Wedding Blog
Mr. P and I don’t really like cake. But what would a vaguely Marie Antoinette-themed wedding be without cake? We love little cake-like things like macarons (that I’ve talked about way too much already), but we want something different. Croquembouche (translation: crunch in the mouth) is basically a cone-shaped pile of profiteroles. Wouldn’t it be so lovely to eat this?
We thought it over and went back and forth for about ten minutes, and decided the pile would be difficult to cut into and negotiate. We also realized secretly that we’re not that cool or sophisticated (and more traditional than we thought). So, we’re going with cake.
I found this one on theknot.com, and the decoration just happens to look quite similar to the embroidery on my dress! I really like it (except for the monogram). The color is about right, too.
Then I thought, maybe this Wedgwood-looking cake would better reflect the Laduree-inspired design that we have going on in our invitations (more on those later).
And this weekend, when we went down to the Homestead for our menu tasting, I showed the chef the two cake images and let him decide. My only stipulations were that he make whatever cake he thinks is best, and that it should be a close replica, not a parody or general approximation of the cake in the image. He said the Wedgwood cake looked too much like wood moulding, and the negative space isn’t very nice. (Note to self: Chef doesn’t like home-improvement elements on cakes.) So, we’re going with the aqua lace cake! Ironically, he told me to send him a paint chip so he can get the color exactly right. For the inside, we chose two flavors: lemon (at the bottom for non-messy cutting) and dark chocolate-raspberry (for the top two tiers).
That was easy.
Did you design a cake with your baker or did you bring him/her an inspiration picture and ask for it to be replicated?
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Share this post: Let Them Eat… Croquembouche?
ummmm…Perfume, I don’t know how to say this, but I think I have a crush on your wedding. I love the first cake!
Wow! A paint chip is a good idea to match colors! It sounds like your baker really wants to get it right! The one you picked is so pretty & elegant!
we don’t like cake either so we are having a chocolate fountain and a candy buffet in place of those. We’ve heard some complaints already…but it’s our wedding, so we’re just shrugging it off.
The design you found is beautiful, (and I’m sure your guests will be happier than ours!) 
I’m afraid to be too picky or demanding of my chef!! I wonder if he’ll be as cool as yours??
I prefer the first cake! When I went to my baker, I took a picture (and any materials I needed i.e. brooches for the cake) and explained exactly what I envisioned. I think it helps them, especially if you have something specific in mind! 
Against home improvement elements, but wants a paint chip for color selection? Hmmm…
Your inspirations are lovely, though, and it sounds like your cake will fit your theme perfectly!
this first cake a very beautiful and elegant! i think it will fit the theme of your wedding very well!
LOVE IT! Though I wonder if you considered petit fours instead of full-on cake? Seems like they would fit the theme and be vaguely less cake-like.
Your cake looks beautiful and sounds delicious!
I took an inspiration picture to show exactly how I wanted my cake.
As my fiance’s family is french, our groom’s cake will be the ever so sweet croquembouche. In contrast, our traditional cake will be a simple white confectionary dream adorned with white flowers.
Ha - I did the opposite and it completely confused my baker! I knew I wanted a specific baker because their cakes taste wonderful, but hadn’t gotten any further than that. So when I showed up to my tasting and said “these are my colors, do whatever looks nice and is cheap” (I was willing to pay anything for taste, but not appearance!) they had no idea what to do! The baker said I was the only bride she had ever met that didn’t have a specific cake in mind. Oops! Meanwhile, they’re doing what they do best and it should come out gorgeous!
Your cake will be beautiful. Tres chic!
The FH and I want to have a croquembouche at the wedding in some way, but it probably won’t be our main cake. I just LOVE cream puffs too much to NOT have them around.
That cake is beautiful and fits in perfectly with the rest of your wedding details. I can’t wait to see the finished product!
Oh-oh! We had a croquembouche in lieu of a cake!
We’re also not wild about cake - especially for the price. For the same $$ as a basic cake, we got a seriously beautiful croquembouche from the patisserie where we went on our first date! It was actually such a visually stunning confection that most of our guests thought it was art! But everyone loved it. They were intrigued by the novelty and loved the taste. (I actually caught my MIL and MOH “cleaning” up the leftovers after the wedding - ie, scraping the last pieces off the plate!)
We just had people break it apart with their fingers and eat off hor d’ouevres plates. I was expecting some squeamish faces, but everyone dug in. I think they were just too excited to care about “communal” food.
Beautiful cake options though!
@peachypear: Oh my gawd, you’re making me rethink my decision!!!!!!!
It is going to look and taste fantastic. Are you sure I am not on the invite list???
@Miss D’orsay: @BeachBrideT: @LatteLove: @MagPie518: @Stephanie: @lovelerae: @Miss Latte: @Miss Deviled Egg: @Miss Peep Toe: Thank you!! Blush.
@IronMaiden: I agree! Taste is most important! But if they can make it beautiful, all the better! I wish I liked cake!
@driftslikesmoke: @DrDazey: Ooh, profiterole puffs…I’m envious. Now I’m thinking maybe we can have a little pile of them just for our sweetheart table. Would that be bad?
I love the cake! It is so pretty! We are doing the same thing with flavors! Chocolate for top two and something lighter colored and fruity for the bottom layer.
we also had a croquenbouche instead of a traditional wedding cake. PM for some amazing pictures… we had the venue cut it up for us… everyone got two cream puffs, along with the dessert that came with the menu.
i had intended to get a macaron croquembouche at our french bistrot but with the whole financial mess now, we’re scrapping it due to cost constraints.
i am, however, having a french dessert platter for each guest (small portions of creme brule, eclair, tarte tatin etc) instead of cake
your comment abt having a mini one on the sweetheart table is absolutely tempting though! *pictures myself the bride stuffing my face with macarons*
i’m super excited about your wedding! love your style!
I would LOVE croquembouche in lieu of a wedding cake! sigh. Unfortunately, I am not even going to bring it up with our coordinators. I’m having a hard time NOT having every single disk come out with a Jamaican jerk spice on it…
*dish
Forgot to add - we’ll be having some sort of (I’m sure) awful fruitcake. May need to rethink that…
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Mrs. Perfume, DC
Age and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, Consultant
Engagement Date: May 13, 2008
Wedding Date: May, 2009
Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, Virginia
About Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
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