Aside from the beaming bride, the next most magical part of any wedding is the wedding cake and the last thing you want to do is destroy it during the cutting process. To ensure those beautiful wedding cake slices, you need to know how to cut a wedding cake the right way.
horizontal technique for heart-shaped wedding cakes.Cutting a wedding cake isnt too challenging. The ring and rectangle methods are recommended for round cakes with multiple tiers. You will want to use the square method for square cakes and the vertical
Hey, everyone! My names Shea, and I may not have tied the knot just yet, but Ive been to my fair share of weddings. Ive made a few wedding cakes in my day, too. That said, I know the best ways to cut a wedding cake, regardless of the shape or number of tiers.
Lets discover how to cut a wedding cake (the right way for picture-perfect results)!
Contents
- 4 Ways to Cut a Wedding Cake
- FAQs
- Cutting Wedding Cake is Relatively Simple!
- FAQs
- How do you do the cake cutting at a wedding?
- What is the etiquette for cutting wedding cake?
- What part of the wedding cake do you cut first?
- What do you say before cutting a wedding cake?
- Do you cut a wedding cake from top?
- Do you play a song when cutting the cake at a wedding?
- How soon after dinner do you cut the cake at wedding?
- Do you cut bottom tier wedding cake?
4 Ways to Cut a Wedding Cake
When it comes to cutting a wedding cake, you have a few different options. Really, the way you cut your cake will come down to the shape of your cake and how many tiers your sweet treat has.
1. Ring Method (Best for Multiple Round Tiers)
The ring method is one of the best ways to cut a cake especially if you have a round cake, two or three tiers, and a ginormous crowd of people to feed. Thats because this method breaks down the wedding cake into adorable yet classic slices for an incredible amount of people.
Step 1: Remove the layers. The first step is to remove all of the layers. You can do this by sliding your cake knife underneath the cake board and gently pulling it off the layer underneath. If you have a 1 tier cake, you can skip this step.
Step 2: Cut a circle into the bottom layer of the cake. Next, you will want to cut a circle in the middle of the bottom layer of the cake. Ensure you leave enough room on the border to cut into slices.
Step 3: Cut 1-inch slices around the perimeter. For now, you will leave the inner circle alone. Focus on the border and slice them into 1-inch servings.
Step 4: Cut the inner circle into 1-inch wedges. Once the perimeter has successfully been sliced and distributed, move onto the inner circle. Serve them cut into 1-inch wedges.
Step 5: Continue with the remaining tiers. Use the same process cut an inner circle and start at the perimeter. The top tier may not require an inner circle.
Tip: Always clean your knife in-between cuts! This will ensure that there are no annoying and unsightly crumbs hanging around. It will also ensure a beautiful, clean-cut finish.
2. Rectangle Method (Second Best Option for Multiple Round Tiers)
The ring method can be somewhat challenging. If youre feeding a smaller crowd and dont have to worry about serving a massive audience, you can opt for the rectangle method and yes, its a method that works for round wedding cakes that are 1 tier or multiple tiers.
Step 1: Peel away the layers. Just as in the technique mentioned above, you need to begin by removing the tiers using your cake knife. Continue sliding the tiers off until youve reached the bottom layer of the cake.
Step 2: Cut the cake in a straight line about an inch in. You will want to leave about half an inch on the end. This will ensure your cake stands up while slicing rather than falling over.
Step 3: Cut the cake into slices. You can decide how big you want your portions, but a wedding cake slice is usually one inch.
Step 4: Continue cutting until that row is finished, then go on to the next. Repeat the process. Cut an inch inward and leave half an inch on the end. Cut 1-inch slices and move them onto the next row.
3. Square Method (Best for Square Cakes)
In the era of nontraditional relationships and wedding ceremonies, its unsurprising that untraditional wedding cakes are being ordered left and right and the most popular option is square. Square cakes are infinitely easier to make and cut. This is how you do it.
Step 1: Cut the cake in a straight line one or two inches in. The standard is a single inch, but many wedding parties opt to go the two-inch route for square cakes. It is all up to you!
Step 2: Cut 1-inch slices. Go down the line, cutting 1-inch pieces to serve. Continue slicing until the row is finished.
Step 3: Continue cutting in rows and slices until the wedding cake is done! You will want to use the same technique. Cut a straight line one or two inches in, then slice into 1-inch pieces to serve the guests. Clean your knife in between cuts!
