Trending Now: Hand-Painted Wedding Cakes

By Sarah Schreiber
March 19, 2018
Melanie Gabrielle

Get inspired by one of these unique confections.

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Kristen Kilpatrick

There's a lot more to wedding cake than white fondant. The classic, all-white three-tier confection will never go out of style, but confectioners are beginning to consider these creamy desserts blank slates rather than the finished product. They're artists, after all! We've always been inspired by the cutting-edge cake bakers, and the latest trend they've introduced might just be their prettiest contribution yet. Enter hand-painted cakes. Detailed entirely by hand, these colorful desserts prove that fondant is just another name for a fresh canvas.

With floral designs (like this treat by Coco Paloma Desserts), punchy fruit details, pretty crests, and full-blown portraits, the following cakes prove there are many different ways to interpret this trend. That's arguably the best thing about hand-painted desserts—any vision, detail, or embellishment is possible, especially when you have a talented artist on board. A natural continuation of the watercolor cake trend, these painted-on details go beyond washes of pastel colors, modern smudges, or tinted ombré. These cakes essentially feature still-life scenes, with thought-out designs and a whole lot of artistry.

Another major plus of choosing a hand-painted cake? It applies to virtually any wedding style. If you're throwing a minimalist fête with a neutral color palette, opt for tiers embellished only with tiny painted vines. Alternatively, pair your destination wedding's splashy hues and tropical themes with a two-tier illustrated with monstera leaves and flamingos. Whatever the party, one thing is certain. A hand-painted wedding cake will genuinely impress your guests—they just might wonder if they walked into your reception or the latest gallery opening.

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Tiny Dancer

Melanie Gabrielle

Earth and Sugar created this Edgar Degas-inspired cake, which Sparrow and Grain completed with a rendition of artist's famous work, "L Etoile."

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Metallic

Tulle and Grace
More Metallic Wedding Cakes That Make a Statement

The watercolor bloom designs on the bottom tier of this Sugar and Slate creation perfectly complemented the smaller golden top.

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Moody Floral

Ryan Johnson Photography

Smore Sweets Bakery's confection's middle tier featured rose buds, anemones, ferns, and berries, which all appeared in the celebration's floral arrangements (including the bridal bouquet!).

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Citrus

The Ganeys
Discover More Fruity Wedding Cakes

At a vintage-inspired Florida wedding, it was only appropriate that the cake feature the state's signature fruit. The couple enlisted Sweets Illustrated to create this painted citrus confection, topped with the real thing.

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Chinoiserie

Alixann Loosle Photography

This traditional cake by Layers Cake proved that trendy hand-painted details can also feel classic. Strips of Chinoiserie-patterned scenes broke up the clean white fondant. A lush sugar flower was another focal point.

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Field of Blooms

Matthew Bishop
Want the Real Thing? Check Out These Flower-Adorned Cakes

Neviepie created this five-tier masterpiece, which featured a lush floral scene. Uninterrupted dahlias, wildflowers, and lilac sprigs made the multi-sized, asymmetrical sections feel more visually unified and helped the confection fit in with the bloom-studded dessert table.

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Minimal Vines

The Ganeys

Painted-on greens—including eucalyptus, olive leaves, and fern fronds—brought a hint of modern color to a smooth white three-tier treat by Hands On Sweets.

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Tropical

Xander and Thea
More Tropical Wedding Ideas We Love

The Cake Parlour drew palm leaves, punchy florals, and flamingos onto this tropical-themed confection and topped everything off with a sugar hibiscus—Hawaii's state flower.

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Bas Relief

Pearl and Ash
52 Small Wedding Cakes with a Big Presence

Blooms, illustrated in bas relief, brought dimension to this Sweet and Saucy Shop single-serving confection.

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Black and Pastel

Lindsay Nickel
Discover 50 More Beautiful Wedding Cakes

Painted pastel ranunculus and textured fondant were the starring elements of this dramatic charcoal wedding cake from Sugar by Tracy.

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Monogram

Katie Parra Photography

This The Sweet Side beauty was inspired by Rifle Paper Co.'s floral design aesthetic. The bride's new initial replaced a more traditional topper and felt much more personal.

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Mint

Cake Ink

A barely-mint background made Cake Ink's green leaf-and-bud design seem so subtle.

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Bold Blue

Molly + Co

The Butter End created this floral-detailed cake, which served as a continuation of the blue-and-white stand is sat atop. Gold strips separated each layer from the next.

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A Touch of Gold

Vanessa Velez
More Wedding Details You Can Gild

Swirled watercolor paint, pieces of gold leaf, and a lamb's ear and rose spray defined the top tier of this Sucrette Miami cake. The main layer featured illustrated blooms that referenced the real florals on top.

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Subtle Tropical

Krista Mason Photography
Love Chocolate? You'll Swoon Over These Cakes

A tropical palm leaf illustration by Sweet and Saucy Shop tied this chocolate-and-vanilla confection back to the leafy dessert table. A "stitched" effect (also created by clever hand-painting!) defined the cake's cocoa half.

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Ornate

Elizabeth Fogarty Photography

Fluffy Thoughts Bakery used edible gold paint to form an ornate frame around this small cake's pièce de résistance—the pastel-hued flower illustration.

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Tiled

Dana Fernandez

Buttercup Bakery's tile-inspired confection was the perfect painted addition to a Mediterranean-style celebration.

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Rose Gold

Emilia Jane Photography

Rose gold anemones were all this smooth three-tier needed to pop.

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Lock and Key

Kerry Jeanne Photography
More Wedding Confections with Sugar Flowers

A botanical illustration by Honey Crumb was outlined by brass-hued detailing, which manifested in a small keyhole at the base. Sprawling greens and a sugar flower brought the vegetal theme to life.

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Wallflowers

Damaris Mia Photography

Asymmetrical layers with copper edges created the illusion that this wedding cake was wrapped in floral-printed wallpaper.

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Color Contrast

Jacqueline Campbell

Hey There, Cupcake! created this two-tone confection, complete with a blue hand-painted base and red paper flower details.

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The New Black-and-White

Belathée Photography

For their museum wedding, this couple commissioned a cake that became an unintentional nod to their art-themed wedding. Oakleaf Cakes Bake Shop painted a springy vine onto the first three tiers and completed the look with a leafy hydrangea.

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Birds and Blooms

Wookie Photography
Discover More Adorable Single-Serving Wedding Cakes

Kate Burt Cakes hand-designed these creative mini treats, painted with swirling blue floral and bird motifs.

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By Sarah Schreiber