Any Way You Slice It
By Leigh Pressley | Photography by Indigo Photography
Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 29, 2009
Gone are the days of the red-velvet armadillo groom’s cake a la “Steel Magnolias.” Today, groom’s cakes highlight the interests and hobbies of the husband-to-be with elaborate designs that reflect the gentleman as much as the wedding cake does the bride.
Typical groom’s cake themes include fishing, hunting, sports, business and the groom’s alma mater. In many cases, groom’s cakes are three-dimensional sculpted cakes rather than an image on a flat sheet or traditional round cake.
Edible Art, a Myers Park bakery, has seen groom’s cakes become very personable and detailed in its 16 years in business. “A long time ago, they were nice, pretty chocolate cakes,” says Cathy DuFault, an owner in the business. “Now they’re totally about the groom and his interests. We’ve done cars like Bentleys, Mercedes and Corvettes; dream boats and animals. We’ve done several two-tiered cakes with the groom’s favorite sports teams on each side.”
At Cheesecake Etc., groom’s cakes have ranged from iPhones to golf bags to a three-dimensional Panthers stadium. “Groom’s cakes have become more elaborate just like wedding cakes have over the years,” says office manager Kristin Stell. “People usually want a sculpted cake to give them a dramatic look. There really isn’t anything typical — it’s whatever the groom loves.”
Even if what he loves is a bit more … horrific. “Our favorite groom’s cake was for a couple who really enjoyed horror films,” says Dominica Clementi, co-owner of Nona’s Sweets. “They were fanatics about it — especially old-school horror films. It was a lot of fun! We created a lot of zombies, hands coming out of graves, things like that.”
A tradition often associated with the South, groom’s cakes were originally fruitcake that was thinly sliced and placed in a personalized bag or box for guests to take home as a wedding favor. Single ladies who slept with the cake under their pillows were said to dream of their future husbands. Today, the whimsical cakes serve as a way for the groom to have a special part in the wedding. Brides or mothers of the groom typically order the cake as a surprise for the husband-to-be.
Many couples serve the groom’s cake at the rehearsal dinner when it won’t be overshadowed by a grand, tiered wedding cake. Those who do opt to serve it at the reception typically choose an alternate flavor such as chocolate or carrot cake and place it in a location away from the wedding cake.
“Most of our customers use them at the rehearsal dinner because they’re less formal and more fun,” says Laura O’Donohue of Laura’s Bakery. “It makes that cake special and says something about the groom on the night before the wedding. One of my favorites was a fishing theme with a boat, a fisherman and a big fish that was all pink and sparkly. The cake said: What a Great Catch. Everyone loved it. It was a lot of fun.”
