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699770609600Wedding Cake Perceptions and PricingAmanda RelyeaPaul Smith’s CollegeIntroductionThe wedding cake is one of the oldest known traditions that surround today’s modern wedding ceremonies. Almost every bride wants a cake, or some form of one, as it is a reflection of the style of the wedding ceremony, the design tastes of the bride and groom, and makes for a memorable moment in the reception dinner, not to mention tastes delicious. The tradition has been evolving since the time of the Ancient Romans, and has been an important part of the wedding customs for a number of cultures, adapted in different ways to best suits that particular lifestyle. From loaves of bread broken over the bride’s head, to wedding pies, to the geometric and architecturally inspired cakes representative of pieces of art, wedding cakes have come a long way, and the designs have immensely changed over the past couple decades. While the bride, in her dress, is typically the main focal point of the ceremony, the cake is the centerpiece of the reception dinner following the ceremony, and no ceremony is complete without one. This is reflected upon by the immense time spent creating these masterpieces, and the amount of money that the bride and groom are willing to spend on creating these pieces of art, and main dessert for the reception. History Wedding cakes have been a part of the marriage ceremony since medieval times. They were originally made out of wheat, or barley, which was a symbol of fertility and prosperity, and were thrown at the brides. The Romans eventually began baking wheat and salt into these loaves of bread, which were representative of cakes, and were to be eaten after the ceremony. These would then be broken over the bride’s head, as a symbol of the groom’s dominance, as well as for good luck, a blessing for a long life, and many children (Maisie Fantaisie). The bride and groom would then eat a few crumbs together, as well as the guests taking some home with them as tokens of luck. This custom lead to the bridesmaids covering the bride’s head with a piece of white cloth prior to the breaking of the bread. This practice was done so that she didn’t get any breadcrumbs in her hair or on her dress. From here, this then evolved into the practice of wearing a bridal veil, in modern times, although there is no more bread breaking done over the bride’s head. In Medieval England, wedding cakes started out as flour-based breads with no sweetening. These small cakes were stacked into a large pile in front of the bride and groom, with the idea of making it difficult for them to kiss one another. If they were successful in kissing over the top of the stack, then it was thought that they would have a lifetime of prosperity, and a happy and successful marriage. These early versions of tiered wedding cakes were coated in lard to keep them from drying out and was scraped off right before serving. Sugar was later added to improve the taste and left on the cake as a decorative icing. Eventually, this idea of piling the cakes together, evolved into neatly stacking and frosting the cakes together, which is what we are more familiar with in today’s day and age. During the reign of King Charles II, a French chef visiting London observed this cake piling ceremony. Upon his return to France he created the concept of what is today known as, the classic French croquembouche (Manchester, 2001). A croquembouche, or croqu-en-bouche, is a French dessert consisting of pate au choux pastry balls piled into a cone like structure, and held together with threads of caramel. They are a popular dessert in Italy, as well as France, at weddings, baptisms, and first communions. In the 17th Century, a popular dish was the Bride’s pie, which was filled with sweet breads, mince pie, or mutton. Every pie had a glass ring hidden in it somewhere, and it was said that whichever lady found it would be the next to get married, similar to the concept of today’s bouquet toss. Other cultures, have similar traditions to that of the Bride’s pie as a wedding cake substitute, even in modern times. In India, as most of the culture is Hindu, the wedding feasts have an abundance of sweets but no exact wedding cake per se. Chinese wedding banquets feature a sweet, steamed bread filled with lotus paste, but no wedding cake as we know it. Finally, in Mexico, their traditional wedding cakes are small pastries made from flour, butter, and almonds (Manchester, 2001). While the particulars of these “cakes” are different, the general ideas behind them are similar, and the meaning is just as important from culture to culture to the wedding cake of our culture. Another older tradition was sleeping with a piece of wedding cake under one’s pillow, and is thought to form the basis for giving cake as a gift after the reception. The story behind this is that, sleepers will have dreams about their future significant others if they have cake under their pillows. Brides would also pass pieces of cake crumbs through their wedding rings and guests could sleep with those under their pillows. This stopped soon