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Outside the Cake Box – Alternative Wedding Desserts


Dessert Bar on Pinterest

What if you just don’t love wedding cake? Yes, it is rather pretty and most people expect wedding cake to be part of a wedding reception, but your wedding is all about you and your beloved. If you don’t want to eat cake, then you don’t have to! Or perhaps you love the idea of offering your guests options when it comes to the sweetest part of your wedding reception. Here are a few alternative wedding desserts that will leave you and your guests beyond delighted:

Cupcakes – Cupcakes are the natural alternative for couples who love cake, but who have been disappointed by the sometimes-dry, multi-tiered wedding cake. In 3-4 decadent bites, a tower of various cupcakes guarantees that each guest enjoys dessert as much as you do!

Pie – Some people just love pie. Apple, peach, cherry, or pecan, there are so many fillings with which to stuff buttery flaky pie crust that the possibilities are endless. Pies can either be made traditional size or they may be made into individual tarts. Served a la mode or with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, you can never go wrong with a wedding pie.

S’mores – The ultimate comfort dessert is upgraded to elegant wedding status in this campy wedding cake alternative. Guests can be offered individual baskets of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars for a DIY dessert project. With sticks and either table top fire pits or various fire stations around the room, your guests will be licking their fingers and asking for more! Alternatively, the reception hall might offer to assemble freshly made s’mores for your guests and plate them individually. In either case, the result is a delicious ending to your perfect day.

Pound or Rum Cake Assortment – Wedding cakes are expensive because of the frosting and embellishments. However, if you hate frosting, then why not opt for pound cakes baked in various Bundt pans? A sumptuous display of pound or rum cakes paired with beautifully jarred jams and preserves are a casual wedding cake alternative. As always, make freshly whipped cream or ice cream available to your guests.

Croquembouche – If the wedding cake is the king of desserts, the croquembouche is the undisputed queen. Elegant and stately, the croquembouche is a delicate tower of ethereal cream puffs. Usually, the croquembouche is artistically adorned with gossamer spun sugar. It’s one of those displays that are almost too beautiful to eat. Traditionally offered at French weddings, the croquembouche is a stunning alternative to the wedding cake.

Dessert Hour with Dessert Bar – Why decide on just one dessert for your wedding reception when you can select an entire suite of desserts? And if you love cocktail hour why not wow your guests with a dessert hour for the end of the reception? Just imagine various dessert stations around the reception hall with servers passing out various sweet treats. From dessert shots, individual cake and mousse cups artistically crafted to match the theme of your wedding, to milk and cookie stations, the only limit to the desserts at your wedding is your imagination. When you can’t decide between French macarons, éclairs, petit fours, donuts or brownies, the dessert hour is the ultimate option for a sweet finale to your wedding reception.

The wedding cake is just one of many choices for the contemporary bride. If you’ve never been particularly impressed by this traditional dessert, why not explore your options? Both you and your guest with appreciate that you chose to think out of the cake box.

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