Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021

Elizabeth Solaru of Elizabeth's Cake Emporium

It’s a no brainer that luxury wedding cake trends for 2021 will be slightly different from those of previous years, especially after 2020 we had.  

It was a year of lockdowns, micro weddings, intimate gatherings and virtual celebrations that saw a major shift in how we celebrate one of the most special days in any couple’s life. We have also learned that a pared-down wedding does not make a wedding any less special. If anything it reinforces what’s true and important, which is love.  

As you can imagine, luxury wedding cake trends have followed suit and we are delighted to have world-famous and highly respected cake expert Elizabeth Solaru of Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium, give us her thoughts on luxury wedding cakes for 2021. From small things iced to big and bold beauties, these are the luxury wedding cake designs to expect for 2021.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Unusual shaped wedding cakes Faberge Egg
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
HEART SHAPED MINI CAKE

“A great luxury wedding cake starts from the inside out. Now more than ever, we will be paying attention to cake flavours that delight the palate but also boost our immunity”

Attention has now been focused on our need for lots of vitamins and essential minerals and creative cake makers are increasingly finding ways to infuse these into their cakes. Citrus flavours such as oranges, limes, clementines and grapefruit are set to take centre stage as they are well known for their high Vitamin C content.  

There has also been a reported increase in the use of super fruit and vegetable powders, such as Baobab, Beetroot and Moringa in patisserie too.  

Even chocolate has not been left out. Premium blend cacao powders high in flavanols, protein, fibre and magnesium that have a remarkable effect on cardiovascular health and blood circulation have now found their way into chocolate cakes. With this in mind here are the top luxury wedding cake trends Elizabeth predicts for 2021.  

1. Luxury Mini Cakes, Small Things Iced and Wedding Favours

In a change of direction, mini cakes small things iced and wedding favours have come to the fore recently due in part to extended lockdowns and people craving little treats they can have at home. As the current health restrictions do not allow for open dessert tables, couples have turned to individually plated and packaged treats and wedding favours such as cakesicles, handmade chocolates and decorated wedding cookies and biscuits.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Chocolate Table Mini Cakes

The advantage of these treats is that they can also be sent to other guests who could not attend the ceremony as a token of love and appreciation.  

2. One Tier Wonders

Intimate gatherings and micro weddings may no longer call for multi-tiered edifices, although we are hopeful of their return someday soon. Regardless of the fact that luxury wedding cake sizes are smaller due to necessity, more focus has now been placed on their beautiful decorative detailing.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
One Tier Wonders

Many couples are no longer happy with plainly decorated cakes, so it is common for the cake design to make a statement and reflect their personalities. This can be achieved through the use of textural techniques such as wafer paper, crackle, palette knife painting, and watercolours. We have also seen the rise of mixed media and layered texturing on cakes.

3. Avant-Garde Luxury Wedding Cakes

We can all agree that these are unusual times. However, that isn’t stopping couples from celebrating their union their way. People are still determined to get married and many are now tossing the rule book out of the window.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Blue Square Cake Tiers
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Morocco Pillow Cake In The Desert

For some, the new normal gave couples the impetus to make bold decisions and proactively order non traditionally shaped cakes such as spheres and topsy turvy squares.  

4. Pantone Inspired Luxury Wedding Cakes

The Pantone Institute has announced PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Grey and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, as the dual Pantone Colours of the Year for 2021. Used by fashion, graphic and interior designers, the Pantone Institute’s colour matching services are a resource for predicting palettes that might prove popular with consumers.

The two colours represent a message of happiness supported by fortitude which is very apt for the wedding industry at the moment. We expect to see more of these colours used on wedding cakes and indeed some of our couples have already been ahead of the curve.

5. Painted Luxury Wedding Cakes

Painting on cakes has been very popular for a number of years. Techniques can range from watercolour painting, cocoa butter painting, palette knife painting, oil painting and collage painting. The current trend is for bold florals juxtaposed with bright colours or contrasting textural elements.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Pink Peony Painted Cake
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Summer Meadow Butterfly Wedding Cake

6. Classic White Luxury Wedding Cakes

You can never go wrong with a classic white wedding cake. It will never go out of style and will endure in all your wedding imagery.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Black Wedding Cake Bas Relief
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Butterfly Bridal Wedding Cake

The beauty of a white wedding cake is the many ways in which it can be dressed up with traditional or modern elements. It can be decorated with ruffles, sugar flowers, geometrics, piping, fresh flowers and even gold leaf. The list is endless and this is why a white wedding cake will always be a top choice.

7. Black Luxury Wedding Cakes

In contrast to white luxury wedding cakes, black cakes are steadily gaining popularity with many couples. Very non-traditional, black cakes can be more reflective of a couple’s personal tastes and lifestyle. Black is considered to be elegant, sophisticated and powerful. It contrasts well with metallics and pops of bright colours.

8. Marvellous Metallic Luxury Wedding Cakes

Gold, silver, rose gold, copper and pewter are some of the delightful metallics that have been featured on luxury wedding cakes for a number of years. The beauty and scarcity of these precious metals, in particular gold, is part of their lustrous appeal.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Grand Luxury Wedding Cake
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Gold Wedding Cake Crackle
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Silver Cake With Pink Flowers
Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
Gold Wedding Cake Crackle

Metallics make for a distinct and cool base cake colour and they look incredible with handmade sugar flowers in any colour, from pale pastels to dark jewel tones. Metallic cake designs are also very versatile and work well for most weddings.

9. Themed Luxury Wedding Cakes

Any type of wedding celebration starts with an idea, concept, season, location, a favourite colour, piece of music or a dream. Some couples are happy for their theme to carry on to the wedding cake as a real focal point. We have seen Games of Thrones themed cakes to what is set to be a huge – Bridgerton inspired cakes.

10. Pearl Luxury Wedding Cakes

As we predicted last year, the pearl, the queen of gems was a huge trend in cake design and its popularity in wedding and contemporary fashion does not seem to be waning. It’s still the most preferred gemstone of wedding dress designers, being used by Enzoani, Phillipa Lepley, Elie Saab, Galia Lahav and Jenny Packham. The versatility and possibilities of pearl cake designs are endless, from traditional all over swiss dots to modern fault line cakes.

Luxury Wedding Cake Trends for 2021
FAULT LINE Pearl Luxury Wedding Cake from Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium

So there you have it. 2021 is set to be the year where luxury wedding cakes continue to take their rightful place. Here’s to a good recovery for the luxury wedding industry as we pin our hopes on more positive news and the return to normalcy.

Visit Elizabeth’s Instagram page @elizabethscakeemporium and her website https://www.elizabethscakeemporium.com for more beautiful cake designs and she can be contacted at 07958069116 to discuss any ideas you might have for your wedding cake.