50 Wedding Cake Designs and Flavor Ideas Guests Will Love

Here is our list of some of the best wedding cake ideas for every type of bride! No matter what kind of wedding you are having, there are lots of wedding cake flavors, designs, and decorations to consider. 

Find your dream wedding cake that’s equally delicious and gorgeous!

Need some wedding cake inspiration? Look no further, here are some of wedding cake trends that are popular in 2021. For a gorgeous display that goes along with your wedding theme. Depending on your theme, these wedding cake decoration ideas inspire your wedding cake design!

Traditional Wedding Cake

The most traditional wedding cake design is usually a white wedding cake. Classic wedding cakes have traditionally had white vanilla buttercream that is spread on the outside of the cake with an icing spatula.

The white tiers are then decorated with white icing that is piped on the edges. A traditional cake topper is one of the most common classic design elements.

Naked Wedding Cake

A new trend that is very common for brides that are having rustic themed weddings to skip the frosting all together. Naked cakes are the new biggest trend in wedding cake design. This is when the edges of the cake are exposed, and the entire wedding cake is basically naked (without frosting or fondant!)

Plain White Cake

If you want a traditional wedding cake that also has a modern touch, opt for a modern all-white cake. From the base of the cake, to the very top, make your cake completely white. This look can be achieved through fondant or vanilla buttercream. Whether you want a huge tiered cake or a smaller cake, this is a classic look.

Floral Wedding Cakes

If you are having a spring wedding, or if your wedding theme includes a lot of floral elements, opt for a floral wedding cake. This is when your baker uses fresh flowers to create a design element on your cake.

Whatever type of flower you choose, from roses to just greenery, adding a natural element to your wedding cake can add an artistic touch.

Classic Cake with Sugar Flowers

If you love the look of a floral wedding cake, but don’t want to have inedible flowers, try sugar flowers! This is when the baker creates beautiful floral elements by sculpting them out of fondant or gum paste. 

Tiered Wedding Cakes

If you are having a large wedding, you will most likely have to have a wedding cake with multiple tiers. A traditional wedding cake usually has three tiers.

In this tradition, it is commonly thought that the base tier is for eating at the reception, the middle tier is for giving away after the wedding, and the top tier is saved for the couple.

You do not have to have three tiers if you are not having a large wedding, a two-tier cake can suffice and feed a good amount of guests!

Homemade Wedding Cake

If you want to have a more rustic cake or if you know someone who makes beautiful cakes, skip the catering company and have a homemade wedding cake! These cakes can be just as beautiful as the amazing wedding cakes that you will find at bakeries if it is done well!

Winter Wedding Cake

If you are having a winter wedding, get inspired by the season to have a winter themed design! A tiered cake that is decorated with winter color schemes or you can use powdered sugar to imitate snow! 

Creative Cake Topper

Wedding cake toppers are adorable elements to your wedding cake. Traditional hand-painted cake toppers are hard to come by nowadays, but there are many different options that are more popular!

Instead of the traditional bride and groom cake topper, opt for a modern “Mr. and Mrs.” topper or a custom made one!

Rustic Wedding Cake

Many brides choose to have a rustic wedding outdoors or in a barn venue. For venues like this, it is common to have wooden elements.

One very popular rustic wedding cake idea is to have your cake design look like a tree stump. Tree stump cakes can be adorable, especially if you add a design element that looks like you and your partner carved your initials on it. 

Modern Cake

If you are having a modern or contemporary theme, opt for a unique design for your cake. 

Semi-Naked Cake

If you love the look of a naked cake but you want a layer of frosting on the exterior of the cake, opt for a semi-naked cake! The baker will put a layer of frosting on the cake, and then use a spatula to remove some of it, but leave a thin layer of leftover frosting. 

Mini Cake

If you don’t want a huge wedding cake, a mini cake may be the best option for you! Wedding cake prices can be very high, so if you want to stick to a budget while still having a wedding cake, this is a great idea.

Minimal Cakes

If you want a simple wedding cake, opt for a minimal cake. A minimalist cake will go along with any color scheme of your wedding. 

Copper Cakes

Copper is the newest trend in bridal color palettes. If you are using copper accents at your wedding ceremony and reception, copper can also be a feature on your epic wedding cake.

Gold Wedding Cake

If copper isn’t really your thing, opt for a gold wedding cake instead. The classy metal sheen of your wedding cake will be an accent at your reception. 

Blush Wedding Cake

Use pink shades of icing for a rose colored tiered wedding cake.

Accent Tier 

Bakers can make anything a reality. Accents on certain tiers can really make your wedding cake unique. Use accents such as hand-painted fondant to add a special touch.

Garden Party Cake

Garden themed weddings are very common. Use nature-esque inspiration in your wedding cake. This can include cakes with floral arrangements and greenery. 

Fall Wedding Cake

If you are having a fall wedding, don’t be afraid to add some autumnal elements to your wedding cake. Accents such as leaves, fall colors, or even Halloween themed details can add to your wedding theme.