after, however, as brides became nervous about taking their rings off so soon after the ceremony, as they thought it would cause the wedding to be more susceptible to bad luck and ruin.It wasn’t until the 19th century that the term “wedding cake” was used to describe a multi-tiered, white cake. Traditionally, wedding cakes are white because of the symbolism of purity, and believed to be bad luck if baked by the bride herself. In Victorian times, the whiter the cake and icing was, meant that the family was richer because they could afford finer, and purer sugar. The name “royal icing” came about in 1840 at Queen Victoria’s wedding, after a hard, bright white icing was used. In 1882, at another royal wedding the first tiered cake with all edible layers was served.Early 19th century bakers lacked the architectural skills to stack cakes without the upper tiers crushing the lower ones. So, it became quite customary for the bottom most layer to be the only actual cake layer. The following tiers would be either sugar sculptures, spun sugar, or faux cakes made of pure sugar, so that they would be much lighter in weight. Around 1870, the first wedding cake that was all real cake layers, stacked on top of one another, was created by using cut off pieces of broom sticks to separate the layers. It wasn’t until about twenty years later, that columns started to be used as an alternative way to separate the layers. In the 1950’s, post World War II, was when the wedding cake decorating industry really took off and cake became much more intricate. Ingredients and sugar were more readily available again, due to the ending of the war, and from here wedding cake styles rapidly started expanding and changing. It was also around this time that the first fondant was invented, which at the time was thought of as a moldable royal icing. Couples also started moving away from fruit cakes to what is more commonly used today, different flavors of sponge cake, with fruit fillings.In more recent times, cakes have become more intricate and finely detailed, with more layers and colors other than white often being used, with various fillings and decorations, both edible and not. Pillars and large toppers went away in exchange for more flowers in general, with smaller, simpler cake toppers, such as a simple Mr. and Mrs. Scroll design. The cakes are also cut by the bride and groom together, instead of being broken over her head. Although some couples do smash them into each other’s faces or feed it to each other, which is thought to be a symbol of commitment and providing for each other in the years to come. The top layer of the cake is often saved and frozen to eat on the couple’s first wedding anniversary. Overall there have been many different forms of cake, breads and pies that have served as wedding desserts throughout the centuries. It is the meaning behind them and attention that they draw to the bride and the ceremony that is important. Today, for a majority of modern United States weddings, cakes are the most common item used for the main dessert, and focal point of the reception dinner. However, some more alternative weddings will have a tower of cupcakes, a s’mores buffet table at a rustic wedding, or donuts in the shape of a wedding cake for something a little different, it is all dependent on the wishes of the couple. For the purposes of this report, I will be focusing solely on wedding cakes, starting at about the mid 1980’s through current, trendy decorating styles of today. Along with this, I will be talking about some possible trends that will affect what customers are willing to spend in the future, and where the design ideas are headed in the upcoming years. Evolving Styles of the Wedding Cake Throughout the mid to late 1990’s the traditional tiered wedding cake that you saw was all white, with Grecian style pillars between the layers, pearl and garland piping all around the edges, and flowers between each of the points where the loops of garland met. Along with this, flowers between each of the layers surrounding the pillars and a bride and groom topper on the highest layer of the cake was the norm.From here, cakes changed to involve more color, and fondant was used to coat cakes as it could get a much smoother and uniform finish, although it lacked in taste and flavor. Gum paste has become more popular as the details could be more intricate, and made to look like the botanically correct varieties of the flowers. The The idea of the naked cake came about in 2014, for a lot of summer and rustic weddings. The idea behind this cake, and the first one to make an appearance, is credited to Chef and owner of Milk Bar, Christina Tosi. This cake features very thin buttercream on the sides, so that the cake is still visible through the icing, giving it that naked appearance, much like a crumb coat. The top of the cake still has a normal, thicker layer of buttercream, and fresh flowers or gum paste flowers are commonly seen adorning the sides of the cake. Fresh fruit is also popular, along with a drip cake look around the edges, becoming more common, especially with thinned out chocolate icing to