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  6. 25 Vanilla Wedding Cakes That Are Anything But Boring
Martha Stewart Weddings

25 Vanilla Wedding Cakes That Are Anything But Boring

Updated September 29, 2020
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vanilla wedding cakes abby jiu
Credit: Lisa Ziesing for Abby Jiu Photography

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vanilla wedding cakes abby jiu
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

evie joe citrus themed wedding cake
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

three tiered wedding reception cake with flowers
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

wedding couple slicing tiered cake
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

vanilla wedding cakes rebecca yale
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

meredith pierce wedding cake
Credit: Clark Brewer

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

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Overflowing Florals

wedding cake with marbled frosting and red floral garland
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

bride kissing groom during cake cutting at reception
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

hillary alexander white wedding cake with flowers
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

3-tiered wedding cake textured white frosting copper accent illustration top
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

three-tier wedding cake with bride and groom topper
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

vanilla wedding cakes jeanni dunagan
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

texas wedding cake flowers
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

vanilla wedding cakes amy golding
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

jasmine-jd-anniversary-cake-071-s112834-0516.jpg
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

vanilla wedding cakes rebecca hollis
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

vanilla wedding cakes gianluca mary adovasio
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

vanilla wedding cakes janine licare
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

vanilla wedding cakes lisa woods
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

vanilla wedding cakes kayla barker
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

vanilla wedding cakes sarah kate
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

washington dc wedding blue gold cake
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

katty-chris-wedding-tulsa-oklahoma-w551-s112049.jpg
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

alisa-barrett-wedding-cake-1014-s113048-0716.jpg
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

vanilla wedding cakes sotiris tsakanikas
Credit: Sotiris Tsakanikas

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

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    1 of 25
    2 of 25 Double the Flavors
    3 of 25 Tastes of Espresso
    4 of 25 Rose-Gold Décor
    5 of 25 Sugar Flowers
    6 of 25 Notes of Almond
    7 of 25 Overflowing Florals
    8 of 25 Fresh Raspberries
    9 of 25 Full of Fondant
    10 of 25 Fashion-Forward Topper
    11 of 25 Hints of Lemon Curd
    12 of 25 Springy
    13 of 25 Two Flavors
    14 of 25 Dripping In Gold
    15 of 25 Watercolor
    16 of 25 Flower Sash
    17 of 25 Snow-Topped
    18 of 25 Fresh Florals
    19 of 25 Barely-Glazed
    20 of 25 Floral Accents
    21 of 25 Vanilla and Pewter
    22 of 25 Vanilla Frosting
    23 of 25 Mini Cakes
    24 of 25 Flower-Topped
    25 of 25 All Icing

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