For the last hundred years, the cake has been the focal point for wedding desserts. That is until the early ’00s and the cupcake trend washed over the nation! Many people were opting for the convenience and cost-conscious and simply adorable cupcakes in lieu of towering pieces of art.
A DIY Bride Chooses Cupcakes
The first wedding cake I ever made, was my own. I planned my wedding from Germany for a lovely, snowy hometown affair in Michigan. My husband stayed for a couple of days before the wedding with my sister, so I planned on using her kitchen to bake. I didn’t want to make things overly complicated, and we only invited about 65 people to our wedding. (He’s from Virginia, so all of his people would be traveling if they came).
I originally researched some local bakeries and flailed trying to figure out the pricing. Planning from overseas, with an ALL-IN budget of $7K (wedding, reception, rehearsal, honeymoon, and our flight to-and-from Germany). We had to be very prudent as to where we allocated our funds. I am also a bit of a cake snob. In my experience at that point in my life, I didn’t particularly like any cakes from grocery stores or other places. I honestly felt that box cakes tasted better. (I still have that opinion about box cakes vs. grocery store bakeries). So when I saw the prices of wedding cakes, I saved my money and knew I needed to do it on my own. I also knew I would be infusing my love into the cake which was hugely important to me. (The average price for wedding cakes is $3-$8 per slice!!!) I knew I couldn’t afford at that time to spend $200+ on a wedding cake.
So, I baked adorable marble cupcakes. (I am definitely a chocolate bride!!) And to go with my Rain Forrest theme, I made them striped! (Ocelots live in South America, and I imagine them enjoying the Rain Forrest). They were fun, personal, and perfect for our event.
I did still want a small wedding cake to go on the top tier of the cupcake tower. So we had a tiny German Chocolate Cake. I piped some grass in Green Buttercream and placed safari animals after my cake toppers were smashed by the customs officers. The cake was SO good!!! It is the one thing at my wedding I wish I would have had more of. There were really only 5 tiny slices. We shared one. Then we served cake to my husband’s parents and my best friend’s parents. I make German Chocolate Cake every year in honor of my great gram for her birthday, and now I can’t wait until August!!! Yum, Yum!!
Traditional Cakes and New Trends
I don’t think we’ll ever see traditional cakes fade from weddings. There are infinite varieties and styles from elaborate to rustic. I am seeing fewer cupcake weddings, or simply some cupcakes to accompany a smaller tiered cake. I am also seeing lots of other non-traditional options which are wildly fun! (Donuts, Savory items, Cookies, etc!)
Brides on a Budget
You don’t have to sacrifice style for budget in the cake vs. cupcake decision. It really comes down to your taste, preferences, and your budget.
For brides on a budget, shop around. I have as close to transparent pricing as I can, given that I make custom cakes. My base pricing for a birthday cake, is the same price as for a wedding cake, or a celebration cake. What this means for you- I don’t have “wedding” price hikes. An 8″ cake frosted in blush pink is the same amount of effort and ingredients as a white cake. (Actually, if I’m coloring the icing it is the tiniest smidgen more complex). I charge by time.
Additionally, while my cakes are all sold by the cake size, it is a proportional cost to the actual amount of cake. (Unlike Pizza. When you buy Pizza, it’s a much better deal the more Pizza you buy (per square inch of pizza)). I use actual butter for my cakes and buttercream (vs. shortening) and unless I have a specific request for something, I use natural extracts for all my flavorings.
Cupcakes may or may not end up being more cost effective. It will depend on how simple you would like either design. If both are the simplest design, at my bakery, the total cost is about the same. (One cupcake is ≈ one slice of cake) Same ingredients and frosting each cupcake.
For Example, a 6-Inch cake serves 8 people for $34. A Dozen Cupcakes is $42
In the example above, the cake is $4.25 per slice and the cupcakes are $3.50 each. Where you can save on a cake instead of cupcakes, is smaller slices. I include the wedding servings versus party servings on my Price Chart. Wedding cake slices are typically smaller than party cakes. So for a 6-inch cake, I recommend that it serves $14 for a wedding. Which actually SAVES you money compared to cupcakes. $2.43 per slice!
The examples above are for simple cakes. Cake/Cupcake + frosting. Additional design elements would increase both prices. (eg. sugar flowers, Piped flowers, fillings, fruit, sculpted toppers etc).