contrast the white of the cake and the pastels of the flowers (Peppers, 2014).As we reach current, modern day wedding cakes, the dessert has become more artistic, with unique trends becoming the norm. One such trend is, hand painting flowers directly on to the cake, whether it be covered in fondant or buttercream. I first heard of, and saw hand painting on cakes about a year ago, but it seems to have started taking the wedding cake world by storm in about 2014. Natasha Collins, the owner and creator of Nevie-Pie Cakes out of Hertfordshire, England, was one of the first people to really start doing hand painting on cakes. She calls her business “the home of the painted cake”, and is extremely well known for her hand painted cakes, cookies, and tutorials on how to become a “cake Picasso” (Nevie-). This trend is extremely unique in that it requires a steady hand and a background in painting is very helpful, as many cake decorators might not be easily able to pick up the concept of painting on a cake.Geometric and architecturally inspired wedding cakes are one of the most recent trends to reach the cake world. Although they started being seen around late 2014, it wasn’t until more recently that brides started to be more open to the idea and actually ask for this type of design on their cakes. These unique designs range from differently shaped cakes than normal, such as hexagon, to geometric shapes that have been cut out of fondant and placed on the cake, to designs painted directly on the cake in a geometric style. Marble and gold are often seen paired with these geometric and architecturally inspired designs, as well as edible crystal geodes inlaid into the sides of the cake and toppers that complement the geometric design of the cake. Dinara Kasko, out of Kharkov, Ukraine, is a Pastry Chef who is extremely well-known for her unique cakes. Along with her innovative 3D printing and algorithmic modeling to produce moulds that are used for cakes and other fancy desserts. On her Instagram she states that, “I want to make something interesting and fresh, experimenting with new creative ideas.” She was a graduate from the University of Architecture and Design, and uses this along with her background in baking to create her distinctive works of art (). Another well-known geometric wedding cake producer is the Tortik Annushka pastry school, in Moscow, Russia. They create a number of geometric, architecturally inspired, and abstract cakes, with inspiration coming from modern artists, and buildings alike. They have also done a number of geometric cakes on black fondant or buttercream, which is another trend that we will start to see more of in the future, as well as offering classes on how to learn these styles and the basics of cake decorating in a modern style (). Weddings: A Big Expense for a Big Affair The average wedding, about 50 years ago, used to be a lot simpler and thus resulted in much cheaper expenses overall. In today’s day and age, people are having destination weddings and going all out on the entire event, not just the dress and the location for the ceremony. Over the past couple decades, weddings have significantly increased in costs as they have become a much bigger affair. Although some people prefer smaller, private affairs, most average weddings tend to have upwards of a hundred guests, not including the wedding party. A 2014, study, done by psychology researchers at the University of Denver, found that the perfect number of guests to invite is actually one hundred and fifty. A survey done on four hundred and eighteen people, found that about half of those people who were married in front of one hundred and fifty people had “high-quality marriages”, while those who were married in front of fifty or less guests had less successful marriages. This larger number of guests, translates to more expenses, and a higher costing wedding in the long run (University of Denver, 2014). A 2005 study was done by Shane McMurray on United States Wedding Statistics and Market Estimates. He looked at the average cost of weddings from 200-2005, as well as projected costs for weddings in 2006. He also broke down the costs by category, as well as studying the average number of weddings per year, the average age of people at the time of their weddings, and the correlation between number of births in 1970-1980 and number of weddings between couples born during that specific time frame. Between 2000 and 2006, there was projected to be a 2.33% increase of wedding costs, with the average cost of a 2006 wedding costing $26,400. In his break down of individual costs, McMurray priced the expense of a cake, and the cutting and serving of it at around $655. A 2017 survey priced the cost of an average wedding at around $28,082, with the cake costing anywhere between three hundred and seven hundred. Of course this is all dependent on location as cakes in New York City and Los Angeles have been known to go for upwards of $1000 and some brides are willing to spend more on the cake than on the dress (McMurray, 2005).A Buzz Feed article from 2017, calculated what the costs of a San Francisco wedding in 1974 