The Sweet (And Occasionally Odd) History of Wedding Cake
Wedding cakes: They’re iconic, beautiful, and—with a few variations—an eagerly anticipated element of receptions around the world.
Today’s elegant, multi-tiered creations are a far cry, however, from the barley cakes prepared for weddings in ancient Rome or the Bride’s Pye of medieval Europe. Over the centuries, early versions of wedding cake have been more about symbolism than culinary pleasure, and during some eras, were sprinkled over brides as much as they were eaten.
Here’s a look at the history of wedding cake and how it went from an ancient means of ushering in good luck to a top-tier wedding tradition.
Crumbs and Confetti
According to an article by Carol Wilson for Gastronomica: The Journal of Critical Food Studies, we can trace wedding cake’s origins back to ancient Rome, though few modern couples will be lining up for the recipe.
“Ancient Roman wedding ceremonies were finalized by breaking a cake of (unsweetened) wheat or barley over the bride’s head as a symbol of good fortune,” Wilson wrote. “The newly married couple then ate a few crumbs in a custom known as confarreatio—eating together.”
Guests later grabbed up the remaining crumbs, which they thought would bring them good luck.
Over time, a gentler tradition evolved: Instead of smashing the bread on the bride’s head, guests crumbled wheat cakes over her. Wilson noted that after the wheat cakes were used up, wedding guests moved on to confetto made from nuts, dried fruit, and sweetened almonds. So, now, in addition to wedding cakes, we see how the tradition of throwing rice or confetti at newlyweds got its start.
Frieze of a Medieval Wedding, Thomas Stothard, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Stacks of Sweets and Bride’s Pye
Sweetened wedding pastries made their appearance in England in the Middle Ages. Weddings featured towering stacks of buns, cookies, and scones. The idea was for the bride and groom to try to kiss over it. If they managed to lock lips, they’d be blessed with good fortune.
Unfortunately, not all of England’s early wedding treats were quite so delightful. Eating Bride’s Pye was a way to bring newlyweds good luck, too, but from today’s perspective, the guests who were expected to eat it weren’t remotely lucky. The ingredient list in a 1685 recipe for Bride’s Pye, for example, includes lamb testicles and throat, oysters, pine kernels, and rooster comb.
“In Yorkshire, it was thought that eating the pie ensured the couple would have a happy life together, so declining a slice (even one filled with testicles and thyroid) was a major no-no,” Marissa Laliberte wrote for Reader’s Digest.
There was a bit of fun associated with the pie, though. It typically contained a ring, and the single woman who found it was supposedly next to be married.
Tiers of Joy
Pies gradually made way for wedding cakes in 17th century England. Initially, though, they typically were made of two pastry crusts, a sandwich of sorts, holding currants (no animal parts, at least) and dusted with sugar.
But all of that changed when refined sugar became accessible and affordable in England. Shortly after that, cakes covered with white icing became the norm.
Wedding cakes took another step toward the creations we’re familiar with today in the late 17th century, Laliberte wrote. Legend has it that a London baker’s apprentice, intent on impressing his employer’s daughter, created an elaborate pastry modeled after the tiered spire of St. Bride’s Church. The idea, apparently, took off.
“Formal wedding cakes became bigger and more elaborate through the Victorian age,” Abigail Tucker wrote for Smithsonian Magazine. “In 1947, when Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) wed Prince Philip, the cake weighed 500 pounds.”
These days, wedding cakes continue to serve as more than a dessert. They’ve become canvases of creative and artistic expression, and in some cases, augmented by technology. And while they don’t necessarily pave the way for good fortune, they do provide some of our sweetest wedding memories.