The Groom’s Cake, a Southern Tradition
Did you know that the groom’s cake is mostly a Southern tradition? That’s right… go to a wedding up north and you may not see one. Here’s a fun bit of useless trivia: In the mid-1800’s, it was sent home with guests as their wedding favor. Unmarried female guests would put their piece under their pillow and dream of their future husband. Hence, the name “groom’s cake”.
A Modern Tradition
In modern times, the groom’s cake is usually a gift from the bride to the groom and designed to represent the groom’s personality and interests, whether that be a favorite sports team or his alma mater. Some examples include a cake that’s golf-themed, made to look like the groom’s favorite books, or computer-shaped. Since a lot of the attention of the wedding is focused on the bride, the groom’s cake is a good way to give him some recognition.
This cake is traditionally made of chocolate, with liqueur and fruit usually thrown in as well. If this doesn’t sound appealing to your husband-to-be, no worries! It’s all about his tastes, so buck tradition if that’s what he wants. Even if he doesn’t like cake, there are plenty of options. We’ve seen a crepe cake, a cake comprised of stacked up Oreos, and just plain donuts from the groom’s favorite local shop.
Having a groom’s cake is also a good way to resolve dessert conflict. If one side of the family wants red velvet while the other side wants lemon, or if you and your fiance can’t agree on frosting flavors, you can make one preference the main wedding cake and the other the groom’s cake.
There are no real rules for serving the groom’s cake, because traditionally it was given away as a party favor. Some couples choose to serve it at the rehearsal dinner, because the groom’s family usually hosts the event anyway. However, most couples slice and serve the groom’s cake immediately after the wedding cake. If the cake is big enough, you can give guests a slice of both, but if it’s not, you can just let your guests choose which they’d prefer.
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