would cost today, and included the inflated prices of today’s economic market. The original wedding cost around two thousand dollars, which in today’s money would equal about ten thousand. What the wedding would actually equal, taking into account inflation and changing prices is a lot more expensive totaling about forty-seven thousand dollars, which is a 370% increase. The cake for the original wedding, which was a 5 tiered cake separated by pillars, cost about a hundred dollars, and would cost about fifteen hundred dollars today, which is a 212% increase (Buzz Feed, 2017). Part of the reason for this massive increase in wedding costs is that between 1974 and today, people have realized that weddings and wedding cakes aren’t just a side business. A whole industry has been created around the event, meaning a lot more money is to be made from people’s special day and that the base cost of a cake can be raised as it is a marketable commodity. Most people don’t have the skills to make their own wedding cake, or know someone that could make it for them at a reduced price. This being said they are more than willing to pay someone else to take the time and to use their skills to create the perfect cake for their big day, as it is viewed as money well spent. Cake DecorationsThe entire procedure of planning and decorating a cake is dependent on the occasion. The celebration can be comprised of a large, elaborate wedding or, a small private affair. Whether the event is big or small, traditional or unique, the manner in which you plan and design your cake is based on its function, the overall theme and the number of guests it is intended to accommodate. Once the portions and the general idea for the cake is decided upon, the next step is planning the flavor of cake and the filling, followed by the overall design and the vision for the end result of the cake. This is the part of the planning process that can cause it to be very costly, depending on the design and time that is required to decorate the cake to the bride and groom’s liking. While simple cakes are still popular, more intricate and detailed cakes are becoming the norm. These intricate and detail oriented cake decorations, are what most people tend to like the looks of best, and what is being seen more and more frequently at weddings. Couples are willing to pay more for something that they really like, especially if they don’t like any of the other options. They are also willing to pay even more for the time it takes and the finer artistic skills that are put into cakes that have the handmade gum paste flowers, or hand painted flowers, or drop piping details around each of the tiers of cake. Handmade gum paste flowers are one of the most expensive decoration choices, as one larger flower takes anywhere between thirty minutes and an hour to complete. This can cause the cake to be quite pricey in the end, especially if the bride wants a larger cake or a lot of flowers put on a smaller cake. Hand painting on cakes is also a more expensive decoration option, as it takes more time a good deal of skill. The more traditional cakes that are covered with all buttercream decorations are a cheaper option as the flowers take a lot less time to make and the piping is quite easy to do. However, these cakes are a dated style and not many brides want this type of old fashioned looking cake. Someone on a budget or with a more minimal taste in design styles, might chose this more traditional, and dated option. The simpler fondant covered cake with fresh flowers, would also be a cheaper alternative to gum paste flowers, for someone on a budget that still wanted a more modern style of a wedding cake design. Questionnaire ResultsOverall, the results from the questionnaire turned out mostly how I was expecting them to. Although, I was surprised at the larger number of people who preferred the style of the traditional cake, some older and others with a more minimalistic taste. As well as, a large number of people that liked the classic fondant cake just for its balanced look. There was also a portion of the people who took the questionnaire that responded that they did not care for the naked style cake, and would pay the least for this, which I was rather surprised by. This is still a trend that not a lot of people outside of the baking world know about, so to the average person it does look strange and is definitely an acquired style of design. Out of a total of forty-six people, 50% of people said they would pay the least for the naked cake, followed by the traditional cake at 28.2%, the classic fondant at 10.9%, the geometric cake also at 10.9%, and the hand painted caked at 0%. The cake that people said they would pay the most for was the hand painted cake at 54.3%, followed by the classic fondant cake at 17.4%, the traditional cake at 10.9%, the geometric cake at 8.7%, and the naked cake also at 8.7%. The design style that people liked the best was the hand painted cake at 41.3%, followed by the geometric cake at 21.7%, the naked cake at 17.4%, the classic fondant at 15.2% and the traditional cake at 4.4%. The design style that people liked