Dolce vita: what should the perfect engagement cake be like?
After announcing their engagement, many couples invite friends and family to a themed party to share their happiness with a pleasant company. One of the obligatory attributes of the celebration is dessert - an original sweet delicacy that becomes the culmination of the evening and emphasizes the significance of the event. An engagement cake can be anything from simply delicious to original with rhinestones, sparkles and edible gems. If you put in a little effort, the confectionery miracle will surprise not only the guests, but also the heroes of the occasion themselves.
Ideas for simple and delicious wedding cakes
Wedding cake recipe.
Delicious wedding cake - what's the secret? There are a large number of products that even an inexperienced housewife can make. A simple option is to purchase ready-made cakes and coat them with some kind of cream. For example, sour cream or cream. You can also place nuts, fruits and much more between the cakes.
If you are comfortable with dough, you can bake sponge cakes or shortbread . Then coat them with cream and pour cocoa on top. You can place pomegranate or strawberries on top of this dessert.
Most often, one-tier cakes are created at home. They are easier to manufacture than multilayer ones. After all, in order to bake a cake with several layers, you need to have some skills. If you have experience working with such cakes, then you can safely create and surprise your guests.
Differences from wedding
The cake that is prepared on the occasion of engagement differs from the wedding dessert in design .
In most cases, the wedding cake is a grand multi-tiered structure. It is often decorated with glazed figurines of newlyweds or wedding rings.
There are no too strict criteria for the design of an engagement cake , so it can be anything. For example:
- with a ring in the center;
- in the form of a box or gift with a ring;
- with the names of lovers;
- with symbols from the history of acquaintance.
You can also create a cake in a neutral style, create a romantic frosted dessert, or create an intricate abstract cake with engagement symbols. And it can be a gift for a celebration from relatives or parents.
Wedding cakes with cream: design ideas
In addition to the fact that cream can be used as a filling, it is often used as an independent decoration option. It's easy to do. To do this, you just need to use a pastry bag, with which you squeeze the butter onto the sides of the cake.
Cream wedding cake: photo.
There are several design options using butter cream:
- roses;
- ruffles;
- flowers;
- patterns;
- petals;
- curls.
If you have never worked with butter cream, then it is best for you to choose the simplest option for using it. It can be used as the main decorative part of the cake. For this you will need a pastry bag and a teaspoon.
If you don’t have a pastry bag, then there’s nothing wrong with that; take a regular plastic bag, and make a small slit on the edge of which, from which the buttercream will flow.
Using a pastry bag, make a few dots of buttercream along the sides, which you can gently stretch with a teaspoon. Thus, from the outside, it will seem that there are some kind of scales or stems from flowers on the sides of your cake.
This type of decorative decoration looks especially beautiful and original when chocolate buttercream is used.
Important! Before serving, keep the cream in the refrigerator for several hours so that the product completely sets and freezes.
Please note that butter cream has only one disadvantage. It melts very quickly , so it cannot be left outdoors for a long time in the warm season. Because if the cream drips, the wedding cake will look like something ugly.
Once you've made the buttercream flakes, it's easy to move on to the roses. They look especially beautiful and impressive if done in ombre style. To do this, select one color and gradually add paint to it, thereby making it more saturated.
Decorations
Symbols
When it comes to jewelry, wedding rings are often used . They not only look beautiful, but also remind you of your upcoming wedding.
A photo cake decorated with rings would be a great option. A 3D image of a ring with a large sugar diamond looks great. Having ordered one of these options, you can be sure that everyone present will like the dessert.
The cake can be decorated with two hearts that symbolize the feelings of lovers.
If you add the initials or names of the newlyweds to the hearts , the cake will look even more impressive.
Rhinestones and gems
The sides of the confectionery product can be lined with edible miniature stones or one large “diamond” can be placed, which will echo the stone on the bride’s engagement ring and symbolize the purity of the relationship between the heroes of the occasion.
Lovers of enchanting parties will love a cake with edible rhinestones. The dessert looks especially beautiful if the rhinestones are made in the form of monograms or completely cover the entire surface of the cake. Rhinestones can be of different diameters. One option: small ones throughout the entire area, and large ones in the center on the upper tier.
Recently, glamorous desserts decorated with jewelry, which can be either edible or real, have become very popular.
With protein cream
Many people love cakes with protein filling or eclairs with similar content. The essence of protein cream is that only protein is taken as a basis. The yolk is not used in cooking.
Be sure to wash the eggs in warm water using dish soap before using them. Separate the whites and yolks. We will only use whites.
To make the whites whip better, place them in the refrigerator in a glass container for 10-15 minutes.
After the whites have cooled, beat them at high speed. For a better process, add a pinch of salt or citric acid.
