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Summer Desserts: Creative, Refreshing, and Delicious!

dena — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:23:28 +0000

When it comes to dessert, does it really get any better than cake and ice cream? Or cake and ices? Or cake and sorbet? At a summer wedding, there are lots of creative ways to serve sweet and refreshing desserts. These creations are as pretty as they are delicious… I’m feeling a sugar craving come on just looking at all these lovey pictures!

All photos and recipes from Martha Stewart Weddings.

Meringue-Heart Ice Cream Sandwiches: Aren’t they just sweet, adorable, and elegant all at the same time? Meringue is piped into heart shapes and baked, then filled with mango sorbet or strawberry ice cream. Yum! Get the Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

Peach Rose-Champagne Sorbet and Champagne Granita: Sweet and refreshing! Here are the recipes: peach rose-champagne sorbet and champagne granita.

Ice Cream Cups: Ice cream in a cone, but drip-free! Get the Ice Cream Cup Recipe

Miniature Sorbet Wedding Cakes: How awesome are these refreshing (and very fitting) desserts? Extra special touches: the bride’s and groom’s initials are piped in chocolate along the edge of each plate, and the sorbet “cake” is garnished with raspberries. Get the Sorbet Wedding Cake Recipe

Swirled Chocolate Ice Cream: Like I said, nothing is quite like the cake-and-ice-cream combo! Here’s a mouth-watering recipe for Swirled Bittersweet Chocolate & White Chocolate Ice Cream!

Peaches and Cream Ice Cream: Another ice cream flavor that’s as delicious as its beautiful color! Get the Peaches and Cream Ice Cream Recipe

Ice Cream Hearts with Arrow Tuiles: These are made from strawberry ice cream cut into cookie cutter hearts, and garnished with arrow-shaped tuiles. Get the Ice Cream Heart and Arrow Tuile Recipe

Rose Wine Sorbet: Make several batches with different hues of rose wine. Get the Rose Wine Sorbet Recipe

Granita (aka Italian ices) in three different flavors: cantaloupe, lemon-violet, and strawberry-lychee.

Wedding Cake Toppers with Personality!

dena — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:42:20 +0000

Nothing draws attention to your wedding cake like an awesome cake topper, and it’s a great way to make a statement about yourselves. Take a look at these adorable, amusing, and audacious cake toppers, you’ll never think about wedding cakes the same way again!

Kitty Cake Topper by Helyn

If you have seen any great toppers, we’d love to hear about them! Please let us know in the comment section below.

I love the vintage vibe of this one, including the sweet verse printed on the bride’s skirts (via cake today)

Is that one a bit too sweet for you? Give your guests a laugh with these ball-and-chain or cell-phone-fanatic toppers!

Firefighter groom? Oh yeah! Check out eBay for more ideas, via HubPages.

Are you a cop? Do you love pizza? And your dog? Then this one’s for you! Otherwise, you can have a hand-sculpted cake toppers made just for you, via Custom Wedding Cake Toppers.

Is the bride expecting? How hilarious would it be to break the news to family and friends with this delicious cake topper? (All Wedding AZ)

The next 4 toppers are from Offbeat Bride (Toppers that won’t make you cringe!) Well, some might cringe at the bride jumping the groom in public, but the little love-fishies and dragons are just sweet as can be!

Offbeat Bride also had the brilliant idea of using salt-and-pepper shakers as cake toppers… aside from being totally adorable, they’re great because you can reuse them on a daily basis!

Winter White Wedding Cakes

dena — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:41:21 +0000

No color says winter like white. These amazing cakes may be pristine and snowy white on the outside, but like a snow-covered scene they can be any color or flavor underneath! The catch is, they’re so gorgeous you may have a hard time cutting into them!

feature image from Martha Stewart Weddings

The knot: A family friend baked this three-tiered cake with white icing (doesn’t the texture remind you of snow?!). Black ribbon and pine cones gave the confection an elegant winter theme.

