Martha Stewart Weddings

32 New Takes on Traditional Wedding Cake Flavors

By Sarah Schreiber
Updated September 30, 2020
Credit: Magnolia Adam's Photography

Vanilla cake and buttercream aren't your only flavor options.

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Credit: Emily Kirke Photography

There is so much more to wedding cake than traditional vanilla buttercream. We're not knocking the go-to flavor—what's not to love?—but as far as wedding confection variety goes, it's just a drop in the mixer. After all, there's no better way to show off you and your fiancé's creative sides than through a nontraditional wedding cake flavor. Whether that's a play on classic vanilla bean or something entirely unique (like ginger-lime!), the choice really is up to you.

While your cake baker will likely be your point person when determining flavors and flavor pairings, we thought we'd get the process started with a healthy dose of inspiration. Enter the following nontraditional wedding cake flavors, all from real celebrations. They represent the very best in flavor choice—albeit, in different ways. While some confections' unique tastes are determined by the actual cake (think red velvet, lemon plum, banana, and even pumpkin!), other nontraditional wedding cake flavors get their boosts from one-of-a-kind icing, savory add-ons (like popcorn!), and on-trend drips (like this berry-centric dessert by Erica Obrien!). It just goes to show—these days, wedding cakes are a lot more than the marriage of cake and frosting. There's just so much that goes into making your big day slice taste delicious.

All of those nontraditional wedding cake flavor options mean that there's something here that any couple will love. And if there isn't? Make like so many of these twosomes and opt for a two- or even three-flavor confection. It's your big day. You should tailor your wedding cake, whatever the flavor, to your exact vision.

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Citrus and Mint Meringue

Credit: Anna Delores Photography
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Give your wedding cake a citrus twist. Lele Patisserie created this couple's four-tier cake with two nontraditional wedding cake flavor combinations: citrus cake with citrus meringue buttercream filling for the three smaller layers, and chocolate orange cake with mint meringue buttercream for the bottom tier.

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Citrus Buttermilk

Credit: Janine Licare

A tropical flavored cake can help transport your guests to paradise without leaving your reception. That was just the case with this confection by Cake Coquette. The citrus buttermilk cake included citrus cream filling and a lemon curd.

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Orange Blossom

Credit: Redfield Photography

Want to serve an unexpectedly delicious flavor combination at your wedding? Take a cue from Taste Crème treat, which featured two sweet pairings: one layer featured orange blossom whipped cream and apricot preserves alongside almond cake while the other layer was made of white chocolate whipped cream and fresh raspberries with chocolate cake.

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Chambord Liqueur

Credit: Ashley Ludaescher

Flavorful icing is one way to make a cake stand out, but that's certainly not your only option. The Four Seasons Santa Barbara soaked this yellow cake with Chambord liqueur and filled it with vanilla cream and fresh raspberries to make the confection completely unique.

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Jasmine Green Tea Ganache

Credit: Jose Villa

A multi-flavor wedding cake ensures there's something for everyone. Jasmine Rae Cakes made an earl grey cake with honey-rose buttercream and lemon curd and another chocolate cake with matcha buttercream and jasmine green tea ganache.

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Red Velvet Layers

Credit: Becca Lea Photography

Why not try a go-to favorite cake, like red velvet, for your newlywed confection? This treat by Central Market included vanilla cake with lemon and raspberry filling and red velvet layers with cream cheese icing.

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Almond and Peach

Credit: KT Merry

Hey There, Cupcake topped this four-tier, almond-flavored cake with peaches and buttercream. It was an unexpectedly fruity treat that guests loved.

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Carrot and Marble

Credit: Anya Kernes Photography
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Step outside of the box with an array of tempting flavors, just like Beverly's Bakery did here. The four-tier wedding cake was comprised of lemon-raspberry, carrot, and marble flavors.

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Mocha and Lavender Buttercream

Credit: Forged in the North

Give your guests options that won't disappoint come dessert time. A couple of nontraditional wedding cake flavor combinations like chocolate cake with mocha buttercream and lemon cake with lavender buttercream and raspberries, as Nine Cakes baked for this treat, are guaranteed to wow your crowd.

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Dulce de Leche

Credit: Jenny Quicksall

Serve dulce de leche cake and no one will turn down dessert. Want to up the ante? Vanilla Bake Shop paired that tempting flavor with a black-and-white raspberry cake on the bottom tier, which meant guests could have their pick of sweet and decadent or fresh and fruity.

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Lemon, Banana, and Chocolate

Credit: Daniel Kim

When it comes time to pick a wedding cake flavor, why stop at one? This couple's trio of cakes by Ruze Cake House featured lemon, banana, and chocolate flavors. No basic options here!

