Introduction: DIY Wedding Cake
My now wife and I had a small, intimate wedding with close family and friends. Over the years we have attended many weddings together, and knew we wanted a simple yet elegant cake at our own reception. Being a chef, I knew I would be able to source out the ingredients and utensils to easily make my own wedding cake. This was my first attempt, and I am happy to say that we were very pleased with the results. I may have a background in kitchens, but I’m writing this tutorial, so anyone will be able to have a great celebration on the dime.
This cake took me 3 days to make and is a pretty large cake that can easily feed 50 people. If you dont want such a large cake scale it down by 1/2.
This cake took me 3 days to make and is a pretty large cake that can easily feed 50 people. If you dont want such a large cake scale it down by 1/2.
Step 1: Ingredients and Equipment
Ingredients
1.25kg unsalted butter, softened
1.44kg icing sugar
1.125kg self-raising flour
550gm caster sugar
475ml full cream milk
10 large eggs
1 large egg white
1/2 tsp lemon juice
5 tsp vanilla paste
1kg strawberry jam
Equipment
Digital scales
Shallow metal tray 30cm x 50cm
Baking paper
Serrated knife
Pastry scraper
Chopping board
Kitchen aid w/ beater
Vanilla Satin ice fondant
2 fondant smoothers (i did it with 1 but 2 is much better)
Cake board
Satin ribbon
Small piping bag
No. 3 piping nozel
Rolling pin
1.25kg unsalted butter, softened
1.44kg icing sugar
1.125kg self-raising flour
550gm caster sugar
475ml full cream milk
10 large eggs
1 large egg white
1/2 tsp lemon juice
5 tsp vanilla paste
1kg strawberry jam
Equipment
Digital scales
Shallow metal tray 30cm x 50cm
Baking paper
Serrated knife
Pastry scraper
Chopping board
Kitchen aid w/ beater
Vanilla Satin ice fondant
2 fondant smoothers (i did it with 1 but 2 is much better)
Cake board
Satin ribbon
Small piping bag
No. 3 piping nozel
Rolling pin
Step 2: Make the Butter Cake
Ingredients
625gm butter, softened
2.5 tsp vanilla paste
550gm caster sugar
10 large eggs
1.125kg self-raising flour - sifted
400ml full cream milk
Method
Preheat fan forced oven to 170°c. Beat butter and vanilla until light and creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time beating in well with each addition. Stir in 1/2 the flour and 1/2 the milk until well combined. Stir in remaining flour and milk then beat until smooth. Line a shallow tray with baking paper and pour in cake mix. Bake at 170°c for 30mins, then turn down to 160°c and cook for 20mins. Leave to cool down in tray for 10mins then turn out onto cooling rack. Refridgerate over night.
625gm butter, softened
2.5 tsp vanilla paste
550gm caster sugar
10 large eggs
1.125kg self-raising flour - sifted
400ml full cream milk
Method
Preheat fan forced oven to 170°c. Beat butter and vanilla until light and creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time beating in well with each addition. Stir in 1/2 the flour and 1/2 the milk until well combined. Stir in remaining flour and milk then beat until smooth. Line a shallow tray with baking paper and pour in cake mix. Bake at 170°c for 30mins, then turn down to 160°c and cook for 20mins. Leave to cool down in tray for 10mins then turn out onto cooling rack. Refridgerate over night.
Step 3: Square and Ice
When i cooked the cake it rose alot more in the center then on the sides so i squared the cake and used the trimmings from the sides to help make then cake as squared as possible.
Butter cream recipe
625gm butter, softened
1.2kg icing sugar
10tsp full cream milk
2.5 tsp vanilla paste
Method
Beat butter as white as possible. Beat half the icing sugar into the butter, then add the milk and vanilla paste. Add the other half of the icing sugar and beat until well incorporated.
Spread a decent amount of buttercream on the top outer area of the cake and stick the trimmings in it. Set in the fridge.