the least was the naked cake at 41.3%, followed by the traditional cake at 39.1%, the geometric style at 17.4%, the classic fondant at 2.2%, and the hand painted at 0%. When asked if people would rather spend a larger sum of money for a more elaborate cake that takes longer to make or a simpler and quicker to make cake, 54.3% of people said they preferred the elaborate and longer to make option, with 43.5% choosing the simpler and quicker option, and one person (2.2%) stating that it would depend on their budget at the time of the wedding. Overall these results support my initial line of thinking that couples would rather spend more money on a cake that has a more labor intensive design aspect to it. More findings are research also back up this statement, as well as the fact that, over time, wedding cakes have become more expensive due to the designs becoming more elaborate and trends changing to account for more modern styles.Future TrendsOn the questionnaire, I also asked people to write down some trends that they thought we would start to see in the future. As well as any trends that they themselves would like to see happen, or might be interested in for their own wedding one day. I wanted to compare these answers and ideas, with some projected trends for the wedding cake industry that I found during my research. As well as, various trends that I myself have noticed gaining in popularity over the past couple months of late 2017 and early 2018, since I started this projectThroughout my research I came across some interesting trends that are starting to become more and more popular in the wedding cake industry. Some of these I previously mentioned, such as the geode inlaid cakes, and the black wedding cakes like that which Tortik Annushka frequently produces. Some other popular trends included, drip cakes, celestial and galaxy inspired cakes, succulent cakes, gold leaf covered cakes, and cakes with fresh fruit, especially figs, on them instead of flowers. Finally, a trend that I think will become very popular and I have already started to see some of is brush stroke cakes. These cakes are also called, Kalabasa feather cakes, after the Russian bakery that came up with the idea, and regularly makes and shares them on social media. The general idea behind the trend is to take melting chocolate on wax paper and use a paintbrush to create feathers, and once hardened place on the cake. This trend is relatively similar to some of the geometric cakes that have become popular, but with a more whimsical feel to it, and it often seen in pastel or lighter colors. I also received some interesting feedback and ideas that I have never considered, or haven’t seen much of in the wedding cake industry thus far, from the results of the questionnaires. Some ideas people thought we would start to see included, cakes that could be lit on fire but not melt the decorations, individual serving size tiered cakes, alcoholic cakes, whether containing more alcohol or shaped like bottles of alcohol, liquid frosting, themed cakes, cakes modeled after real life objects, tie dye cakes, monochromatic, ombre, screen printing, technology and movement on cakes, sustainable or green cakes, airbrushed cakes, hand piping/ scroll work, cakes that are split half designed the way the bride wants, and the other half the way the groom wants, and finally savory wedding cakes. It was very interesting to see what people’s predictions were and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these trends were to become a popular part of the wedding industry in the near future. Especially, since the majority of the people that filled out the questionnaire would be getting married within the next couple years, and they would become the basis for what trends are popular and what is going to become the new norm for wedding cakes of couples getting married in the mid twenty-first century. ConclusionSince the beginning of the introduction of cakes, as a popular and symbolic dessert at weddings, they have been known for their beautiful flower designs, crisp edges, intricate piping details, and pure white icing. They originally started out as loaves of bread broken over bride’s heads, and from there transformed into bride’s pies, and to stacked layers of cake slathered in lard. They have come to be known as gorgeous works of art, that are reflective of the couple’s style, and can be decorated in a various number of designs, that serves as a delicious centerpiece for the reception dinner following the ceremony. That being said, it is only fitting that these works of art, whether simple or intricate, require a lot of time and effort on the baker and decorator’s part. The more intricate wedding cakes, in turn require a rather large amount of money to be paid by the bride and groom, to receive the desired design for their big day. Studies have shown that, couples prefer to spend more money for an elaborate and labor intensive cake, as the final result is more to their liking than a simpler, quicker to make cake might be. Along with this increase in the average costs of wedding cakes, the average general wedding costs have nearly