Wedding Season, Wedding Cakes

With the arrival of June, wedding season kicks into high gear with summer nuptials filling every calendar. With this being the most popular time of the year to tie the knot, odds are you'll be tasting wedding cake sometime in the next few months--or maybe you're in the process of selecting yours! Either way, cake is an incredible reason (apart from love and family and all that) to attend a wedding...as long as it's scrumptious.

If you've ever pushed a dry piece of frosted cardboard politely around a pastel plate, you understand the disappointment of being on the receiving end of a bad dessert. I've certainly sampled some stunning confections that ended up tasting like sawdust, confirming that no matter how pretty a cake is, it's worthless if it's not delicious. With around 5 million people each year getting hitched in the United States, the wedding industry is bigger than ever--and luckily that means hordes of talented bakers are making sure couples never have to choose between style and substance for their sugary centerpiece.

I pulled together some of my favorite wedding cakes of all time, including some non-traditional confections, to tantalize your palette and get you inspired for a summer of love...and desserts.

1. Michael and Patrick's Four Tiered Carrot Cake

Three years ago, I attended a casual beach wedding of two of my dearest friends. Michael is a surf instructor and Patrick is an environmentalist, so they spend a lot of time by the sea. They opted for a casual, shoes-off picnic-style wedding, complete with baskets stuffed with cheese, bread, fruits, and meat for each blanket. The vibe was incredibly friendly, homey, and fun, with some cheeky humor--such as chocolate "ants" decorating the guest book table, a watermelon seed spitting contest, and sand castles made by local artists. The centerpiece of their event, however, was a four tiered carrot cake made by Michael's mother, using a three generations old family recipe. Not only was the cake flawless with spicy notes, rich brown sugar sweetness, and juicy raisins, but the frosting was unreal. His mother insisted that it was just "a simple whipped cream cheese frosting," but it was light and just a touch saltier than most overly sweet cream cheese frostings. It melted into the cake so harmoniously, accentuating the subtle nutmeg and molasses. I've truly never seen a single wedding cake be completely finished by the guests, but this one was devoured before last call. While you can't have this exact cake, take this advice: if your family has an amazing recipe, duplicate it. The generations of love, the uniqueness of the dessert, and the familiar taste of home are exactly what celebrating new family is all about.

2. Shu-Che and Jack's Coconut Neapolitan Cake

Shu-Che was thrilled when Jack proposed, and before she showed any of her friends the ring, she was sending emails about cake. She had an entire Pinterest devoted to potential wedding cakes, ultimately spending about four weeks deciding on the perfect dessert and two hours on her dress. She knew exactly what she wanted to focus on, which was having an awesome meal. Not only was the catering beautiful, but her cake had people talking for months afterwards. It was three tiers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cake, frosted with a thin glaze of coconut and topped with soft milk chocolate icing. The delicate coconut glaze brought out the richness of each cake flavor, mingling with the icing in a way that reminded me of truly incredible donuts. The cakes were dense and only semi-sweet, leaving plenty of space for the icing and glaze. She opted to serve it chilled, which only enhanced the well-crafted flavors.

3. Elizabeth and Karen's Eclair Mountain

Karen and Liz were clear from day one: no cake. Neither of them have much of a sweet tooth, and were leaning toward a fruit buffet in lieu of a towering treat. A month before their big day, Liz traveled to Boston for work. She discovered a small, family-owned bakery that served these eclairs that she described as "transcendent." She immediately ordered 150 mini versions for their wedding, explaining that it would be bad luck if they didn't have something cake-like. Luckily, Karen was as entranced by the tiny temptations as her wife. And let me tell you: they were to die for. Don't hesitate to consider a different dessert if cake isn't your thing--no one will miss it if the alternative is good enough!

4. Marko and LaDayne's Molten Cherry Cheesecake

Marko is a pastry chef and LaDayne loves cheesecake--you'd think it would've been easy for them to come to a cake decision early on, but this pair pushed it to the week before their vows. Marko was committed to the idea of making their cake (yes, crazy, I know) but couldn't figure out the perfect offering for their sophisticated spring wedding. Marko finally cracked the mold with a four tiered vanilla bean cheesecake topped with warm bourbon cherry sauce. Tangy, tart, and creamy, it was a definite crowd pleaser.

Hopefully my most memorable wedding cakes have inspired you, or at least made you a little more excited for any summer ceremonies you're attending. Happy caking!