Butter cream recipe
625gm butter, softened
1.2kg icing sugar
10tsp full cream milk
2.5 tsp vanilla paste
Method
Beat butter as white as possible. Beat half the icing sugar into the butter, then add the milk and vanilla paste. Add the other half of the icing sugar and beat until well incorporated.
Spread a decent amount of buttercream on the top outer area of the cake and stick the trimmings in it. Set in the fridge.
Step 4: Cut, Fill and Cut Again
Once your buttercream has set, cut the cake in half horizontally and spread the strawberry jam on the bottom half of the cake then place the top back on. At this point i cut the top tier off and set aside. Place both cakes on boards that are the same size as the cakes. Make sure that the top tier board has a hole in it so a skewer can go through.
Step 5: More Buttercream
Using the pastry scraper completely cover the 2 cakes you now have. Its very important the you make sure the buttercream is smooth. If it isnt then the fondant will have air bubbles and be uneven. Set in fridge over night.
Step 6: Fondant
Take your cakes out a let come to room temp. You should NEVER cover a cake with fondant thats straight out of the fridge, it'll go sticky and not have that professional finished look.
For the 1st cake measure the sides, length and width. These measurements will be used to measure out how big the fondant needs to be to cover your cake. Add the 2 sides and the length together adding an extra 5cm either side, this is for the length. Add the 2 sides and the width together adding an extra 5cm either side and this is for the width.
Sprinkle icing sugar on the bench and knead the fondant for 5mins. Roll out the fondant to 3mm thick and make sure its at the correct length and width. If its sticking to the bench sprinkle icing sugar. Roll the fondant around your rolling pin and gently roll it out over the cake. Working from the top down smooth the fondant out using the fondant smoothers. Try not to use your hands you'll warm the fondant making it sticky. Cut off any excess fondant.
Do the same for cake no. 2. Dont put it in the fridge. The fondant will go sticky and could break.
For the 1st cake measure the sides, length and width. These measurements will be used to measure out how big the fondant needs to be to cover your cake. Add the 2 sides and the length together adding an extra 5cm either side, this is for the length. Add the 2 sides and the width together adding an extra 5cm either side and this is for the width.
Sprinkle icing sugar on the bench and knead the fondant for 5mins. Roll out the fondant to 3mm thick and make sure its at the correct length and width. If its sticking to the bench sprinkle icing sugar. Roll the fondant around your rolling pin and gently roll it out over the cake. Working from the top down smooth the fondant out using the fondant smoothers. Try not to use your hands you'll warm the fondant making it sticky. Cut off any excess fondant.
Do the same for cake no. 2. Dont put it in the fridge. The fondant will go sticky and could break.
Step 7: Tiers
To place your top tier on the cake you need to put supports in the bottom cake so it doesnt get squashed. I used 4 skewers to hold up the top tier and 1 skewer that went up through the middle of the top tier board and into the cake to stop the top tier from sliding off.
Step 8: Decorations
Royal icing
240gm icing sugar
1 large eggwhite
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Sift icing sugar. Beat eggwhite to soft peaks. Continue beating and add icing sugar 1 tblsp at a time. Beat lemon juice. Keep covered, if it forms a crust it'll be unusable.
Fill a piping with royal icing and decorate away. I used a lace pattern on mine for a simple design. Once everything was done i wrapped a satin ribbon around it for that final touch.
The only thing left to do now is eat it and savour the fruits of your labour.
240gm icing sugar
1 large eggwhite
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Sift icing sugar. Beat eggwhite to soft peaks. Continue beating and add icing sugar 1 tblsp at a time. Beat lemon juice. Keep covered, if it forms a crust it'll be unusable.
Fill a piping with royal icing and decorate away. I used a lace pattern on mine for a simple design. Once everything was done i wrapped a satin ribbon around it for that final touch.
The only thing left to do now is eat it and savour the fruits of your labour.