Martha Stewart Weddings: The designs on this dramatic tower mimic the elaborate cake-decorating style of Joseph Lambeth, a master baker in England during the 1920s and ’30s. Fine garlands and latticework are piped onto the fondant in royal icing, as are delicate roses and bunches of grapes. The star and C-scrolls on top are examples of a technique called overpiping, in which a shape is layered over again and again, giving it depth. These heavier effects are piped in decorator’s buttercream (thicker than usual) to maintain their shape.

Wedding Cake Creations: This sweet package by Diane’s Sweet Treats is just begging to be cut open!

The Knot: The groom’s mom made a set of three tiny, fondant cakes topped with black feathers and white sugar flowers to match a vintage wedding theme.

Martha Stewart Weddings: To evoke a hip sixties dress crafted of embroidered lace blanketed with floral cotton appliques, cake designer Ron Ben-Israel created silicone molds of appliques inspired by the original fabric, including dahlias, roses, and periwinkles. Sugar paste was pressed into each mold, then applied in layers to the fondant. Amazing!

My Wedding Planning Guide: Marzipan is made from sugar and ground almonds, and has a distinct sweet, smooth flavor. It is often used in wedding cake decor, as it is very malleabe and can be used as icing or formed into delicate shapes such as fruit, flowers, and other designs.

Martha Stewart Weddings: Techniques used by dressmakers to turn fabric into flowers inspired this sophisticated applique cake. A combination of fondant and white chocolate both envelops the cake and decorates it. Prim buttercream dots frame the designs.

The Knot: This three-tiered, ivory buttercream–frosted cake is simple but lacks nothing in the elegance department. Beads of icing and wide ribbon enclircle a cake that hides layers of raspberry buttercream and marzipan.

Martha Stewart Weddings: This cake is as magical as the season’s first flurry. Snowflakes made from royal icing start off small at the top of the cake and grow toward the bottom, giving the impression of a gracefully drifting snowfall. The tiers are frosted with Swiss meringue to resemble tightly packed snow. If you’re adventurous, you can DIY: Make This Snowfllake Wedding Cake.

The Knot: A gorgeous, retro four-tiered square cake covered in a white-on-white pattern of dots, with larger dots separating the tiers. A few fresh white japhette orchids topped the confection.

Martha Stewart Weddings: The reticulated pattern of this 18th-century English china is emulated in the multitiered cake by rolled fondant cut with aspic and eyelet-embroidery cutters. Sugar paste was used for the “embroidered” flowers on the top and base.

Autumn Wedding Trimmings: Sequins!

dena — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:44:39 +0000

Something about an autumn wedding makes me think about warm, vibrant colors and a little bit of sparkle. That’s why I love the idea of using sequins as part of your wedding decor- they’re inexpensive, easy to apply, and look charming on just about everything!

sequin pump: Unbeatable Sale, hair accessory: I am Fashion, Sequin Clutch Bag: Glitzy-n-Glamorous

Dresses, Shoes, & Accessories:

On clothing, a little bit of sequin goes a long way! Personally, I don’t think many women can pull off an entire sequined dress, but they sure look fun! For just a little added bling, you can attach a border of sequin trim yourself, using fabric glue (this will keep them on even in the washing machine).

Chiffon pleated wedding dress, with beading & sequins: Best wedding bridal gown

Empire-style charmeuse dress with sequin bodice: 9lover.com

V-neck dress with wide ruched chiffon sash: prom-dress-gown

Flower girl cardigan and shoes: Martha Stewart Wedding

Vintage Style Sequin Rose Hair Corsage: Is Elegant

Gold sequin pump: Unbeatable Sale

Gold Sequin Encrusted Clutch Bag: Glitzy-n-Glamorous

(How awesome would these shoes and clutch be together? I say, very!)

Pink sequin shoes: ChicStories

… And Sequins for the guys too!

Pink sequined tie (to match the bride’s/bridesmaids’ pink shoes!) Twenga

Silver sequin bow tie: windy city novelties

Favors, Invitations, and More:

Candy favors rolled up in colorful tissue paper and sequins: Martha Stewart Weddings

Embellish invitations, place cards, and stationary with sequins. Give guests packets of sequins to throw instead of confetti or rice! Martha Stewart Weddings

Glam up your wedding venue with sequin garlands (This Next) and butterflies (wedding-favours.com- check out this site, the have the most gorgeous butterflies!)