Summer Wedding Cake

If you are having a summer wedding, embrace the season. Summer is the peak wedding season, so caterers will be busy. Use summer fruits that are in season such as strawberries, orange, or fresh berries to add that fresh taste of summer.

Dots of Frosting

A popular frosting trend on cakes is when bakers use dots of frosting and then use a spatula to create a petal like design. 

Bright Colors

Lots of brides think that they have to have white wedding cake, but that is an outdated belief. Wedding cakes can be any color you want them to be! Even bright colors can be incorporated into a classy and beautiful wedding cake.

Fresh Fruit Decor

If you do not want artificial flavors on your cake from fondant, and you don’t want a cup of frosting on your cake, take a more natural approach and decorate with fresh fruit. 

Unique Wedding Cake Flavor Ideas

Here are some of our favorite cake flavor ideas for your wedding day! Ask to taste your favorites before committing to a flavor.

Swedish Midsummer Cake

This type of cake is a popular cake in Sweden, but it is really a simple concept. This cake is basically a vanilla cake filled with egg custard and lots of strawberries! This cake is perfect for a summer wedding.

Pumpkin Layer Cake

A pumpkin flavored cake is perfect for a fall wedding. If you want to add some extra sweetness, cream cheese icing is a perfect pairing. 

Vanilla Bean Cake

Vanilla is a classic wedding cake flavor. Use a vanilla bean instead of just vanilla extract for a more authentic vanilla taste. 

Holiday Fruit Cake

A holiday fruit cake may not be everyone’s favorite flavor, but if it happens to be yours, it makes for a unique cake flavor. 

Chocolate Orange Cake

If you are a chocolate lover, a flavor that compliments the taste is orange. This seems like an odd flavor combination, but it is actually a classic flavor that is popular at many bakeries. 

Sweet Potato Cake

Have you ever tried a sweet potato cake? It is not a common flavor in areas outside of the American South, but it sure is delicious! Serve this cake flavor at your wedding for a unique taste that your guests have probably never had before!

Cranberry Cake

Cranberry is a delicious fruit that can be incorporated with vanilla cake batter. Once the cake is baked, it will add a wonderful flavor to your cake! 

Vanilla Fig Cake

If you want to add a unique flavor to an average vanilla cake add some fig for a honey-like sweetness. 

Peppermint Bundt Cake

A peppermint chocolate cake with white chocolate buttercream is the perfect wedding cake flavor for brides who are having their wedding during the holiday season. 

Lemon Cake

Lemon flavor makes for delicious cakes, so if you love a lemony taste in your dessert, use this citrus fruit. 

Apple Cake

A cinnamon apple cake is another great flavor that can be used at fall weddings. Incorporate the flavors of the season into your wedding cake with this type of cake! 

Cake with Blackberry

Add some fresh blackberries into your cake to create a beautiful and delicious cake.

How to Choose Your Wedding Cake 

One major decision that couples often make together in the wedding planning process is what kind of cake they will serve. Wedding cakes today are more elaborate than ever before, and you may feel overwhelmed when your caterer asks what you want your cake to look like. 

Most brides decide to have a cake that coincides with their overall wedding theme. The color palette and style of cake should look like it belongs at your wedding. 

It’s also useful if you know what kind of look you want for your cake. If you want an elaborate design, make sure you realize that bakers typically use more fondant for larger cakes.

Fondant is a gum paste that is put on top of the cake to create a smooth, even, and polished look. The only negative to fondant is that it doesn’t taste as good as real buttercream frosting. For this reason, a lot of brides choose to have a more rustic looking cake that tastes great.

Another consideration for your wedding cake budgeting is how many people will be at your wedding. The amount of guests that the cake will have to serve is essential for bakers to know, because that way they can make sure there are enough servings in the cake.

Wedding cakes often take a long time to create. You will want to decide on your cake design months in advance. The caterer will typically make the cake the week of the wedding to assure that the quality is fresh.

When being transported to your reception venue, it will have to stay at cooler temperatures so that the frosting does not start to melt. The cake shouldn’t be put in the event venue hours before the reception begins, it should be placed in a refrigerator until it’s time for the party.

Wedding Cake Alternatives

If you want to have another option other than a beautiful wedding cake at your wedding reception, opt for other popular desserts. Usually wedding dessert tables often include an array of different types of dessert. 

Items such as cupcakes, cookies, donuts, brownies, or even ice cream can be great confections to serve at your wedding reception. Some brides even decide to offer an alternative dessert option for guests who may not be able to eat wedding cake. 

If your family has a famous dessert recipe, this can be a great opportunity to save some money from your budget that you may have spent on a caterer. This will also make your celebration more personal because the ingredients were put together with love from a member of your family. 

If your spouse has a specific sweet treat that you want to include at your event, make sure you label that this is one of the bride or groom’s favorites on the dessert table. You may also want to consider the season that your wedding is in, for example, if you are having a wedding in December you may want to serve some Christmas cookies!