How to Chose Your Wedding Cake

An old article written for an online publishing house, back in Delhi, circa 2007... We were given research material and asked to include all the points in the article...

My Wedding Cake

“Wolf, Peter Wolfe is my husband’s name.

I was brought up in the U.S.A. My family had migrated during World War II. A German couple helped my young Jewish parents to flee from the clutches of The Third Reich. I was born on a big American Carrier in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Time and distance had not come between their friendship. I was brought up to believe I would be married to Wolf. As a young girl, I was petrified. I loved my parents and understood what their feelings of gratitude were, but the idea of giving their daughter to the wolf! I somehow could not be comfortable with that.

As a result, whenever I saw wedding cakes, I would imagine, on top of my wedding cake, the bride and the wolf!

When I was old enough, they showed me a picture of “ my wolf”. He was such a dish! I could not believe it. We started writing to each other, became friends and eventually decided to honor both our parents’ wishes. He agreed to live with me here. The day was decided. He came with his parents and we got married. And this honey, is the cake my Father baked in his Bakery for my wedding”, said Mrs. Wolf pointing towards the classic photograph on the wall. The three-tier cake had the Bride and the Wolf!

I had gotten Mrs. Wolfe’s reference through a colleague at work. I really did not know him that much, he just happened to pass by when I was asking my close friend Betty about which Bakery to book for my cake. We had decided to get married exactly three months hence. John said, “I could not help overhearing, may I suggest “Jewish Bakery” at Eleventh Street? It is very special. She will give you all the trimmings you want and suggest something better keeping your style in mind. You must book your cake as soon as possible. Bakers generally take 4 to 6 months’ booking. Give my reference to the owner Mrs. Wolfe. She might be able to do something for you. Well, all the best”.

Mrs. Wolfe showed me the big album containing the best of her previous work. She explained how the trends keep changing. “Actually, the cake should be the culmination of the rest of the décor, the theme of your wedding.

“If you were having an outdoor wedding I would have suggested something like this icing décor. Look at the basket weave and the fresh floral pattern. Perfect for a Spring/ Summer wedding.

“Since your wedding is in Fall, how about this square one, with sugared fruit and Autumn leaves?

“These are especially made for winter weddings”, said Mrs. Wolfe as she showed me some beautiful cakes that had edible snowflakes and pinecones.

“Like I said dear, the trends keep changing. Nowadays, people have started going back to the traditional three tier cakes…” Even before she had finished I said, “Yes, actually I want the one you had, but without the wolf”.

We both laughed. Mrs. Wolfe asked, “What flavor do you want dear? Why don’t you sample some of these pastries and tell me which one you like the best. You can also have three different flavors for the three tiers.”

Mrs. Wolfe was still smiling even as she wrote in her order book, ‘…smooth butter cream, lacework icing, silver base…’ while I admired the photograph of her wedding cake.

The cake was something our guests absolutely loved. It added to the splendor of the Evening. When Steve and I exchanged our vows, my colleague John Wolfe and his mother were there as special guests. I had the hall set up in old classic style too so all of it looked very ethereal. Three of my friends who got married after me have gone to the Jewish Bakery.