Add half a glass of sugar to the eggs and continue beating, slightly reducing the main speed. After this, you can definitely say that the cream is whipped and ready for use.
Please note that if you want to get an interesting color for the cream, you can add a little coloring agent. It just needs to be administered with a regular tablespoon.
The cake with protein cream turns out incredibly airy , light and tasty. At the same time, you can adjust the level of sweetness. For example, add not so much sugar itself, then you will end up with a less saturated product.
Form
An excellent option is a cake in the form of an open box , in which pearls, diamonds, rings, etc. are scattered. And it's all edible!
Multi-tiered confectionery products are traditionally popular. The number of tiers depends only on the imagination, taste preferences and financial capabilities of the young people.
One of the classic options is a two-tier dessert. The bottom tier is in the shape of an ordinary circle of vanilla sponge cake and cream filling, covered with white fondant. The top tier is in the shape of a heart in red mastic. And if you decorate all this with a small bouquet of mastic roses on top, the cake will look even more original.
When choosing a cake, you need to remember that the main ones at the engagement party are the young people, so they should like the taste of the dessert first, and then everyone else.
Flavor options can be very different.
Three chocolates
It is known that everyone (or almost everyone) loves chocolate, so the likelihood of a bad choice is minimized. The light sponge cake is complemented by three layers of chocolate mousse : milk, white and bitter. If desired, the cakes are soaked in liqueur or sweet syrup with your favorite flavors (honey, vanilla, banana).
Fruit and berry
The cake has an explosion of flavor, and fruits and berries can be used both fresh and in the form of jam. A soufflé made from berries or fruits will be an excellent filling for a confectionery product. This is especially suitable for “naked” cakes, because desserts of this type are actively saturated with the mood of berries and fruits.
Curd and yoghurt
The filling can be cottage cheese or yogurt - the milky taste goes well with any cakes, berries and fruits.
Sour cream
The cake with sour cream is very tasty and looks great in the photo. For example, sour cream is the basis for the filling of honey cake, which is loved by a large number of people. But you need to keep in mind that sour cream dessert can quickly spoil , especially if the weather is hot. So, if the engagement is scheduled for the summer, it is better to choose another option.
How to bake a cake with your own hands?
Wedding cake at home, is it possible? Any thing that a person creates is priceless. After all, human labor is especially valued, because if someone has done something unusual for the first time, then it is impossible not to appreciate it. To make the cake yourself, you need to decide on the recipe and prepare all the materials and products that will be needed.
Preparation
Before you start making dessert, you need to prepare various materials and equipment. Their set depends on the cake recipe you have chosen. If the dough is biscuit, then you will need molds of different sizes.
A blender is simply indispensable for preparing dough and cream. Bowls are also an integral part of the cooking process. They must have different sizes.
A measuring cup will allow you to correctly measure the amount of certain products. The process of baking cakes cannot be carried out without a rolling pin. If you decide to use mastic as a decoration, then you need to prepare tools that will allow you to work with it.
Recipe
What kind of cake should I make for a wedding? To prepare a delicious wedding cake, you need to decide on a recipe. Let's look at the simplest and at the same time delicious cake.
To prepare it you will need:
Cakes:
- 0.5 kg flour;
- 0.5 kg sugar;
- 0.5 kg butter;
- 0.5 kg almonds;
- 12 eggs;
- zest of one lemon;
- salt and nutmeg.
Cream:
- eggs 6 pcs;
- 0.5 cream;
- lemon juice;
- be sure to add a pinch of salt;
- butter 140 gr;
- gelatin sheets;
- sugar.
This is one of the easiest wedding cake recipes. Even a girl who has never worked with dough before can bake it. Based on the list of products, it is necessary to prepare materials and equipment. They will become assistants in the cooking process.
Step by step guide
Separate the yolks from the whites. Then you need to add sugar and butter to the yolks. Beat all this well and add almonds and the zest of one lemon. It’s good to beat everything again.
The remaining whites must be beaten well with salt into a dense foam. To do this you need a device such as a mixer. Then you need to add the sifted flour and mix everything thoroughly again. The final step will be mixing the protein and yolk mass.
The finished dough must be poured into molds and placed in the oven, heated to 200 degrees. After the cakes are cooked, they will need to stand for 12 hours.
Wedding cakes, recipes with photos.
We've sorted out the dough, now let's move on to preparing the cream. First you need to soak the gelatin plates and melt the butter. Divide the egg into two parts. Then take the yolks and beat with lemon juice and zest. You need to add melted butter to this mixture.
Place the half-ready cream in a steam bath and slowly stir in the sugar. The mixture must be stirred until the sugar is completely dissolved. As soon as the cream begins to become thicker, you need to add dissolved gelatin to it. Mix everything, remove from heat and let the cream cool.
