“Wedding cake cupcakes” usually refers to cupcake designs made to serve at weddings as an alternative to traditional cakes. The cupcakes are often arranged onto a multi-tiered, tower-shaped holder that resembles a wedding cake. It may be made of decoratively covered cardboard boxes stacked up with room around each one to place the cupcakes or it could be a large metal and/or glass tiered dish. Wedding cake cupcakes may be of any flavor and color. They could be simply decorated with swirls of frosting piled high or unique cupcakes personalized with the bride’s and groom’s initials.
For instance, each wedding cupcake may feature cookie, candy or chocolate letters of each starting letter of the bride’s and groom’s names with an ampersand between them. These edible letters are placed on top of each frosted cupcake. At other weddings, the cupcakes may be topped with frosting only. Typically, the frosting on wedding cake cupcakes is piped on in ample peaks rather than being spread on with a knife, as bakers making more casual-themed versions are likely to produce.
All-white cupcakes with elaborately swirled icing may be placed on a tiered stand along with cream roses and greenery for an especially elegant, sophisticated presentation. Alternatively, cupcakes with frosting tinted in the bride’s choice of accent color, such as pink, blue, aqua, yellow or lavender, along with white or cream icing can create a soft pastel look for a romantic wedding theme. At some receptions, a tiered display of beautiful wedding cake cupcakes is placed at each reception room table instead of floral arrangements.
Chocolate cupcakes may also be featured at weddings, either alone or with other flavors and frosting colors. On some wedding cupcake towers or tiered stands, chocolate cupcakes are placed to create a strong pattern and contrast against lighter colored varieties. The creative ideas for wedding cake cupcakes are virtually endless with the various colors and flavors of cupcakes and icings possible.
Benefits of having cupcakes rather than a traditional wedding cake at the reception include a lower cost, ease of transportation and convenience to make and store. Cupcakes are especially popular at low-budget and do-it-yourself (DIY) weddings as no professional baking experience is needed. Friends and relatives of the bride often help out by making several dozen each and storing them in their home freezers until the big day. Many bakeries that specialize in traditional cakes for weddings also design and bake wedding cake cupcakes.