Well, as it happens, naked wedding cakes are one of the biggest cake trends of the moment. But what exactly are they?
Basically, a naked wedding cake is one that has layers of vanilla frosting rather than icing and is usually decorated with berries. But, as with most things, once you’ve got the basics sorted, it opens up a whole new world of options. So here are a few ideas.
Firstly, an almost naked cake. This is where the cake is covered in a very thin layer of frosting which is almost transparent in some parts and a bit thicker in others. The small amount of frosting helps retain moisture and gives the cake a minimalist feel. And of course, fondant or fresh flowers and decorations can be added.
A gorgeous drizzled naked cake is similar to an almost naked cake in that it, too, has a thin layer of frosting, but then a sauce or glaze (think, chocolate, caramel, lemon or marmalade) is poured over the layers from the top so that it drips over the edges of the tiers and drizzles down the sides.
Or what about an ombré naked cake? This lovely effect means that there is a gradient of colour moving from light to dark, top to bottom, by layer or by tier. It makes sense that the frosting should be white, or cream coloured to get the maximum effect from the cake, but you could always have the frosting ombré and keep the cake the same colour. And best to keep the decorations on the top of the cake so that the colour effect is the star.
A mixed layer naked cake could just be the thing to keep both partners happy if you can’t decide on one flavour. This way, with a different filling and cake for each tier, you can have a few cakes in one. Can’t decide between vanilla and strawberries, chocolate and salted caramel, carrot and cream cheese? No matter – you can have them all.
Another compromise, if you don’t want full-on naked, is a half-naked, half-dressed cake. This way you can mix up the styles you like in one cake. You could have two naked tiers and one iced or covered in fondant – or vice versa. Of course, as before, mixing up the flavours of the tiers is fine.
Finally, you might like the idea of a monochromatic naked cake. Similar to a standard naked cake, there’s no contrast between the frosting and the cake itself be it chocolate or vanilla or lemon. A monochromatic naked cake gives you the perfect canvas for spectacular decorations and finishing touches.
So, we’d like to think that makes things a bit easier. Now all you have to do is choose…