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One of the biggest wedding cake trends is simplicity. Instead of large, over-the-top extravagance, some couples are opting for a more minimalist wedding cake. Simple wedding cake designs prioritize a “less is more” approach with clean lines and a few delicate details. These basic wedding cake ideas can be just as beautiful, personalized, and memorable on your big day as any elaborate creation.
How Many Tiers Should a Simple Wedding Cake Have?
Just because you want a simple cake doesn’t mean you have to choose the smallest option. How big or small you want your wedding cake to be depends on a few factors.
Single-Tier Cake
Single-tier wedding cakes serve about 20 to 30 guests. These are ideal for very minimalist designs. Clean, smooth lines with a singular statement piece would work best for these size cakes.
Two-Tier Cake
Two-tier wedding cakes are a good option for receptions of 30 to 50 guests. These have more space for incorporating subtle decorative elements, such as piped details, sugar flowers, or metallic shimmer.
Three-Tier Cake
Depending on how tall each tier is, three-tier wedding cakes can comfortably serve about 100 guests or more. The grander scale could make it slightly more challenging to have a minimalist design, depending on your vision. Consider a small top tier to keep the cake from looking too bulky.
Simple Wedding Cake Ideas
Fondant Cake
Fondant wedding cakes are a popular choice for couples looking for a sleek, elegant centerpiece. Fondant is an edible icing rolled out like dough and draped over cake. The smooth finish leaves a blank canvas perfect for subtle decorations. Flowers, fruits, and berries are common options. Creating textured fondant, where stencils imprint designs in the fondant, offers a touch of dimension while still favoring simplicity.
Ombre Cake
Ombre cakes are an easy way to add modern flair to a wedding cake without sacrificing minimalism. This design creates a subtle color transition across cake tiers. The design can incorporate multiple shades of a singular color to shift from light to dark or contrasting colors that blend together. While frosting can be kept flat with these cakes, textured frosting elevates visual appeal even more.
Geometric Cake
Geometric cakes are another contemporary option for simple wedding cakes. They offer a clean, modern aesthetic which is perfect for simpler designs. This trend involves incorporating geometric shapes into the cake design. This could be using square, hexagonal, or even triangular cake instead of the classic round tiers, or using accents and textured frosting to create these effects on the cake. Metallic or glossy elements really stand out in this design.
Naked Cake
A naked cake is a cake where the frosting is applied sparingly. The outer crumb coat is kept thin to hold cake layers together and catch loose crumbs while leaving some of the cake exposed. Without thick layers of frosting or fondant, the look and flavors of the natural cake have more room to shine. Fresh flowers, fruits, berries, greenery, and even edible lace make great accents on naked cakes.
