Naked, semi-naked, fondant - which cake is best for me?

/ Caked Patisserie/

As with any industry, cake design is full of terminology that you may not have come across until you come to plan your wedding cake. Allow Caked to guide you through the classic types of wedding cake.

Naked Wedding Cakes

Naked wedding cakes have no buttercream around the outside. They’re most commonly associated with rustic weddings and suit a barn setting beautifully. I personally don’t do many of these for one key reason - the outside of the cake will dry out throughout the day and there is nothing that can be done to stop this. There is a certain rustic charm about this style of cake though and so if this is the look you have your heart set on, don’t let this stop you.

Semi-naked Wedding Cakes

Also known as a half naked wedding cake, these have a light masking of buttercream around the outside. You can see a little of the sponge showing through and they provide a perfect rustic elegance. Don’t assume you have to have white buttercream - different coloured buttercream can look really lovely, as well as different coloured sponges for each tier.

Photo credits: Dunton’s Photography / Emine Weddings / HFP Photography

Buttercream Wedding Cakes

Buttercream wedding cakes are similar to semi-naked cakes but with another layer of masking, meaning none of the sponge shows through. This allows for more creativity - think lots of movement for a rustic cake, or perfectly smooth or striped for a beautifully elegant wedding cake. White is the classic choice but we can introduce gorgeous colours as well as ombre effects. And if you’re feeling bold, a bright or dark buttercream will create a stunning centrepiece for your big day.

Photo credits: Michael Newington Gray / Katherine Yiannaki / Harry Richards (Reportography)

Fondant Wedding Cakes

This is the traditional style wedding cake with smooth fondant icing. I cover my fondant cakes with a sharp contemporary finish and only the best quality (and best tasting) sugarpaste. There are endless options for decoration and colour, and all my fondant cakes have a layer of delicious white or dark chocolate ganache underneath the fondant to achieve that beautiful sharp edge. Another consideration is that this is the most stable covering for a cake, especially in hot weather.

Photo credits: Anthony Keiler / Becky Wright Photography / Mindy Coe Photography

Pricing

You may have a clear idea of the type of wedding cake you want but if not, pricing may be a deciding factor. Generally, a naked caked will be the cheapest option and fondant will be the most expensive - fondant cakes require more materials and ingredients, and also take considerably more time to prepare. To give you an idea of pricing, here are the starting prices for each style for a classic 3-tier cake.

If you still can’t decide, don’t worry. I can talk you through all the options and help you decide during a consultation. Contact Claire to start designing your luxury wedding cake.