Wedding cakes have certainly evolved over the decades just as tastes and styles have in our American way of life. There was a time when elaborate & very formal towering feats of sweetness were the standard for every bride & groom. Growing up in a household where I witnessed several wedding cakes take shape from start to finish, I can tell you that every single one of these was a true labor of love. For mom, Wilton was the go-to supplier in every aspect of cake baking, including the wedding cakes which flew out of our house every single year for friends & family.
Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers
It’s fun going back and looking at Wilton’s methods and styles for wedding cakes during the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, the shapely cakes were not simply stacked and covered in perfect fondant the way they are these days, but were iced and decorated with real buttercream, along with a multitude of accessories. There was even a working fountain available that could be stacked with the cake if one wished. It was popular with brides who wanted to make a statement on their special day.
Whether one was having a wedding for 50 or for 200 plus guests, Wilton made it easy and possible for the home baker to make beautiful wedding cakes (they still do!). I realize that many of the images may seem old-fashioned, but it’s important to return to these cakes, because they helped shape an industry to what it is today.
Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers
A bit of referencing to the past for wedding cakes is certainly a good thing for bakers everywhere. Have fun going through these vintage cakes. You may even get an idea or two for your own wedding.
Great Day Cake
This gorgeous cake was baked with two types of cake pans. The middle tiers used petal-shaped pans and the outer tiers were baked using heart-shaped ones. A Wilton laced cake stand with a 4-arm support was used to stack the layers. Each were iced in white buttercream garlands, lily of the valley flowers, vines, leaves and rosebuds.
Winter Rainbow Cake
Multi-hued flowers were piped along the edges of the 4 tiers in arches, bunches & on stems. The cupid-topped cake is accompanied by cute cakes in the shapes of the lovely bride and her bridesmaids.
Candlelight Cake
Three round tiers ( 6", 10" & 12") were piped with pink drop flowers and were bordered with shells, garlands and scrolls. A set of Wilton steps was pressed onto the layers along the side and candles were placed on each step. These were meant to be lit the moment the cake was ready to be sliced by the couple.
Cupid Pillar Cake
This sweet confection was baked using 6", 10" & 12" round pans. The top 2 tiers were separated with cupid pillars set on round plates. Dozens of roses were placed along the tops of the exposed layers and along the edges of the bottom tier. Shell borders finish the classic look.
Roman Garden Cake
The Roman arched pillar set was used to elevate the 16", 12" & 8" layers over the Wilton Kolor Flo Fountain for a dramatic presentation. Meant to serve 200 guests, the reversed-shell cake was covered in daisies, small roses and sweet peas made with perfect buttercream.
Rose Festoon Cake
As the name implies, roses abound on this cake! Tinted a delicate shade of pink, roses were placed atop the 18", 12" & 8" round layers. A 10" separator with tall filigree pillars was used to elevate the top tier. Some of the designs along the bottom of the cake reflect the church window cake topper, which was placed in the middle of the cake, rather than on the top. This cake was meant to serve 250.
Angelique Cake
A square wedding cake covered in white sweetpeas, garlands and string borders was given an angel theme. The angel pillars keep the top layer separate from the bottom 12" & 16" layers. Adorable cherubs were fastened onto the sides using white buttercream. The cake which served 300 guests was given a beautiful gazebo-style topper.
Champagne Honeymoon Cake
Meant for an intimate wedding of 30 guests, this stately cake was baked using round & square layers. Grecian columns which separate the layers allowed 2 champagne coupes to rest in between. Zigzag crescents, garlands, flowers and even wedding bells were used throughout the cake. Beautiful!
Love's Fountain Cake
The large cake was baked using an 18" square cake pan and a 16" round cake pan. The top tier is not an actual cake layer. It's an inverted cake dummy with a water fountain in it (this kept the fountain motor out of sight). Square filigree pillars and cherubs finish the look.
Cupid's Heart Cake
Although the beautiful roses used for this cake look like piped buttercream, they were actually plastic decorations. The 8", 12" & 16" round layers were stacked using the Dancing Cupid pillars and separator plates. Star borders, reverse shell scrolls and string garlands were piped the Wilton way. The Cupid's Heart wedding cake topper had a lovely dove perched at the very top.
Iridescent Cake
Shiny, iridescent baubles were placed throughout the 8", 12" & 18" round layers of this wedding cake. Roman columns were covered in orange blossoms that were attached to wire cloth, and iridescent wedding bells were strung on ribbon. Roses and petunia buttercream flowers finish the look. Classic. Vintage. Beautiful.
Kolor-Flo Fountain
This fountain was quite popular with brides in the 1970s. An electric motor mechanism pumped water to the top and had it cascade down three levels. One could tint the water to play off of the cake decorations for a wonderful effect.
Flowering Love Cake Topper
"...a fresh flower vase shaped like a hollow tree trunk with our popular Kissing Couple seated before it. These whimsical little lovers seem to charm everyone! One wedding cake ornament you won't pack away later on, because it's ideal for showers, as a centerpiece or vase."
Heavenly Bells
"...if you've a taste for drama as well as romance! The cherub, doves, hearts and lacy wedding bells all create an air of graceful symmetry and classic charm. An ornament so lovely, you'll want to keep it on display long after your wedding day is past."
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