The Naked Wedding Cake

Maybe it’s a sign of the financial slump (or the second global financial crisis, as it’s now being labelled) that accounts for the appearance of the bare wedding cake – a cake without icing.

It’s being touted as the new favourite non-traditional cake trend, and because of its simplicity, is easy to make oneself – if you think about it, it’s usually the icing part of the cake that puts fear into the hearts of every would-be baker.

And boy, can you have fun with this version of the wedding cake. The idea is lots of cream (or icing – I use cream cheese icing like they do on carrot cakes) between layers.

And you can layer until the cows come home – each consecutive layer becoming a little smaller to prevent the inevitable topple. Or you can keep it to two or three double layers, and decorate the top with fruit and flowers.

Here’s a basic ‘how to’ layer the naked cake:

Step 1: bake several plain or chocolate sponge cakes in various size tins (you’ll need to have worked out before hand if the different sizes fit easily one on top of the other). You can even use pre-prepared box cake mixes, like Ina Paarman, if the idea of making your own scares you

Step 2: cut each of the cakes in half, as you would if you were icing the middle of your cake. If cutting your cakes is a little daunting, then step up the number of cake tins you use and use only half the quantity, for ready made layers

Step 3: place your initial, and largest, bare layer onto a cake tray / plate / stand and dollop a generous layer of icing on top of it. Add another layer, and continue in the same vein (you don’t even have to be too neat about it)

Step 4: as your layer size becomes gradually smaller (as you start using smaller sponge cake layers) there will be a ‘lip’ of cake exposed; decorate this ‘step’ with fruit and flowers

Step 5: on your final layer or cake top, decorate with cream, fruit or flowers – you can even use silk or material flowers, if natural flowers threaten to wilt or collapse too early

Tip: make sure that your layer ‘icing’ is firm, that it doesn’t melt and that it tastes delicious