tripled over the past couple decades. Over the years, the wedding cake industry has seen numerous trends such as, simple, all white, buttercream cakes with tiers separated by Grecian style pillars; classic looking cakes covered in fondant and decorated with handmade, botanically accurate gum paste roses; naked style cakes with exposed sides; hand painted flowers on crisp white fondant back drops, with fresh flowers adorning the top of the cake; and geometric and architecturally inspired cakes of all shapes and sizes, with gold leaf and geode designs accenting the geometric style. The trends will only keep on changing as the industry develops, and the demand for new and extremely unique wedding cakes continues to grow. The potential for new ideas, and styles that haven’t been seen or done before is immense, and the market for wedding cakes continues to increase as more people are getting married, and willing to spend larger sums of money to have the wedding cake of their dreams. The wedding industry market trends are fueled but what customers want, and what these same customers are willing to pay is ultimately the deciding factor in the trends in the years to come. All in all, wedding cakes are a unique opportunity for a couple to express themselves, and have a gorgeous and delicious centerpiece that compliments the rest of their special day, that they will remember for the rest of their lives. References“9 Sweetest Wedding Cake Trends for 2018.” Junebug Weddings - Wedding Blog, 14 Nov. 2017, wedding-blog/9-sweetest-wedding-cake-trends-2018/.“About Me: Dinara Kasko.” DINARA KASKO, aboutme/.Chatel, Amanda. “This Is The Average Number Of Wedding Guests.” Bustle, Bustle, 1 Mar. 2016, articles/145193-this-is-the-average-number-of-wedding-guests-in-the-us.Collins, Natasha. “About.” Nevie-Pie Cakes: Handmade and Hand Painted Delights, 11 Feb. 2013, about-2/.Hoskins, Hannah. “You Won't Believe How Wedding Cakes Have Changed Over the Years.” The Daily Meal, 23 Feb. 2016, entertain/you-won-t-believe-how-wedding-cakes-have-changed-over-years.Iacia, Samantha. “The 2018 Wedding Cake Trends Everyone Will Be Talking About.” WeddingWire, Www., 12 Dec. 2017, wedding-ideas/wedding-cake-trends.“Introduction: Wedding Cake Lore and History.”?The Perfect Wedding Cake, by KateManchester, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2001, pp. 11–14.Keene, Meg. “Here's What My Parents' 1974 Wedding Would Cost In 2017 Dollars.” BuzzFeed, 22 Oct. 2017, megkeene/heres-what-my-parents-1974-wedding-would-cost-in-2017?utm_term=.fwDVMXWxe.McMurray, Shane. “U.S. Wedding Statistics and Market Estimates.” The Wedding Report, 2015.Peppers, Margot. “Introducing the 'Naked Cake': New Wedding Dessert Trend for Unfrosted Edges Exposes the Delicious Flavors Inside.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 30 June 2014, dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2662818/Introducing-naked-cake-New-wedding-dessert-trend-unfrosted-edges-exposes-delicious-flavors-inside.html.Sung, Lyndsay. “A Stroke of Genius: Amazing Handpainted Cakes.” The Craftsy Blog, 1 Dec. 2017, cake-decorating/article/handpainted-cakes/.“Wedding Cake Cost Guide.” WeddingWire, cost/wedding-cake.“Wedding Cake History.” Maisie Fantaisie: Great Cake Places, maisiefantaisie.co.uk/history-of-wedding-cakes.html.“Wedding Cost Statistics.” Statistic Brain, 17 July 2017, average-costs-of-an-american-wedding/.Wilson, Carol. “Wedding Cake: A Slice of History .” Gastronomica, 5 May 2017, wedding-cake-a-slice-history/.3676650323850Recipes Italian Buttercream Yield: 5 poundsSugar3# 12oz.Water2# 1oz.Egg Whites2# 8oz.Sugar1# 4oz. Butter7# 8oz.Vanilla Bean Paste.25 oz.Beat butter until very soft and aerated, will become pale in color. Add vanilla flavoring. Cook the 1st sugar and water to 240°. When the sugar syrup reaches 230°, start beating the egg whites and 2nd sugar to soft peak.When the syrup reaches 240°, pour it in a steady stream into the soft peaks, making certain the machine is on 2nd speed and do not pour on the whisk. Turn the speed up to 3rd and whip on high speed until the bottom of the bowl has cooled to room temperature.Gradually add the soft butter and whip until smooth and light. 33909008890Simple Syrup Water6 oz.Sugar6 oz.Vanilla Bean Paste.25 bine all ingredients in a pot and cook until all the sugar is dissolved. 2533650200025Chiffon Cake Yield: 2-6in., 2-8in., 2-10in. Cake Flour2# 2oz.Sugar1# 11oz.Salt1 oz.Baking Powder2 oz.Vegetable Oil1# 1oz.Egg Yolks1# 1oz.Water2# 1oz.Vanilla Bean Paste.25 oz.Egg Whites2# 2oz.Sugar1# 1oz. Preheat oven to 350°F.Spray the bottoms of the cake pans and line with parchment circles. Scale the 1st 4 ingredients, sift into a large bowl and set aside.Scale the next 4 ingredients into a bowl and set aside. Place the egg whites into a 20qt. mixer and whip until foam begins to form. Add the sugar and whip to medium peak. Pour half of the liquid ingredients into dry ingredient bowl, mix by hand with whisk and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing until smooth.Add 1/3 of the meringue into batter. Fold with a whisk, turning the bowl as you go. Do not mix the meringue in all the way, only about 80% of the way. Fold in the next 1/3 and then the final 1/3, observing the same mixing techniques. The last addition can be folded in completely. Divide between cake pans and bake until golden brown and springs back when touched, about 30-40 mins. depending on size of cake pan. 31305509525Royal Icing Yield: 1#Egg Whites1.5ozPowdered Sugar1# Whip egg whites to soft peak, add in powdered sugar and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Approx. 