4. Vertical and Horizontal Method (For Heart Cakes)
Weddings are centered on love. Naturally, some people opt for heart-shaped wedding cakes. Sure, some might think its a little sappy but who doesnt want all the sap at their dream wedding? If youre going the heart-shaped route, cutting is a bit trickier.
Step 1: Vertically cut the heart in half. I know its not the best look at a wedding, but it must be done to serve the wedding cake!
Step 2: Cut the two halves in half. You should end up with four portions that are the same width.
Step 3: Cut the heart in half horizontally. When youre done, you will have two separate sections of cake the top and bottom of the heart.
Step 4: Cut horizontally from the middle in 1-inch segments. Starting at the middle cut, you want to slice above and underneath about one inch. This will create the perfect slice of cake for your guests.
FAQs
Cutting a wedding cake? Yeah, not so tough after all. The best thing to do is try to be as precise as possible and take your time. Always clean the knife in between slices. Want to learn more? Here are a few frequently asked questions that might interest you.
How do you cut a tiered cake?
Cutting a tiered cake is simple. You can use the ring or rectangle technique mentioned above. The biggest thing to remember is that you should always start by removing the tiers. Dont try to cut a wedding cake with the levels still intact. It will lead to a messy nightmare!
What layer of the cake do you cut into at a wedding?
The layer of cake that the bride and groom slice is the bottom layer. This can be surprising, as most people think the top tier should be the one cut, as its the top and focal point of the wedding cake. This will lead to problems, though. Always go with the bottom tier!
Do you cut the cake before or after the first dance?
Its your wedding, so in reality, you can cut the cake whenever you want to. However, sticking to traditions, you will cut the cake after the first dance.
Cutting Wedding Cake is Relatively Simple!
Cutting a wedding cake is easy. The most important thing to remember is that the cutting technique will change depending on the type of cake youre cutting. Traditional round cakes can use the ring or rectangle method. Always clean the knife between cuts. Enjoy!
Have you ever sliced a wedding cake before? Howd you do it?
FAQs
How do you do the cake cutting at a wedding?
The bride places her hand on the cake-cutting knife, and then the groom places his hand over hers as they make two gentle cuts to form a single slice of cake. You then remove the slice onto a plate, and the groom proceeds to feed you the first bite, and then you feed him the second one.
What is the etiquette for cutting wedding cake?
A bride should hold the cake knife with her right hand, while the groom places his right hand over hers before they proceed to slice down together. If the cake has a foam or cardboard support, be careful not to cut through it. Use a cake server to grab the first piece.
What part of the wedding cake do you cut first?
Using the knife, cut an inch into the bottom tier of the cake. Try to avoid making a sawing motion because it will cause the cake to crumble. By cutting at the bottom tier, you’ll have more stability and it’s easier to save the top tier of the cake to eat for your first anniversary if you’d like.
What do you say before cutting a wedding cake?
STEP #12 : ANNOUNCE THE CUTTING OF THE CAKE
MC INTRODUCTION: “And now comes the cutting of that beautiful cake (find out who made it and announce that). So I’d like… (bride)…and… (groom)…to walk around to the front of the bridal table to perform their first duty as husband and wife.”
Do you cut a wedding cake from top?
When you’re cutting a layered cake for a whole crowd, the best way to go about it is by removing all the layers prior to cutting. However, since the cutting of the first slice is a major photo op, you’ll want to leave all the layers intact and cut a slice from the bottom layer instead.
Do you play a song when cutting the cake at a wedding?
Do you play music during cake cutting? Many couples like to have cake cutting songs playing while they slice the cake together, but there are no fast and hard rules around this. Some even like to have their emcee announce the event and play music to get everyone’s attention.
How soon after dinner do you cut the cake at wedding?
Maintain Tradition
Traditionally, the bride and groom serve wedding cake in between dinner and dancing, often following the couple’s first dance. This is mainly because cake cutting serves as a silent clue that guests can start heading home, especially if they aren’t planning to stay for the after-party.
Do you cut bottom tier wedding cake?
If you’re having a traditional wedding cake, you should make the first cut into the bottom tier of the cake. This is because it is the most supported and stable tier of the cake. And, you wouldn’t want to slice into the top tier, as it is traditionally wrapped and frozen to be eaten on the first anniversary.