Now you need to assemble the cake. Each cake must be coated with pre-prepared cream. Afterwards, let the dessert soak for at least a couple of hours. Now you can safely start decorating the wedding cake. If you wish, you can use the same cream or any other one that you like.
A modern matchmaking scenario from the groom's side. How should a bride behave?
Matchmaking is an almost forgotten ancient custom of asking the bride’s hand in marriage from her parents. Previously, not a single wedding was complete without this ritual ; it was given perhaps the most important place in the entire wedding organization.
When can you get married? In Rus' there were certain days for this; it was believed that you should not go ask for a girl’s hand in marriage on a fast day, on even days, the 13th. Now you can choose a day that is convenient for everyone, for example, a day off.
Despite the fact that nowadays matchmaking is an exclusively symbolic tradition , many couples are reviving it, since such an acquaintance with the groom will definitely not be forgotten soon.
How to decorate a cake at home?
There are several ways to decorate a cake at home. Some are used frequently, while others are used very rarely. Let's look at the simplest ways to decorate dessert for a wedding.
Sugar icing
This method is the simplest and most accessible. To do this, you should prepare the following products:
- 7 tbsp. spoons of milk;
- 7 tbsp. spoons of powdered sugar;
- butter;
- vegetable oil;
- a little vanilla;
- dye of any color.
First you need to remove excess crumbs from the biscuit. A silicone brush will help you with this. After that, the dessert needs to be covered with cling film and sent to a cold place for several hours. While our cakes are cooling, you need to mix two types of butter with each other using a mixer.
While beating, add vanilla, then milk and powdered sugar in small portions. Add a dye of the required color to the finished cream.
We take out the cake and start decorating it with icing. To do this, take a smooth spatula. With its help, apply a thin layer of cream to dessert. Carefully coat the sides. Next, you need to let the glaze harden; to do this, put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
After hardening, apply another layer of cream. To get a perfectly smooth surface you need to use a wide spatula. You can level the surface with water. To do this you need a spray bottle.
Colored chocolate
This is the most popular and simple decoration. You can color chocolate using regular food coloring. But it is worth noting that only white chocolate is suitable for this. It must be melted in a steam bath and dye added.
Afterwards, you can safely cover the cake with such a delicious decoration. The main advantage of chocolate is that you can make beautiful figures from it.
What is matchmaking and who are matchmakers?
Matchmaking is a marriage proposal from the groom addressed to the bride's parents, literally asking for her hand and parental blessing.
Matchmaking photo
Matchmakers are representatives of the groom who come to the girl’s house to make a match. In the old days, they tried to choose close relatives of the groom, his father or godparents, or called specialized matchmakers for this role. Their task was not only to woo the chosen girl, but also to find out about her family , dowry, and personal qualities. Sometimes matchmakers themselves selected a suitable candidate for their ward.
How do matchmakers match the groom? Previously, they visited the girl’s home with gifts and asked the relatives for permission to marry. And after the consent of the parents, preparations for the wedding itself began.
How is it going nowadays?
Today, matchmaking simply refers to the groom's visit to the bride's parents to ask for her hand in marriage.
Of course, the decision is made not by the parents, but by the young people themselves, but good form obliges them to be officially introduced to the family of their beloved. It is not necessary for a matchmaker and a matchmaker to be present. After this, the bride's parents come to the groom's house to meet the young man's family.
How does matchmaking work according to tradition?
Previously, in Rus', much attention was paid to matchmaking; this aspect was considered the most important of all stages of marriage.
Often, a matchmaking ceremony was carried out on the part of the groom, although there were cases when girls also sent matchmakers to the grooms. The rules and customs in Rus' were such that a young man declared his intention to get married, or his parents decided that it was time to start his own family. If a young man liked a girl, then the parents and godparents collected information about the future daughter-in-law, what her dowry was, what family she was from, and the like.
Matchmaking in Rus'
If the choice was approved, matchmakers were sent to the bride's house. If a girl was considered an unsuitable match for their son or there was no suitable candidate, then the parents turned to matchmakers for advice. The matchmaker was usually a woman experienced in arranging marriage, who always had several unmarried girls in mind.
How did the matchmaking go? The matchmakers tried to come to the house after sunset, without meeting or talking to anyone on the way, in order to avoid the evil eye - so the signs said. It was also believed that the matchmaker should lean against the door frame before entering the house. According to Russian customs, matchmakers go only on strictly certain days .
It was believed that it was impossible to get married during Lent and on the 13th
After the guests entered the house, the conversation about the wedding began from afar. The matchmakers had to say a certain phrase that meant the true purpose of their visit: “You have goods, we have a merchant,” “We lost a sheep, has it wandered to you,” etc.
