Black & Ivory Wedding Cake Wonder

So although it's nearly 3 months since the deed was done, I'm still very much living in the bubble of marital bliss, reminiscing on our amazing day and all the amazing memories we managed to make. Sappy as it may be, your wedding day is pretty fantastic on the scale of amazing things in life and although Molly and I are well and truly back in the grips of reality, we are still in that stage where our wedding is catching up with us. Between the arrival of our photos and wedding album from the photographer, to the video capturing moments with 'rare never before seen footage' of the big day, it all still seems very fresh and new. That said when I look at pictures of this cake it seems like a lifetime ago. My Mom and I were working hard core to get this done literally hours before the wedding. 

They said it couldn't be done, they said I was mad. 'Twill be grand I said'. 

Making your own wedding cake can be rewarding but challenging at the same time. I suppose in theory and early on it seems like a pretty wonderful idea. For me the thought of being in control is always attractive given my OCD tendencies and love of organisation, but when the reality sets in that you actually have to make a five tier cake in your two final days before sailing off into the clouds of marital bliss, it can be, dare I say it.....a little stressful. Organisation, perseverance and determination definitely helped, along with a level headed, calm, cool and collected side kick in the form of my wonderful mother. The cake was baked, iced and pimped before you could say 'Teatime'. Do I regret the decision of making my own wedding cake? Absolutely not. Was I fully prepared for what it entailed? Probably not. That said, when you are a little bit of a cake making fanatic like myself, looking at your creation with pride on such an important and memorable day is a pretty uplifting and special feeling. 

So what was inside you ask? Very good question. The cake comprised a five tiers of our favourite cakes. Weird and wonderful as they were this is what I made: 
       Tier 1:   a traditional 14 inch fruit cake at the bottom (courtesy of my wonderful mother). 
       Tier 2:   a 12 inch white chocolate and marshmallow rice krispie cake (yes I'm serious) 
                     smothered in creamy white chocolate ganache.
       Tier 3:    a 10 inch magnificently moist carrot cake (if you are sensing this is my favourite 
                       you are oh so right)
       Tier 4:   an 8 inch vibrant red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting (Thank You               
                      Hummingbird Bakery)
       Tier 5:   a 6 inch chocolate cake with rich and decadent chocolate fudge icing if you don't
                      mind.

 

When it came to decoration, not everyone's style I can imagine, but we had a black and cream theme running throughout the day. I always loved the idea of a winter wedding, people all wrapped up. The idea of being able to incorporate black with traditional cream always seemed excitingly striking to me. All in all it came together well, and the cake stood out as a wonderful focal and talking point throughout the day. When the time came, and everyone's delicious dinner had well and truly digested, the cake was served....and subsequently devoured. In conclusion, Success!

Needless to say, as much as I do love my camera and as trigger happy as I am at the best of times, I didn't get around to photographing everything and anything on the big day. All of these beautiful pictures were captured by Dermot Culhane, who documented our day perfectly.