Ring pillow: Martha Stewart Weddings

Sequined wedding cake (if you’re really into this theme!): SweetElement

DIY Wedding Cake Designs

dena — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:26:49 +0000

Wedding cakes are pretty, but can cost a pretty penny too, so here are a few ideas on how to cut costs but not sacrifice style. Martha Stewart Weddings has some brilliant ideas on how to create your own wedding cake, or turn a less expensive store-bought cake into a masterpiece. Best of all, none of these examples requires any great artistic ability!

Pipe your own Roses

Just about anyone can reproduce these bright, happy rose confections! Start with a plain fondant cake from a bakery. Next, print out this abstract rose template (with recipe for icing and complete instructions), place parchment paper over it, and trace with a piping bag. Once dry, peel the paper off the roses, and adhere the designs to the cake using gum paste that’s been mixed with hot water.

Frozen Delights

All you’ll need to create these delightful sorbet bombes is a mixer to soften the sorbet and a metal container (such as cake molds or a vase). Once the sorbet is smooth in consistency, spoon it into the containers (for visual flair, layer different flavors), and freeze overnight. At your wedding, just slice and serve! Lemon, peach, coconut, and pink-grapefruit sorbets are showcased here. You can easily substitute ice cream!

Lemon Icebox Wedding Cake

Isn’t this pretty? It’s made out of scalloped lemon cookies and honey mascarpone cream. Just build it from the bottom up and top with candied lemon slices for a tangy-sweet cookie-cake treat! (These cookies were made from scratch, but store-bought ones work just as well; try Moravian Meyer lemon cookies, Salem Baking Co.)

Crushed-Candy Wedding Cake

I love the look of this sparkling marmalade-candy cake, and it’s as easy to decorate as this: buy your favorite hard candies, place them in a large resealable plastic bag, get a hammer or a rolling pin, and pound away! Then press the glittering crushed pieces to the sides of a buttercream cake. (Orange hard candy, La Vie de La Vosgienne, amazon.com.) Make this Crushed-Candy Cake

Mini Chocolate-Covered Wedding Cakes

These look fabulously fancy, but they’re practically fuss-free to make yourself! The way you get that elegant design is by pouring a glaze over each cake and piping on lines or circles of melted white chocolate. (Perch the cakes on a wire rack so excess glaze doesn’t pool.) Then gently drag a toothpick through the lines to create the pretty designs. Make these Chocolate-Swirl Cakes

Teardrop Design Wedding Cake

To create this whimsical design, you need to order up a fondant cake, plus a bucket of fondant, from a bakery. Add food coloring to the fondant to get your desired hue, and roll out into a thin sheet. Cut with various shaped cookie cutters, let dry, and attach to the front of the cake with gum paste mixed with hot water. (Teardrop cookie-cutter set, Ateco, Sur La Table.) How to Make the Tear Drops

Get more amazing DIY ideas from Martha Stewart Weddings!

Beach-Inspired Wedding Decor

dena — Sun, 16 May 2010 09:45:09 +0000

Summer is not yet officially upon us, but it’s getting hot here already! Thoughts of sand, beaches, water, and weddings are floating before my eyes, and let me tell you, I can hear the gulls crying and smell the sunscreen already!

If you are planning a waterside wedding or just want to bring the magic of summer into your wedding scheme, decorating your tables and venue will be a ton of fun (in the sun)! Aside from seashells and starfish, there are lots of ideas for a gorgeous, classy, and unique summer wedding.

Colors of the Sea

Let your wedding colors be influenced by the varying shades of the ocean. Blue, green, turquoise, and silver, accented with navy or sandy shades are perfect for a beach-themed wedding, lending your venue that elusive, mystical beauty of the sea.

images from weddings on the french riviera

Or take some inspiration from this silver and navy blue wedding:

Candlelight

Your celebration may begin during daylight hours, but we know you’ll be partying through the night! Light up the night with lots and lots of candles–the twinkling lights add romance and festivity. Put them on your tables, line your isles, and any other available surface!

