Healthy Homemade Wedding Cakes & Alternatives (Homespun, Pretty, Allergy-Friendly!)

My husband and I had five 5-gallon buckets of ice cream at our wedding reception, and our wedding cake was pure peppermint ice cream, no cake!

And I’ve made a few tiered wedding cakes for friends and family.

So, I guess I’m the right gal to write an article for you about homespun wedding desserts!

If you or your loved ones are thinking about going rogue for an upcoming wedding, you’re not alone! With commercial wedding cakes selling for $8 a person (not to mention many of us needing allergy-friendly options), it’s not surprising that the homemade approach is growing in popularity.

Plus, homemade wedding cakes and wedding cake alternatives are often more beautiful and more delicious!

This post shares tips for success and many, many recipes (from cakes to pies to towers of macarons and more) from which to choose.

You’ll find recipes perfect for your celebration made from standard flour and sugar but also allergy-friendly options for Gluten-free, Grain-free, Paleo, Primal, GAPS, AIP, Keto, and Vegan dietary needs!

First, let’s look at some guidelines for success if you’re making your own cake.

How To Decorate A Homemade Wedding Cake To Look Professional

1. According to one cake expert, “The most important step in making a cake look more impressive and professional, is to make the layers level.” Read her full tutorial on decorating and piping here.

2. Watch video tutorials, read the best step-by-step guides, and then practice! This post will get you started with tips and videos.

3. Be prepared with all the tools you’ll need to bake and decorate your cake. Whether it’s piping or fondant you’re after, here’s a list of the decorating tools you’ll need.

4. Use flowers or fresh fruit to decorate. Look for inspiration here on Pinterest.

5. Consider specialty decorations:

• Making Rolled Fondant
• Frosting a Naked Cake
• Making an Ombré Rosette Cake
• Making a Checkerboard Cake

What is better for a cake frosting? Whipped cream or butter?

The main thing to remember with any wedding cake is: Use a tried and true recipe that will hold up to various temperatures.

A wedding cake frosting needs to be able to stand up to outdoor heat without the frosting melting. Or, it needs to stay indoors at room temperature for hours, holding its shape beautifully while still tasting great.

Here are several frosting recipes, many of which are allergy-friendly, that were designed to beat the odds.

Whipped Cream Frostings:

• 3- Ingredient Whipped Cream Frosting (Gluten-free, contains sugar)
• Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting (Gluten-free, Primal, Keto, GAPS)

Butter Frostings:

• Classic Buttercream Frosting (Gluten-free, contains powdered sugar)
• Easy Satin Buttercream (Paleo, Keto, GAPS)
• AIP Buttercream Frosting (Dairy-free, Paleo, AIP, GAPS)

Bake Your Own Cake! (Homemade Wedding Cake Recipes)

Image courtesy of Vikalinka and Nourished Kitchen. 

When deciding on a cake recipe, there are many considerations, including which flavor, size (think cupcakes!) and texture of cake to choose, but also if you want the cake to be allergy-friendly.

The recipes below vary considerably with several beautiful cake varieties. The cakes are also organized based on their ingredients: from standard ingredients to cakes made for specialty diets.

Standard Cakes

• Naked Cake with Mascarpone Cream and Crushed Strawberries
• Luscious Lemon Mousse Layer Cake

Einkorn Or Sprouted Flour Cakes

• Meyer Lemon Cake with Red Raspberry Cream Frosting (Uses einkorn or sprouted flour)
• Carrot Cake with Maple Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting (Uses sprouted or standard flour)

Gluten-Free Cakes

• French Cream Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Cinnamon Pecans (Uses einkorn, gluten-free, or standard flour)
• Triple Layer Orange Upside Down Cake (Uses soaked, gluten-free, or standard flour)
• Crustless Creamy Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake (Gluten-free)
• Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes topped with Summer Berries (Gluten-free)

Grain-Free Cakes

• Red Velvet Cake (Gluten-free, Paleo)
• Best Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache (Gluten-free, Paleo)
• Paleo Petit Fours (Gluten-free, Paleo, GAPS diet)
• Grain-Free Layer Cake (contains sugar, not Paleo)

Vegan Cakes

• Gluten-Free, Vegan Wedding Cake (Egg-free, Dairy-free)
• Easy Vegan Vanilla Cake (Egg-free, Dairy-free; use avocado oil when the recipe indicates “oil” in the ingredients list)

Pie Recipes (Simple Wedding Cake Ideas)

Image courtesy of The Loopy Whisk. 

Pies at weddings have become popular wedding dessert fare in recent years. Often family members and friends contribute pies, so no one has to overdo herself or her budget.

If you’re looking for the perfect pies for your wedding, find traditional and allergy-friendly cooking inspiration below. Here are some of the best sourdough, gluten-free, and grain-free pie recipes!

Crusts

• Sourdough Pie Crust (Sourdough and sprouted)
• Ultimate Lard Pie Crust (Standard flour)
• Best Gluten-Free Crust (Gluten-free; consider using all-natural palm shortening for the shortening)
• Best Paleo Pie Crust (Gluten-free, Paleo)

Pies

• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (Calls for the Ultimate Lard Pie Crust, above)
• Blackberry Pie (Gluten-free)

Non-Cake Cakes! (Wedding Cake Alternatives)

Image courtesy of Bridal Musings.

Non-cake wedding cakes are growing in popularity! What a fun and liberating time to be a bride or groom.

From towers of brie wheels with fruits and herbs to tiered donuts, here are some 2019 non-cake wedding cake trends.

Find recipes below for several of these non-cake ideas, including shortcakes, cheese wheel wedding cakes, macaron towers and a donut cake stand…

• Individual Strawberry Shortcakes (Sourdough)
  Guests could even make their own: Provide shortcakes, macerated strawberries and whipped cream at a buffet bar.
• How to Make a Cheese Wheel Wedding Cake (Gluten-free, GAPS, Keto)
  This new trend is a wonderful option for Keto and GAPS diet weddings! Most Bries, Camemberts and blue cheeses are aged and GAPS diet-friendly. Choose triple-cream cheeses for Keto! Delicious, creative, beautiful, and elegant!
• Flower and Macaron Tower (Gluten-free, Grain-free)
  Want to make homemade macarons, or support a local bakery who makes beautiful, colorful macarons? This tutorial teaches you how to make the dramatic centerpiece. Here’s a classic gluten-free French Macaron recipe if you want to make your own cookies.
• How to Make a Tiered Donut Wedding Cake Stand
  I have to admit, if you buy or make great donuts, this looks pretty fun.

We’d LOVE to see your beautiful homemade wedding cakes or dessert creations, whatever you choose to make. Please share with us your memories in the comments below! 🙂

Main image courtesy of Vikalinka.