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Lemon and Strawberry

Credit: Magnolia Adam's Photography
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Serving up multiple cakes on the big day? Make like Amy Cakes and go for flavor variety. The large center cake served as this wedding was a lemon cream cake filled with Meyer lemon curd and iced in Italian buttercream. As for the side cakes? They were both made from strawberry cake layered with a berry purée and blanketed in fondant.

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Orange and Lemon

Credit: Kate Nielen Photography

Let your confection's outsides hint at its insides. The citrus slices and meringues used to decorate this French Made Cakes beauty were a direct reference to its unique flavor: a mix of orange and lemon.

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Strawberry Shortcake

Credit: Mariel Hannah Photography

Alternatively, make your nontraditional wedding cake flavor that much more unexpected by dressing it up with contradictory elements. The inky black fondant and sugar flowers seen on this Vanilla Bakeshop five-tier cake implied a just-as-rich flavor underneath. The couple went a light and fruity choice, instead—strawberry shortcake.

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Honey

Credit: Charity Maurer

You won't come across many honey wedding cakes, but as far as flavors go, it's universally beloved. Everything about this A Bake Shop confection was designed around the sugary-sweet taste, from the honeycomb design to the golden drip.

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Funfetti

Credit: Dylan Howell

Who says funfetti is just for birthdays? The super-celebratory cake fits in just as well at a wedding, as proven by this Mayflour Confections dessert, layered with vanilla buttercream.

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Carrot

Credit: Rachel May Photography
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Small cakes can pack a flavorful punch, too. This elegant, hand-painted (we're loving the garden party vibes!) Paradox Pastry confection was sweet-meets-savory carrot.

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Red Velvet

Credit: Molly Lichten

Consider red velvet the more daring sister of chocolate. This particular flavor has been high on couple's taste testing lists for a few years now, but Frost It Cakery's presentation—a naked cake that shows off the burgundy hue—makes it feel fresh. Another standout detailing? The gold, hand-drawn flowers, crafted from royal icing.

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Vanilla Almond Praline

Credit: Rachel Solomon

The collective flavor of your wedding cake isn't composed of just cake and icing. Other accents, like toppings, melts, and purées, all contribute. This Sedona Cakes confection is a perfect example. It's base (vanilla almond praline layers) was only intensified by the add-ons (salted caramel and popcorn).

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Lemon Drop

Credit: Brklyn View Photography

Simple and refreshing, a lemon-flavored dessert pairs perfectly with warm weather. Baked topped this citrusy dessert with fresh buttercream for just the right touch of richness.

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Chocolate and Caramel

Credit: Feather and Stone

A chocolate cake with gooey salted-caramel filling doesn't have to look dark and moody. Hey There, Cupcake! decorated this gluten-free masterpiece with the angular elements and bright colors seen throughout the couple's fête in mind. And how cool is that impasto texture?

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Pink Champagne

Credit: Greta Tucker Photography

Have your bubbly and eat it, too, with a confection that looks to Champagne for its nontraditional wedding cake flavoring. Linda Noddin of Mainely Wedding Cakes did just that when creating this pink Champagne number, infused with hints of Chambord.

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Chocolate-Mint and Ginger-Lime

Credit: Fiona Conrad

If you can't choose between two ultra-unique flavors, include both of them. That's how this geometric-inspired Nine Cakes confection came to be. Comprised of chocolate-mint and ginger-lime layers, it was a delightful (and different!) surprise for guests.

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Almond Crème Fraiche

Credit: La Vie Photography

Serving up a naked cake? Lightly frost each tier with something different, even if the base remains consistent throughout. Monica Beehler of Jackson Cake Company iced this almond crème fraiche cake by tier, starting with a fresh raspberry compote up top, a raspberry Italian buttercream in the center, and a vanilla bean buttercream down below.

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Black Forest

Credit: Claire Owen Cakes

You'll have a hard time going back to plain old chocolate after you learn about this flavor. Black Forest (a chocolate sponge cake known for its tangy cherry filling) was the inspiration for this Claire Owen Cakes treat. Owen soaked her cherries is Kirsch, a fruit liqueur, and topped the black cake with a flavor combination we definitely didn't see coming—a limey gin and tonic coconut buttercream.

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Strawberry and Elderflower

Credit: Erich McVey

We've found your springtime wedding cake flavor, and it's as fruit-forward as you could have hoped. Tessa Pinner's strawberry cake with lemon curd filling and elderflower buttercream icing is as garden ready as it gets (and that's before we get into the handmade floral and botanic reliefs!).

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Lemon Plum and Caramel Praline

Credit: Optical Amusements

Why not combine the citrusy with the savory? Take notes from this Sweet Heather Anne confection, which featured lemon damson plum and caramel praline crunch flavors.

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Mexican Hot Chocolate