl. Cover it tightly with waxed paper. To the remaining icing, add 1 teaspoon hot water, thinning it to the right consistency for spreading. Beat it well and spread it on the cake. Decorate with remaining third as desired.

SWISS MERINGUE
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 egg whites
Juice of a lemon
1 to 2 drops of glycerin

Sift confectioners' sugar. Beat egg whites until stiff and gradually add the sifted sugar, lemon juice and glycerin until the icing is of a good consistency. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use.