Images: candles and sandcastles: Wedding blog via Chillipit, candles in seashells: perfect-wedding-day, candles, stones, and orchids: cheap wedding centerpieces

Fun Touches

Follow the beach theme as far as you want to go with it! Place cards, wedding favors, guest books, and wedding cakes… there is endless space for creativity!

Images: fish centerpieces: wedding by color, cake from pinkcakebox on flickr, coasters from American bridal, seascape centerpieces from PicsDigger, message in a bottle place holders: Blushing Bridezilla

Dress Accordingly!

Whether or not you are actually getting married on the beach, your dress choice should be light and airy! Bring on fun accessories such as parasols, shades, and sunhats, for both the wedding party and the guests!

Images: bridesmaids with parasols from SMH.com, Sunhat from Clothing Coupons, bride & groom in sunglasses from luster studios

Wedding Dessert… in a Jar!

dena — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:46:45 +0000

Mini-desserts are cute, but mini desserts served in mini jars are just too cute not to share with you! They’d look great on a dessert buffet, and even better as take-home wedding favors!

If you’re a do-it-yourself bride, these look deliciously easy to put together, and the best part is how simple they’d be to stack in a box and transport to your wedding venue (no worries about smashing the cake on the way!). You can buy jars such as these from Amazon (found via Our Best Bites):

Slap on a sticker with your wedding monogram or message to your guests and you’ve got the perfect package! But what to fill your cute little jar with? Well, just about anything, really! Here are some ideas:

Cupcakes!

Photo, recipe, and tutorial from cakies, found via Elizabeth Ann Designs.

Cake!

These cakes are baked right in the jars! Transform your favorite cake into a deliciously-mini version of itself, such as these poppyseed cakes (Delicious Days), pumpkin spice cakes (Angry Chicken), and chocolate cakes (Instructables). Yumm!

Pie!

Photos, recipes, and tutorial from Our Best Bites, via Elizabeth Ann Designs.

More pie and cobbler ideas and tips from Not Martha, who points out that you can make these in advance, freeze them, and then bake them on a later date so they’re fresh-out-of-the-oven:

And, even better than fruit pie, is chocolate! Here’s a yummy, super rich looking frozen mudpie from Lloyd and Lauren:

Cheesecake!

Photo from Gaia Restaurant via Celebrate Beautifully!

And a no-bake cheesecake tutorial from Lloyd and Lauren:

Pudding!

Any flavor would work, but here’s a pretty-looking banana dessert topped with meringue from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook, via {It’s all a Matter of Design}

Candy!

For easy, sweet, and attractive favors in a jar, how about some colorful candies? Get some tiny, personalized vintage jars from American Bridal and fill with Jelly Beans (Wedding Moo) or chocolate lentils.

Drinks!

Not what first popped into my mind when I think of “dessert,” but these apple martinis in a jar look pretty and refreshing!

Feature image of trifle: blue moon charleston

Wedding Desserts Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

dena — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 09:52:34 +0000

Wedding desserts… it’s not just about cake anymore! Brides, grooms, and their caterers are stretching their imaginations to the limit when thinking up new, creative, decadent, delectable desserts for their guests. (And they’ve been good guests… they deserve a special treat, don’t you think?!)

Think of anything you’d like– candy bars, ice cream sundaes, even rice crispy treats– and then take it to the next level! Here are some ideas that your sweet tooth (and your inner child) are sure to go crazy for.

Whatever the Weather…

The time of year is one easy way to pick a desert. Banana splits (or in this case a a roasted plantain topped with coconut ice cream, dulce de leche syrup, and toasted coconut) for a yummy summer treat. For spring time, individual cupcakes topped with sugar flowers are a sweet ending to your wedding meal. Espresso is an elegant way to warm your guests up before sending them out into the winter night (especially one like this, sprinkled with edible gold leaf and spiked with hot chocolate and vanilla-infused liqueur). Photos & ideas from Brides.com.

