25 Vanilla Wedding Cakes That Are Anything But Boring

Updated September 29, 2020
Credit: Lisa Ziesing for Abby Jiu Photography

Get inspired by one of these classic confections.

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Credit: Lisa Ziesing for Abby Jiu Photography

Vanilla is too often associated with the banal. This connection can make choosing a vanilla-flavored wedding cake a little tenuous—even if it really is your all-time favorite. Will your guests take a bite of their slice and think that your confection tastes like all the rest? While we understand the concern, we're here to reassure you that a vanilla wedding cake is anything but boring.

The following desserts, which all appeared at real celebrations, are proof of this fact. You'll quickly discover that not all vanilla wedding cakes are white. Choosing a confection color—perhaps one that ties back to your wedding's overall décor scheme—instantly upgrades and personalizes your dessert table. Of course, there's nothing quite like a wedding-white confection (so classic!). If you are sticking with that vanilla buttercream or white fondant exterior, consider a few add-ons to your design. Whether you choose to adorn your cake with fresh flowers, sugar blooms and vines (seen here on this Buttercream Bakeshop masterpiece!), crystals, or gold leaf foil, there are so many ways to make a vanilla treat your own.

Still not convinced that vanilla can feel and taste contemporary? Incorporate a modern cake trend—choose a naked cake or include a vanilla bean drip—into your dessert's design. Additionally, consider jazzing up the overall taste palette. Opt for a unique filling like strawberry mousse or a blackberry compote, so bring that much more complexity to your guests' taste buds. Click through to discover how vanilla wedding cakes can feel bold, unique, and undeniably fresh.

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Double the Flavors

Credit: Becca Lea Photography

The couple's confection by Central Market included vanilla cake with lemon and raspberry filling, and red velvet layers with cream cheese icing.

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Tastes of Espresso

Credit: Kenzie Victory

This confection by Nine Cakes featured vanilla cake layered with espresso buttercream. Other layers had walnut streusel and coconut cake layered with lemon curd and coconut buttercream.

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Rose-Gold Décor

Credit: Hajley Photography

Favoured Cakes made this four-tier rose-gold-and-ivory treat decorated with fresh and piped lace flowers; it included red velvet, rum raisin, and vanilla layers for a lively dessert.

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Sugar Flowers

Credit: Rebecca Yale Photography

Lifelike white spray roses (note how detailed the blooms on this The Butter End confection are!) will virtually guarantee that your guests do a double take when passing by the dessert table.

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Notes of Almond

Credit: Clark Brewer

A vanilla cake with almond buttercream served as their main confection, made by Cream & Flutter.

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Overflowing Florals

Credit: Sophie Epton

A five-tier marbled wedding cake, created by Sweet Treats Bakery is a guaranteed-show-stopper. The couple opted for an embellished confection with a lush floral sash. 

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Fresh Raspberries

Credit: Kristen Marie Parker

The couple opted for a five-tier wedding confection from Nine Cakes which featured vanilla cake, raspberry buttercream, and fresh raspberries.

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Full of Fondant

Credit: O'Malley Photographers

The fondant-covered wedding cake made by Midori Bakery was decorated with handmade sugar flowers and the couple's wedding crest.

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Fashion-Forward Topper

Credit: Perregaux Wedding Photography

The couple asked Bria from Flourish Cake Design to design an avant-garde confection that showcased their love for fashion, making this vanilla cake anything but boring. 

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Hints of Lemon Curd

Credit: Miki & Sonja
50 Beautiful Wedding Cakes

Susie Cakes baked this' classic three-tier treat; the first two layers were composed of vanilla cake with lemon curd inside and iced with vanilla buttercream.

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Springy

Credit: Jeanni Dunagan

This sleek Lele Patisserie number looks as if it's sprouting! Verdant white muscari were placed strategically throughout the white fondant, giving the illusion that the cake was freshly plucked from the garden.

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Two Flavors

Credit: Josh and Dana Fernandez

You're a vanilla person, but your fiancé prefers chocolate—and neither of you are backing down. And why should you? Make like this twosome, whose Buttercup Bakery beauty featured two flavors: vanilla bean with blackberry compote and dark chocolate with espresso mousse. A vanilla buttercream unified the entire confection.

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Dripping In Gold

Credit: Amy Golding

We love how this Flour + Freckles confection's creamy vanilla drip passes straight over edible gold leaf accents.

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Watercolor

Credit: Jasmine Star Photography
43 Dreamy Watercolor-Inspired Wedding Ideas

The small vanilla cake, designed by Sweet and Saucy Shop, featured watercolor accents on the exterior made it look like a tropical dream and anchored the table of island-inspired treats. 

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Flower Sash

Credit: Rebecca Hollis Photography

A diagonal burst of flowers, like the one seen on this Sweet Notions treat, makes for a romantic display.

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Snow-Topped

Credit: Gianluca & Mary Adovasio

A dusting of powdered sugar, as seen on this dessert, adds an extra touch of sweetness to your cake table. Plus, it brings snowy, wintry vibes.

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Fresh Florals

Credit: Janine Licare Photography

A cascading vine of fresh flowers is a quick way to dress up an all-white cake. DH Cake Studio incorporated anemones, peonies, and roses—blooms that appeared in the rest of the day's floral décor—into this three-tier's design.

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Barely-Glazed

Credit: Lisa Woods

We love a naked cake with just a little bit more coverage. Bride Emily Pybus used minimal icing so that you could see this stunner's shape, but enough to get that fully-frosted aesthetic. A rose, baby's breath, and golden mum topper completed the look.

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Floral Accents

Credit: Kayla Barker

What should you do if a topper isn't your style? You can still add a little color to a cream-hued caked. The bakers at Hotel Emma opted for a small arrangement of blooms by Sprout Flowers that were fastened to this treat's first tier.

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Vanilla and Pewter

Credit: Sarah Kate Photography

Love the idea of a pop of metallic, but don't want to disrupt streamlined stripes of vanilla buttercream? Pop your cake, like this flower-dotted beauty by Rosemary's Catering, onto a pewter cake stand—bonus points if it's a family heirloom.

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Vanilla Frosting

Credit: Kate Headley

If you're a vanilla frosting aficionado—but could leave vanilla-flavored cake—consider using the flavor as a supporting player, instead of the main event. This duo did just that through this Buttercream Bakeshop confetti and devil's food cake three-tier, which featured vanilla buttercream throughout.

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Mini Cakes

Credit: Ryan Ray

This couple served each of their guests personalized barrel-style vanilla confections complete with buttercream icing and fresh flowers from Amy Cakes.

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Flower-Topped

Credit: Tonhya Kae Photography

Billy's Bakery created this confection, set against a colorful backdrop that read  "I Told You There'd Be Cake," created by KT Smail.

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All Icing

Credit: Sotiris Tsakanikas

A naked cake that's more vanilla icing (between the layers) than cake? Sign us up.

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