5-7 mins. Original Sketches/ Concepts32245301421130Traditional Cake with buttercream roses, garland piping, shell border and Grecian style pillars sketch4000020000Traditional Cake with buttercream roses, garland piping, shell border and Grecian style pillars sketch33483552011680Classic Fondant with drop piping and gum paste flowers sketch 4000020000Classic Fondant with drop piping and gum paste flowers sketch 30918151875790Naked Style with gum paste flowers and topper sketch4000020000Naked Style with gum paste flowers and topper sketch31578551706880Hand Painted cake with fresh flowers sketch4000020000Hand Painted cake with fresh flowers sketch33445451932940Geometric cake with marble fondant, hexagon cut outs, and gum paste flowers sketch4000020000Geometric cake with marble fondant, hexagon cut outs, and gum paste flowers sketch33959801449705Original color palette and types of flowers list4000020000Original color palette and types of flowers listFinal Wedding Cake PicturesTraditional Cake w/Grecian Style Pillars:Classic Fondant Cake w/ Gum paste Flowers:Naked Style Cake w/ Gum paste Flowers:Hand Painted Cake w/Fresh Flowers:571508890Geometric Style Cake w/ Gum paste FlowersOrder SheetCostingProduction SheetWeek before: Make stephanotis (9)Make all gum paste roses and buds (27)Make baby’s breath (20)Make wildflowers (20)Dust roses and wildflowers with colorMake calyxes for roses and attachMake leaves for roses and dust and attachMonday 4/9:Make 21/2x’s buttercream recipeMake cake and bake offMake buttercream roses Start assembling cake #1Tuesday 4/10:Finish assembling cake #1Make simple syrupAssemble cake #3 and separate sample cake from leftover layersCover cakes #2 and #4 with fondantType up questionnaire and table labels (send to Brenna to print)Wednesday 4/11:Assemble and hand paint cake #4Roll out marble fondant and hexagons for cake #5Cover and assemble cake #5Roll out ribbon border for cake #2 and assembleThursday 4/12:Make royal icingPipe drop piping on cake #2Stack all cakesTransport to St. Regis (help from Brenna and Taylor)Insert all flowers and toppers/ pillarsSet up tables (w/plates, napkins, and forks)Separate table with extra fresh flowers, lights and questionnaires (need pens)Victoria cutting sample cakeTasting @ 4pm in “old” St. Regis! (Bring clean whites and black pants w/)Self-AnalysisOverall I am incredibly proud of the results of my capstone, and couldn’t have asked for a better turn out of the cakes and the overall project. I had a really enjoyable time choosing the designs for each of the cakes, sketching them out and then watching them come to life, all thru my own hard work. While, I’ll admit that I definitely procrastinated a little and originally had every intention of starting the gum paste flowers earlier, in the end it turned out just fine. I had originally intended to ask for some help from the other bakers with the chiffon cakes, and the buttercream frosting, and royal icing. But, as the day to make those parts of the cake drew near I realized that the entire project had become extremely important to me and I preferred to do everything myself. This way I was the only one to blame if anything went wrong and I could make sure everything went exactly the way I wanted it. And when the final task arrived, and the entire project was completely it felt extremely gratifying to look at all five of the cakes and know that I had accomplished that and was proud of what I had done, and also a little awed that I was capable of doing what I had just done. This was by far the largest baking related project that I have ever tackled and been completely in charge of, by myself, aside from past practicals. I was pleased that there were no major incidents or flaws that occurred throughout the process. The worst thing that went wrong was moving the cakes the day of and having one of the Styrofoam layers detach and move from the base of the cake a little, but that ended up being easily fixable, and a small problem in the grand scheme of the entire project.By the end of the capstone, I realized that I had learned a lot more about wedding cakes, pricing, and trends that I ever even realized that there was to learn. I will definitely pull this knowledge to good use in my future endeavors as a pastry chef. Overall, I feel that this project was a true test of my time management, organizational skills, patience, and ability to design and stick to a management plan. I am proud to present this specific project, as my senior capstone and as a culmination of everything that I have learned in my four years as a Paul Smith’s College student. ................
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