The tradition of having a cake for the bride as well as one for the groom began in the Victorian England era. The newlyweds would cut a slice of their cakes and feed each other a piece before cutting the cakes for guests. One tradition was to present the unmarried women at the wedding a piece of the groom’s cake to place under their pillows that evening. According to the tradition, these women would dream of their future husbands. Over time, popularity of the groom’s cake faded and attention shifted to the bride’s cake.
The groom’s cake is still popular in the United States, specifically in the southeast. While a wedding cake is usually white or ivory, the groom’s cake is smaller, more ornate and may represent his hobbies, interests or occupation.
The groom’s cake may be served alongside the wedding cake, or displayed on a separate table at the wedding reception, or even the rehearsal dinner. The cake flavor is usually chocolate, or other favorite flavor of the groom, one different from the wedding cake. Sometimes, the bride will surprise the groom with the flavor and design of the cake, or the groom can have a say in the design.
We were asked to create two coordinating wedding cakes, per the request of the bride and groom. The cakes were served side by side, and the bride and groom each cut their own cake and served the slice to each other.
Groom’s cakes are a whimsical addition to any wedding, and a great way to include the Groom in the cake design process.