12 Show-Stopping Wedding Cakes Almost Too Pretty to Slice

Naked cakes are a perfect option for an outdoorsy rustic celebration. They are also great for summer celebrations because they are a little lighter and healthier than more traditional wedding cakes featuring buttercream icing. This stunner was covered in berries and fresh flowers to match the wilderness theme of the couple’s wedding.

Crystals have taken the wedding world by storm of late and brides are still very much into the trend. This beautiful geode cake is a true work of art with its texture and bold colors — always a winning combination.

This elegant cake combines a classic floral cascade with textured green ombré accents at its base. It is proof that you can freshen up a simple look by adding an unexpected design element and the result is breathtaking.

“This romantic, five-tier cake that served almost 300 people was iced in buttercream and  decorated with hand-piped and glittered buttercream elements to mimic the accents on the bride’s dress,” explains Janette Stenstrom of All Things Cake. “The cake was then placed on a functional cake swing that hung from the apex of the tent. The wires and acrylic cake base were embellished with hundreds of flowers giving the illusion that the cake was floating on a bed of blooms.”

Here, the couple wanted a towering showpiece that reflected two of the bride’s favorite design elements—the purple flowers and the custom tufted leather furniture selected for the wedding reception. “The cake stood nearly nine feet tall and consisted of layers of chocolate devil’s food cake filled with salted caramel truffle cream and buttermilk pound cake filled with crushed organic raspberry preserves and white chocolate buttercream,” adds Godfrey.

The name of this cake is “Tradition” and it reflects the simple and clean aesthetic the couple was going for. “Ultra-smooth Swiss buttercream encased layers of moist chocolate cake alternately filled with bittersweet and café-au-lait sabayon. A lavish array of edible hand-made flowers separated the tiers,” explains Godfrey.

A simple three-tier cake is completely transformed into a show-stopping masterpiece by adding fresh wildflowers to match the lush setting. This is also a great way to save on your wedding confection—instead of having elaborate sugar flowers created, which takes a lot of time and costs money, opt for natural blooms.

“Our crescent ruffle cake is a crowd-pleaser and [has] great design for that simple yet elegant look. White modeling chocolate is a favorite here because it’s easy to work with and tastes great. The cake flavors matched the look with our southern red velvet and pound cake with raspberry puree and cream cheese filling,” explains Anthony  Cuellar, pastry chef at Wente Vineyards.

This classic semi-naked cake is completely transformed by a cascade of colorful flowers dripping from top to bottom. That’s such a clever way to add a pop of color to your wedding confection.

“Gone are the days where couples are simply relegated to deciding whether they want round or square tiers. Geometric is in and works well as a standalone look or paired with a more traditional round tier. Metallic touches complete the look. And we’re seeing most couples gravitate toward gold and rose gold. You can also accent the look by adding a floral element and really make your wedding colors pop,” suggests Cuellar.