The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-21
NEW STYLES SEEN
IN WEDDING CAKE
Sometimes Bound With Rib
bOns Which the Bride Cleaves
With Knife.


rior covering of ornamental sugar ic-
ing, wrought III various devices. Is an
institution honored by long patronage
and full appreciation. But even II is
subject to the changes of fashion and
the way in which it is dealt with under
modern auspices makes it play less
conspicuous part in the wedding cere-
monies of today than it did five and
twenty years ago.
It's place on the buffet, though 1t
is conspicuous, is not the proud mon
ument Of the occasion it presented
when the assembled guests sat down
together at the hospitable board and
the happy bride and her groom were
faced by the most important item Of
The feast.
The cutting Of the cake in those
days preceded the speeches that were
made. Now there are no speeches.
save in some cases, if the briefly
uttered good wishes Of tho best man or
one of the otliciating clergy (by no
means rule) can be dignited by the
title and the bride s task of cutting the
cake is made the most perfunctory OF
ceremonies.
The strong hand Of the newly made
husband used to be required TO guide the
Jimid bride S usage of the specially pro.
vlded knife, saw one side, sharp steel
the other, knife that would cut clean
through the outer crust of sugar and
cleave the cake beneath in the neatcst
manner. There were many tender slghs
and smiles through tears when tho
touching little ceremony was performed
IN olden times.
But that which happens now is differ
ent. a clever cakemakcr invented the
labor.saving device of saving wedges
out of the cake before the wedding,
qAd leaving the bride the easy task of
pretending only to cut the slices. Now
hc goes a step further on her behalf and
behold, the cake Is often bound round
with ribbons, which the bride slit5
across with the knife, thus releasing
tho already cloven pieces in an instant
und without anybody s help.
When wedding cakes were round and
low and dumpy, with a modest sized
Temple of Hymen placed on the top, IN
stead of the tall and imposing affairs
they are now, the girls who huttered
round the bushing bride coaxed her to
pass the tnicst morsel Of their special
piece OF cake through the cleaning gold
circlct her wedding ring, for thus
treated the cake was considered an alb
solute guide "when dreamed over' to
the identity of the future husband.
One superstition. however, kills au-
other, and when the bride refused to
take her ring OFF because it was con-
sidered unlucky to do so her maids were
obliged 10 be contented without the
mystic rite. And now they eat the cake
when it is handed round with the rest
Of the refreshments or refuse it, if they
are "on n diet or putting on
weight but never think of soiling
their pillow slips by sleeping on 1T.
with the avowed object Of dreaming of
Chin But all the same, the wedding
cake remains a vital item of the bridal
feast. and each maker of the delightful
comcstiblc has his particular recipe, the
secret of which Is known only TO him
self.
The perfect wedding cake cannot be
built In day, or even week, as Its
maturity is half the charm, and time
only will lmpart this important factor
of success A very large cake will take
two wears to mature, and smaller one
should not be cut into before some
months have elapsed,
This may, perhaps, explain The tacS
why even the most expensive private
chef is not always successful In con
cocting a wedding cake. The outside
NAV have the specious appearance of
n rich and inviting looking cake, but
instances have been known where the
cake has turned out disastrous fail"
ure owing to the fact that it has been
baked in an oven unsuitable for the
cxigent requirements of the wedding
cake, and that too little time is gwen
10 its maturity. "Even the state of
weather may effect the baking of n
wedding cake" remarked m expert,
"and women would be surprised If they
knew the number of cakes that are not
passed by the professional wedding
cake maker, simply because there may
be some minute flaw in the baking
Brides who take n keen interest In
the ornamentation Of the wedding cakc
often insist upon giving some lndlvld-
ual touch in its decoration.
Pretty little baskets filled with their
fayorite flowers, all made Of sugnr, are
arranged round the centerpiece that
forms the finish touch Of the ornamental"
ton.
Dainty silver or white satin slippers
containing lilies of the valley arc other
favorable devices. and so are silver
wedding bells.
1t is fashionable for the bridesmaids
or some OF the near relatives to take
away the ornaments as souvenirs OF the
wedding.
At some weddings the cake, IN add
tion to its own decorations of festoons
Of silver leaves and trails of sugar or
nnge blossoms, is adorned with touch
Of color in the form of pink roses or
any flower that is preferred by tho
bride, This, however. says the expert
maker. is strictly against the correct
etiquette Of the wedding cake decora'
ton, Cut flowers. to the superstltIous,
ovmbolize denth, and should never be
used as ornaments for the bridal cake;
Old customs die hard and that of
sending out wedding cake to the reIn~
tives and intimate friends of the bride
and bridegroom is still resorted to in
many families
The filing of the boxes is generally
Entrusted to the hands of the expert,
who gives the following advice to the
amateur packer: 'tCut a solid wedge
of cake that will absolutely Gil the box
right to the very top; wrap it first in
piece of tinfoiI snd then in another
covering of white paper; tie it round
with the white satin ribbon, and insert
IT securely in the box
The mistake so often made by the
non-pr professional packer is TO cut thin
piece of cake. which speedily crumbles
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