The Ultimate Guide to Italian Wedding Cakes
From Millefoglie to Italian Dessert Tables, which one would you choose?
When it comes to wedding cake, Italians do it differently. Fresh, seasonal ingredients take centre stage over tiered, iced creations. The extravagance is often found in the scale, drama and presentation, rather than the height and sugar flowers, and the exquisite flavours and ingredients, means Italian wedding cakes are the ultimate choice for taste and elegance.
The influence of the internet on wedding trends, and the world-wide spread of cultural traditions means you don’t need to get married in Italy to have an Italian wedding cake or dessert table, although still in the minority, there are a growing number of Italian pastry chefs and bakers in the UK who are specialising in creating these authentic Italian cakes and pastries.
Literally translated Millefoglie means a ‘A thousand leaves’ referring to the effect of the many layers of flaky puff pastry and fresh crema pasticcera (Pastry cream) and Chantilly cream. With no sponge in sight, the millefoglie is more ‘delectable dessert’ than ‘cake artistry’. Its appeal comes from its fresh, delicate and light combination of buttery pastry, cream and fresh seasonal fruits.
This single-tiered pastry is of French origin, dating back centuries and known as the Millefeuille. The influence of French patisserie in Italy led to this dessert being adopted by Italians in the Post-War era and became a widespread Northern Italian wedding tradition, particularly in the region of Tuscany. It was originally served as dessert rather than wedding cake but today it has evolved into a show-stopping, theatrical centrepiece that is built by the pastry chef at the venue, live, in front of the guests.
The Millefoglie has grown in popularity around the world due to its widespread presence on Social media. Couples are opting for this simple and sophisticated alternative to wedding cake for its dramatic impact, unique twist and of course, its light, delicious taste.
Why choose Millefoglie as your wedding cake?
WHY NOT? If you are not a big fan of cake, icing or buttercream and you are more of a fan of pastry and desserts, this is the perfect fit for you. You can personalise it with various flavours or toppings, and the LIVE preparation of Millefoglie at your venue will make the anticipated wedding cake element of your day even more memorable.
If you don’t however want to stray too far from English wedding cake tradition, you could opt for the Italian ‘Pan di Spagna’. This cake is closer to a classic sponge wedding cake in appearance; however, I tell you with hand on heart, it’s far superior. Of course, it’s a matter of taste, if you are a fan of very sweet buttercream and icing, then the Pan di Spagna may not be for you. If, on the other hand, you dream of the lightest, fluffiest sponge, drizzled with liqueur syrup to give delicate moisture, filled with the most creamy and indulgent crema diplomatica that you could literally bathe yourself in, then keep reading, this is the wedding cake for you!!!
Whilst the Millefoglie is more a Northern Italian tradition, The Pan di Spagna is a more popular choice in the South. Due to its very light and moist consistency, it is traditionally made in single tiers and cascaded on stands to create scale and height. The classic Pan di Spagna is finished with piped Chantilly cream, fruits, pastries, chocolate decorations or even fresh flowers. Dramatic tiered cakes are therefore often created using dummy tiers due to the soft texture of the Pan di Spagna being too unstable to stack.
This cake choice has its advantages if you want your wedding cake to have a more bespoke exterior. There tends to be more decorative scope than with the Millefoglie, giving a more traditional feel to the wedding cake and the ability to bring elements of your wedding style, décor and colour scheme to the cake. There are also more flavour options and combinations with the sponge and liqueur elements and numerous tiers.
There is a third option to consider when it comes to the dolce side of Italian weddings and that is the ‘dessert table’. Italy is also famed for its ‘Pasticcini’. Literally translated as ‘little pastries’ these sweet morsels are a perfect treat to serve as an alternative or addition to a wedding cake.
In some regions of Southern Italy, traditionally the women of the family made mini regional pastries and biscotti to serve at the drinks reception, and venues are famed for lavish dessert displays wheeled into the wedding reception on a spectacular banqueting table with musical accompaniment. More recently there has been a growing trend of Italian dessert towers too, from stacked pyramids of Sicilian Cannoli, Towers of Delizie al Limone on the Amalfi coast to Champagne glass towers filled with Tiramisu.
The Italian dessert table gives you and your wedding guests lots of choice to cater for all tastes and whether it’s at your drinks reception or evening reception, these little mouthfuls of heaven are easy to pick up and eat, whilst you are having a drink, dance and chat, making them the perfect sociable sweet treat. Who says it has to be cake? If a table full of Italian mini patisserie is more your style, then why not opt for a Tavolo di Dolce for your special day.
Choosing an Italian wedding cake or one of the delicious alternative Italian offerings for your UK wedding, will not only prove to be a wow factor. It will add a taste of Italian elegance that will keep your guests talking for years to come, making it one for the memory books!
If you are on your UK wedding planning journey and this blog has got you excited…. click below to find out more about my authentic Italian wedding cakes and pastries!!
Alla Prossima!
With thanks to the following photographers for use of the images used in this blog:
Darren Cresswell Photography
Sam and Louise Photo and Film
Marie Anson Photo
Monkey Mole Photography
Chris Snowdon Photography
