When did the color white for wedding cakes become a tradition?

According the Erin Emmett, a pastry chef and founder of Pistachio Culinary Studio in Brooklyn, New York in the U.S., white wedding cakes date back to the Victorian era, during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901) of the United Kingdom. At the time, white sugar was extremely expensive, so a white wedding cake came to symbolize the family’s wealth and social standing. Additionally the white cake, and a traditional bride’s white wedding dress, both symbolized purity and the start of the marriage union.

Another tradition involved the white wedding cake-many newlyweds elected to save the top tier of their wedding cake by stashing it in the freezer. On the one-year anniversary of their wedding, couples would defrost the cake and eat it together. This tradition dates all the way back to the 19th century when couples would eat the preserved top layer of their cake on the day of their first child’s christening.

For the guests, the white wedding cake was traditionally shared with everyone present for the reception. The confection symbolized good luck and wishes for a sweet future.

Another source indicates that the groom in ancient Rome would eat a small portion of a loaf of bread and then spread the bread over the bride’s head to symbolize the man’s power over the woman. Another interpretation was that it would ensure fertility and health to their future children. The guests attending the wedding would gather and eat the bread crumbs, maybe hoping to obtain some luck.

More Info: www.theknot.com

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10 Comments

Janet Dick

They didn't have freezers in the 19th century. The cake was usually a rich fruit cake, sometimes with alcohol involved, and kept well as long as stored in a sealed container.

Howard Groopman

It's a nice day for a white wedding.

janellejaworski

Oh yum 😋 I love wedding cakes good thing I try the haunted mansion bloody wedding cake it’s a haunted mansion anniversary dessert.

james parrillo

Louella Wilson, I am not being sassy. Did you mean to use the word cloud? Thank you, Christine, James's wife

Char

I read this somewhere before is how I knew

buhlemann

When people in some areas of the Balkans saw western films depicting a bride in White, they was shocked - until recently, white was the color of death - corpses were wrapped in white. In some areas, brides wore red. Since the 1950s, that has changed.

Albeck1994

Doris Dallaire, traditional wedding cakes will last for years providing stored in a sealed container, some were kept until the 25th anniversary

Louella Wilson

Matching "a traditional bride’s white wedding dress" is not entirely true. Pre 20th century many clouds were used by brides. I remember seeing a collection of 19th century Australian (English in reality) ones, which ranged from cream to black. Black being predominant and not a white one in sight.