Groom's Cake for Alex

Kit Kat St. Louis Cardinal's Grooms Cake

My niece, Becky, got married on June 13th.

A very beautiful bride and equally beautiful wedding.

It was a perfect day for a perfect union.

Since I enjoy baking cakes, I told Becky that I would make the groom's cake for Alex.

It was not difficult come up with the "perfect" cake for Alex.

He is an avid St. Louis Cardinal's fan.

The groom!
(photo by Makayla Beth Photography) 

 A little trivia...


The tradition of the groom's cake can be traced back to the Victorian era in England, when, in addition to the main wedding cake, there was also a groom's cake and a smaller bride's cake. At the end of the wedding, the two cakes were sliced and served to the groomsmen and bridesmaids.

 This is the cake I came up with...

The groom's cake eventually made its way to the United States, and its popularity has endured, especially in the South. Many brides find the groom's cake appealing because it's a way to give the groom special recognition on a day when most of the attention seems to center on the bride.

Today, groom's cakes are usually made of dark chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 Classic Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
• 1 Cup Water
•  ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
•  4 Large Eggs (box mix calls for 3 eggs, add 1 more)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F for metal or glass pans, 325°F for dark or coated pans. GREASE sides and bottom of each pan with shortening or oil spray.

BLEND cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). BEAT at medium speed for 2 minutes. POUR batter in pans and bake immediately. 

BAKE  24-29 minutes for 2-9 in. round cake pans.

Gather the ingredients.

Mix according to box directions.

Bake at 350 degrees for 24-29 minutes until done.

As part of Alex's groom cake, I put together baseball trinkets

in this St. Louis Cardinal's pail...

Big League Chew, Cracker Jacks, bubblegum baseballs, and a baseball bat.

When the cake is cool, remove from the pans.

Put a dab of frosting on the cardboard cake round to secure the bottom cake layer.

Frost the top of the first layer.

Add the second layer and frost the top.

I found a free printable template of a baseball 

and enlarged it to fit on top of a 9 in. round cake.

I cut off the sides, so I could score the edges of the "laces."

I found string red licorice for the baseball laces.

I cut the licorice the same size as one side of the stitching.

After the frosting had hardened in the refrigerator,

I dipped a knife into hot water to smooth the top of the cake.

Then I returned it to the refrigerator to harden again.

When the frosting is set and no longer sticky,

score the top of the cake along the sides of the template.

Add the licorice stitches evenly to both sides of the 2 scored lines.

Put some wax paper or aluminum foil under the cake.

It will make a clean edge on top of the cake board.

Frost the sides with chocolate frosting.

Unwrap about 8 packages of Kit Kat candy bars.

Use the frosting as glue to hold the Kit Kat candy bars in place.

Tie the candy bars with a tin red ribbon to secure them.

I put a rim of white Sixlets candies around the inner edge of the cake for a more finished look.

They can be found at Walmart.

I added a St. Louis Cardinal lanyard for a finishing touch.
I also added to the top of the cake a St. Louis Cardinal decal
 and left the plastic around it.

Becky and Alex ready to cut the cake.

And why do you cut the cake together at the ceremony? 

Because this is the first task you will do together as Husband and Wife.

Feeding each other the cake symbolizes 

how the couple will feed and nourish the relationship for the rest of their lives. 

 This was meant as a loving and caring symbol for each other. 

 More on groom's cakes:

Traditionally, the groom's cake is not served at the wedding.

 If you are not serving any desserts other than wedding cake, however, you might break with tradition and serve the groom's cake to all your guests after the wedding cake is served.

Alex graciously shared his groom's cake with their wedding guests.

(http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/226856/grooms-cake)

 Perhaps more typically, individual slices are boxed up before the wedding and given to the unmarried women at the reception.

 Legend has it that if an unmarried woman sleeps with a slice of the groom's cake under her pillow, she will dream of her future husband.

Becky & Lyndie
Sorry, Lyndie, I didn't know of that tradition until now, 

or I would have sent a piece of groom's cake home with you!

Here is more great trivia to share with newly married or engaged couples:
Wedding Traditions & Wedding Rituals

Congratulations, Alex & Becky!
and, many, many years of wedded bliss!
(photo by Makayla Beth)

makaylabethphotography@gmail.com