7 Dress Details to Inspire Your Cake
Written By Grace Yael
September 19, 2023
Have you ever described a ball gown as a cupcake or compared a voluminous skirt to a cream puff? It’s not unfounded; In fact, crepe fabric comes from the same etymology as the crepe, the thin pancake-like pastry. So it’s no wonder that pastry chefs and cake bakers pull inspiration from a bride’s dress when it comes time to make the sweet treats for a wedding day. The garment, often one of the first items purchased for a wedding, informs everything from the overall formality of the event to bouquet and flower types—and yes, the wedding cake.
How does it work?
Savvy confection designers can recreate floral appliques in sugar form on the top of a cake or place pearl-like balls around the sides like its own necklace. All sorts of dress details can become a standout moment on the cake.
Here are 7 dress details that will certainly inspire a wedding cake.
Floral elements are no surprise on the cake but they are when replicated the floral details on the wedding gown. Wow your guests by recreating the flowers of the 3-D lace on the gown, like the Carrie, as the sugar flowers on a fondant masterpiece—whether it’s two tiers or seven.
Imagine printing your lace pattern on a cake? Wedding cake designers are crafty, and they jump at the change to copy the petals and leaves of your lace pattern onto a fondant confection. Take a swathe of fabric, such as the sleeves of the Uma gown’s matching bolero jacket, to your baker and dream up the possibilities.
Gathered and draped chiffon finds another life as the inspiration for textured icing of a buttercream cake. Instead of smooth sides on a round, multi-tiered cake, use the dynamic quality of buttercream frosting to your advantage: add character to the finish by folding the icing into a drape-like structure that echoes the bodice of the Hailey gown.
Short dresses say celebratory with carefree vibe, and that calls for a playful, single-tier cake that’s as laid-back as this bride. The flared sleeve and flowy skirt of the Lola beg to be accented with a loose bouquet and possibly a flower in the hair—just like this cake asks for a matching fresh bloom for its topper.