How to match a bride correctly and what does the groom and his parents need for this?
Modern matchmaking takes place with less respect for traditions; it is more a tribute to politeness than an obligatory attribute of a wedding. The newlyweds choose the day when the groom comes to the bride's parents with a marriage proposal.
Sometimes the date is combined with some family holiday or memorable date
On the appointed day, the young man should dress appropriately, in a suit or something similar. In order to be sure to please your beloved’s parents, it is better to coordinate the choice of costume with the girl. Before the visit, they buy two bouquets of flowers - one for the future mother-in-law, the other for the bride. It is also recommended to take with you symbolic gifts for the parent couple. Their choice can also be agreed upon with the future spouse.
Two bouquets of flowers before matchmaking
How many people are present at the matchmaking? The groom can come with his parents, they will act as matchmakers, but this is not a prerequisite. In addition to parents, other relatives may also be present , but this decision remains entirely up to the young. Usually, meeting a girl’s parents involves the presence of only the young people themselves and the girl’s relatives.
What do they say when they come to get married? There are no clear instructions on this issue. If the bride’s parents are people with a sense of humor, then you can remember the well-known saying “you have a product, we have a merchant,” but you need to understand that some may not understand such a statement. As a rule, in our time, matchmaking is done without unnecessary officialdom - the parents get to know the groom, ask him about his family, parents, occupation, interests, hobbies. If parents from both sides , then the conversation is about organizing the wedding, financial issues, and so on.
After consent, the groom gives the ring to the bride as a sign of official engagement.
Modern matchmaking scenario on the part of the groom in 2020
Now many couples are reviving the ancient tradition, reshaping it in a new way. How to get married in a modern way this year?
You can support customs by conducting an interesting scenario in Russian folk style. To do this, the groom and matchmakers are invited to dress in Russian folk costumes and invite a professional matchmaker. In this case, acquaintance consists of proverbs, jokes, and jokes. As in any other course of action, the matchmaker asks questions to the bride and her parents, presents the groom in a favorable light , arranges comic tests for the girl, for example, sweeping up coins scattered on the floor with a broom, and then tests the groom by asking him riddles. A cool scenario might include competitions for guests and loud singing of ditties.
If you wish, you can memorize all the lines in poetic form . It may seem difficult, but in reality it does not require much effort and will be really interesting and unusual.
What to cook for the bride's parents?
What is customary to prepare for matchmaking? Matchmaking is not complete without a feast; the task of the bride's mother and the girl herself is to show all the cordiality and hospitality of the receiving party.
It would be appropriate to prepare signature dishes for the occasion.
The bride also needs to show off her culinary talents . Dishes can be served as usual at buffets - cold appetizers, salads, hot dishes, warm appetizers, dessert. Of course, don't forget about drinks. Alcohol on the table is welcome, but it should not be abused.
The main thing is that the atmosphere is warm and relaxed. During the feast, it is necessary to praise the girl and her skills as a hostess.
A matchmaking cake made from cream is quite appropriate, especially if the visit takes place in winter. In summer it is better to choose a lighter, fruity or berry dessert .
Photo of a wedding cake
Table setting also matters. The table should be set carefully, in a festive manner. Tea sets, napkins, vases for bouquets - everything needs to be thought out in advance . Even if this tradition is not as strong now as it was before, it is better to make a good impression. The bride should be responsible for changing dishes and serving them to the table. By the way, new dishes can be brought out using trays. It’s both comfortable and looks festive.
What should not be written on a cake?
Unfortunately, not everything can be written on the main delicacy of a wedding ceremony. First of all, these are long inscriptions. They simply won't fit.
Wedding cakes with inscription.
Among other things, you should not use too personal expressions. Of course, this is your wedding, but something personal needs to be kept secret so that it is as intimate as possible. As they say, happiness loves silence.
You shouldn’t write inscriptions. For example, let's love. Nobody likes to be pointed out, even if it looks like a design on a fragrant sweet.
The process of matchmaking a bride in Islam
The Muslim tradition of matchmaking is not very different from the Russian one. As in the case of Slavic custom, matchmakers are sent to the house of the prospective bride, often the groom’s father himself. The matchmaker asks for permission to marry and negotiates with the bride's parents, the girl does not participate in the conversation. She is supposed to wear closed clothing so that only her face and hands are visible.
Matchmaking in Islam
Nowadays the groom himself is allowed to woo the bride, but in any case he will have to discuss everything with the girl’s parents, and not ask her. The matchmaking ritual necessarily includes a bride price - an offering to the bride's relatives, a kind of ransom. These are usually expensive gifts that show the groom's income level. Previously, a calf or other livestock could be presented as a bride price.
But how the matchmaking goes, you can see in the video of the bride’s matchmaking from the groom’s side:
Source