Not Just For Kids…

Your favorite childhood treat has a newer, chic-er cousin. Here we’ve got nuggets of Rice Krispies Treats sprinkled with hazelnut praline and surrounded by crème fraîche. If Jell-O is what you fancy, try jelly with green tea and mint, garnished with kiwi and lemon peel. Crackerjack fan? Try the grown-up version made from caramel corn and vanilla cola sorbet with crème anglaise and sponge cake layers. Yum!! Photos & ideas from Brides.com.

It’s all in the Presentation

Even the simplest of ideas can be dressed up in a way that makes it stand out from the crowd. Below, the humble honeydew is given a new look with sprigs of fresh oregano and a stylish margarita glass. If pecan pie is where your heart lies, you will love these mini-chocolate bourbon pecan pies, topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce! Are you thinking cheesecake? How about a petite cheesecake (mini things are always fun) served with crème fraîche, fresh berries and mint! Photos & ideas from Brides.com.

Can’t go Wrong with Candy

Depending on your style, your candy selection can be glamorous enough for even the most upscale affair, or familiar for your casual event. For something impressive (and organic!) try these sugared jelly candies (called “vellies”) made from vegetables, fruits and herbs. Your guests can indulge their sweet tooth with an assortment of candies in old-fashioned jars or contemporary displays. Choose your favorite colors and types, from jelly beans and candied fruit to rock candy and M&M’s!

When trying to come up with the perfect ending to your wedding dinner, The Knot has some great ideas to think about that might provide your inspiration:

A special dessert at your favorite restaurant.
A regional specialty that symbolizes where you live/ grew up.
Your favorite childhood candies or candy bar.
Your favorite comfort food.
A delicious discovery you made while traveling.
Something from your ethnic background.

For a gallery of even more gorgeous, mouth-watering wedding dessert ideas, click here to visit Brides.com!

Have your wedding flowers and eat them, too!

dena — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:08:24 +0000

It is pretty common to see wedding cakes decorated with edible flowers like violets, roses, or lilacs, although most floral embellishments are removed before serving (those flowers probably don’t taste that good on wedding cake). But a great post by Manolo points out that:

Cooking with flowers is coming back into vogue and has a long history. Flowery cookery can be traced back to ancient Rome, China, India, and the Middle East. Edible flowers were particularly popular in the Victorian era during Queen Victoria’s reign. And now edible flowers are starting to appear in dishes at wedding receptions.

Using flowers as part of your wedding meal is pretty, fun, and delicious. It definitely adds something different to your presentation!

A few tips:

Edible only: At the risk of stating the obvious, not all flowers are edible! Make sure you choose blooms that are fit for human consumption, or you risk making all your guests sick.
Go Organic: Use organically grown flowers to avoid pesticide poisoning.
Wash all flowers thoroughly before you eat them.
If you have allergies, you may want to avoid flowers, as they may aggravate some allergies.
Browse: Check out online recipes and cookbooks to get ideas that you can pass on to your caterer. SheKnows has recipes for things like rosemary flower biscuits and pansy herb salad.
For more info on picking edible flowers, click here.

Feature image from container gardening. All other pictures from Manolo Brides.

Wedding Cupcakes!

dena — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:27:06 +0000

What’s the draw of cupcakes over the more traditional wedding cake? Um, isn’t it obvious? Everything is cuter in miniature! Cupcakes are so much more fun, and trendier than a cake. They are also more versatile, for instance, you can do them in a variety of different flavors or styles. As far as price goes, you can do cupcakes more inexpensively than you can buy a wedding cake, as long as you don’t go overboard with those pretty little extras such as laser-cut cupcake wrappers and sugar flowers. And of course the adventurous souls out there can even make their own!

Here are some gorgeous wedding cupcake ideas. I love the elegance of this cream and brown combination:

Get colorful and try a fun mix of colors like these pink and green-iced cupcakes:

You can keep it simple…

or you can really dress em up!

OOOH! Look at awesome blue snowflake cupcakes! (Perfect for that winter wonderland wedding!)

And these pretty rose cupcakes:

Add a delicate touch with these gorgeous
Filigree Cupcake Wrappers: