They’re just as elegant and tasty, not to mention budget-friendly! No matter your theme, venue, or the time of year, these small wedding cakes will make your day even more special. From simple vanilla and bright lemon-blueberry to decadent chocolate and dreamy caramel, there’s something here for everyone. And don’t worry, this is a fondant-free zone! So, try one, or try them all. Because there’s no rule about having more than one cake, right?
20 Easy Small Wedding Cake Ideas We Adore
1. Simple Vanilla Buttercream (American Buttercream Recipe)
I know what you’re thinking, but vanilla is a real show-stopper when done right. And white is probably the safest choice for a wedding. So between the mild vanilla cake and silky smooth frosting, you know everyone will love it! Of course, you can jazz this cake up with ease. For example, keep the outside white and use a dark chocolate cake for a brilliant contrast. Or better yet, try an ombre look with varying shades of pink, yellow, blue – you name it.
2. Vanilla Naked Cake
I don’t think naked cakes will ever go out of style. They’re elegant, simple and look incredibly stunning with just a few pops of color on the top. Plus, I know plenty of people who scrape the excess frosting off a slice of cake. And with this one, you don’t need to worry about that type of waste. The sponge is insanely moist, and there’s just enough frosting between the layers to ensure every bite melts in your mouth. Oh, and did I mention the raspberries? They’re stuffed between the sponge layers for bright bursts of fruity color.
3. Fondant-Free Wedding Cake
I don’t know about you, but my heart sinks when I see fondant cakes at weddings. They look fantastic, I’ll give them that. But they’re so cloyingly sweet and often kind of dry. That’s why I much prefer something simpler, like this sweet vanilla cake. Where the naked cake above has a very thin layer of frosting on the sides, this doesn’t. Instead, you’ll pipe the filling to give it a neat edge. Also, remember that the cake may dry out on those edges if you don’t cover them. So grab some plastic wrap or acetate to keep it fresh!
4. Lemon Elderflower Cake (Copycat Royal Wedding Cake)
On the hunt for a unique wedding cake? This lemon and elderflower dream is unlike anything else you’ve tried. It earns a bright pop from fresh lemons that complement the floral elderflower beautifully. Every forkful is zesty, sweet, tropical, and delicate. Though the lemon curd is certainly lip-smackingly tart.
5. Strawberry Layer Cake
If you’re planning a summer wedding, you can’t beat this pretty strawberry layer cake. It pairs a light, vanilla-infused sponge with layers of fresh, tart strawberries, mascarpone cream, and buttercream. And while it only has three layers, it’s surprisingly tall, thanks to the use of whole strawberries. It’s a towering three-tier cake that’s light, fruity, and so pretty and understated.
6. Carrot Cake
From summer to fall, this carrot cake is the ideal cold-weather dessert. It’s brimming with cinnamon and nutmeg, along with plenty of buttery, crunchy walnuts. Delightfully warm yet light and airy, it’ll make your guests beg to take a slice home. Cream cheese frosting is a must for carrot cake. But maybe add a drizzle of caramel too!
7. Lemon Blueberry Cake
This lemon and blueberry layer cake is for the bride and groom who don’t like overly sweet cakes. From the zippy citrus to the colorful, fruity berries, it’s just the right amount of sweet and tart. Vanilla cake is a yummy backdrop that allows the fruits to shine. Meanwhile, the creamy lemon buttercream is smooth and pillowy. Delish!
8. Cardamom Chai Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
My favorite thing about spiced cakes is that you can add bright, deeply colorful fruits and flowers to the top, and they look right at home. And this mix of cinnamon sticks, purple flowers, and figs is effortlessly stunning. As for the cake itself, you’ll add cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, and cloves to the batter, along with chai-infused milk. So it’s super fragrant and wonderfully spiced.
9. High Altitude Strawberry Almond Layer Cake
Sweet juicy strawberries with mild, floral almonds is a match made in wedding day heaven. And this high-altitude strawberry almond cake brings bright bursts of decedent strawberry sweet almond to every slice. It’s simple, delightfully pink, and super flavorful.
10. Double Chocolate Mousse Cake
If chocolate is more to your liking, you have to try this gorgeous chocolate mousse cake. It starts with a fluffy and rich chocolate cake base, over which you’ll add chocolate and white chocolate mousse. The layers are stunning, and the white chocolate brings a nice creamy sweetness to combat all that decadent cocoa. Top it with chocolate ganache, fresh berries, and flowers, and it’s ready for pictures.
11. Coconut Cake
Where are all my coconut fans? This coco-nutty cake earns a double dose of flavor thanks to the coconut milk in the sponge and the coconut simple syrup. The syrup brings so much added flavor and guarantees this cake will be ultra moist and tender.
12. Raspberry Mascarpone Naked Cake
Cream cheese is great and all, but nothing beats the smooth sweetness of mascarpone. In this cake, you’ll add vibrant raspberry jam between the layers and a decent coating of mascarpone cheese frosting, making it creamy, fruity, sweet, and tart. I love how the berries stand out in pictures. But feel free to use other jams or fillings. Mascarpone pairs well with pretty much anything!
13. High Altitude Naked Chocolate Raspberry Cake
This naked raspberry and chocolate cake is a thing of beauty. That deep, dark, and decadent chocolate cake looks incredible with the delightfully pink raspberry frosting. And it’s so easy to recreate! No master class in piping required!
14. Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Need a gluten-free cake for your big day? Try this impossible rich and tender chocolate cake recipe. It pairs light and fluffy sponge with dreamy chocolate buttercream that’s full of real dark chocolate. This cake is so fantastic, your guests won’t know it’s gluten-free!
15. Pistachio Rose Cake
Almonds might be sweet, but they just don’t have the stunning color that pistachios do. I mean, come on! Just look at how pretty those green nuts look with the rose petals. It’s super simple but oh-so-effective. And yes, the cake is just as tasty as it looks. There’s finely chopped pistachios and cardamom right in the batter, so it’s nutty and delicately spiced.
16. Rose Water Vanilla Layer Cake
There’s nothing more romantic for a wedding than a rose water and vanilla layer cake. No matter what time of year your wedding is rose and vanilla are always in season. And while rosewater smells very floral, it tastes sweet when combined with cream and vanilla – kind of like Sweethearts. It’s simple, elegant, and the perfect romantic cake for your big day.
17. Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Red velvet is a bold cake to pick for a wedding, but if you cover it entirely with white frosting, it’ll fit in with any color scheme. That said, it does look pretty impressive with the sides uncovered so the bright colors can shine. Top it with fresh flowers and fruits, or keep it simple with cake crumbs and piping. You can’t go wrong either way.
18. Blackberry Lime Cake
If your wedding has a purple theme, this is the cake you’ll want to serve. Between the blackberry buttercream and fresh blackberries and flowers on top, it’s a lavender lover’s dream. Thanks to the lime zest, the sponge has a delightful hint of citrus, and it complements and lifts the deep berries so well. And while I think it’s pretty perfect as is, for an added boost of flavor and color, try adding blackberry jam with the frosting in the middle.
19. Caramel Cake
This caramel cake is reserved for those of us that are crazy about caramel. The sponge is incredibly rich and moist, and the frosting is light and fluffy. But let’s be honest, you’ll want seconds because of that caramel finish!
20. Chocolate Truffle Cake
Where are all my chocolate fanatics? If you can’t get enough chocolate, this chocolate truffle cake is worth checking out. It pairs devilishly buttery chocolate cake with an indulgent chocolate frosting. It’s simple to whip together, but the finished product is a real show-stopper. Take the presentation over the top and decorate it with chocolate flakes or sprinkles and delicate chocolate rosettes along the edges. Click on a star to rate it!
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