When you plan your wedding, you’ll hear and read that the wedding cake is an expense that can be removed as lots of guests won’t eat it and it’s SUCH a costly expense. However, if you’re dead set on having cake at your wedding, there are other alternatives that can be easier on the budget:
- Fake a beautiful display cake and serve sheet cake to your guests
- Bake your own cake
- Serve cupcakes (which is quite the trend) or cake pops
- Order a cake served with buttercream instead of fondant
Mr. M and I initially considered serving cupcakes at our reception, but it seemed to be a hopeless cause to find delicious cupcakes that were budget-friendly. And while I do OK in the kitchen for lunches and dinners, I’m a hit or miss when it comes to baking. Our wedding reception was not an occasion when I felt it was safe to hope for the best.
Then I remembered a girlfriend of mine had served cream puffs at her wedding. They were a huge hit with her guests. She could have easily ordered twice the amount and there still wouldn’t have been enough. The other good thing: it was affordable! Unfortunately, her wedding was in Seattle and my reception was in Vancouver, so I had to find a local source that would do a great job and fall within budget.
Beard Papa was the most obvious choice here and they could fulfill large orders, at a discount. Woohoo! When I got Mr. M on board with serving cream puffs in lieu of the wedding cake, I started to get creative. To follow in the French theme of the vintage train station, I Googled how to say “cream puffs” in French. This led me to the best wedding cake alternative I never would have thought of: the croquembouche. How perfect it was to learn that this is traditionally served at French weddings! Plus, this looked like a DIY project I could definitely tackle.
The sketch I drew up was the initial design, but as in most things in design, it grows and evolves with new ideas or necessity. I discarded the sunflowers, as they didn’t fit in well with our lavender and burlap themed wedding; and there was no bottom base because I simply couldn’t find anything that would be suitable. In the end, what I put together was tall enough for an eye-catching centerpiece. Here’s what I used:
1 - Cake stand
1 - 24″ long Styrofoam cone
1 - Brown craft mailing paper
Tape
1 - tub of frozen mini cream puffs (1 kg)
Toothpicks
Sprigs of lavender
Sprigs of rosemary, sage, or basil
I don’t have step by step photos as the croquembouche was assembled at the venue during the set up stage on the day of the reception and we were extremely busy getting everything done in time. There was just no time to stop and take photos - or to even think of it. Sorry!
Step 1: Cover the Styrofoam. When the cream puffs are eaten off the cone, you don’t want the guests to see the bare, white Styrofoam mess underneath, so start by wrapping the cone in a visually appealing paper. While the craft mailing paper I used wasn’t outstanding in graphic appeal, it just worked well with my theme. Plus, it was the same material I used in my invitations. Tape the paper secure to the cone. Next, stand the Styrofoam cone on the cake stand so you don’t have to move it after you get the cream puffs on it.
Step 2: Cream puffs, cream puffs, cream puffs. Starting at the very base of the cone, stick a toothpick in the Styrofoam, leaving a little less than half exposed. This is the part of the toothpick that will skewer the cream puff, so make sure it doesn’t stick out beyond the cream puff, but it’s long enough to hold the dessert. Repeat this step all the way around the base. When you get to the next level, start your first cream puff nestled in between two cream puffs in the lower level. This will help cover more of the cone.
Step 3: Finesse. Now the fun part (as if seeing the croquembouche coming to life wasn’t exciting enough). Fill in the empty spaces with sprigs of lavender and herbs. It’s easiest to pierce the Styrofoam with a toothpick and make a hole before sticking in the lavender or herb. (Don’t leave the toothpick in, though!) Crown the croquembouche with multiple sprigs of lavender and layer a ring of herbs on the cake stand surrounding the tower. Make sure there is enough space in your refrigerator to store this until it’s time to show off.
And there you have it! A gorgeous, unique “cake” for your wedding! I skipped binding the croquembouche with the traditional threads of caramel so that our guests could easily pluck off the cream puffs and because it was just too much unnecessary work.
This is the size of a Beard Papa cream puff compared to my iPod Touch.
Omigod, I don’t know how quickly the cream puffs got devoured. One minute, I saw the croquembouche sitting on the dessert table in all its glory, and when I looked back twenty minutes later, there was only a brown paper wrapped cone standing lonely on the cake stand. Oh! A note: we used frozen mini cream puffs from our nearby grocery store (Superstore, for you Canadians) because they were smaller and easier to stick onto the cone than the large Beard Papa’s cream puffs. We did order a batch from Beard Papa and laid them on the table amidst petit fours (more French goodness!) provided by our caterer. The minis were used to make our display pretty, but the Beard Papa was the true dessert.
Also, our bartender was French and he was enthralled with all the French themed items at the reception, including this croquembouche. What a validation to have a Frenchman feel homesick because of our reception. *big huge smile*
Total Time: It only took 30 minutes! Promise!
Total Cost: The frozen cream puffs were $10; the herbs and lavender were leftover items from our table setting decor and flower arrangements; toothpicks and cake stand came from our kitchen, the craft mailing paper was left over from our invitations; the Styrofoam cone came from Michaels with a 40% off coupon and paid for with a gift card from my friend (but it was about $12 after the discount and taxes). The total cost for the croquembouche alone was $10. The order from Beard Papa for eight dozen cream puffs was $185.76.
If you missed any part of the Project Wedding series, you can view them here:
How It All Began
The Ceremony
Pom Poms and Fans
Tin Punched Candle Holders
No Sew “Just Married” Bunting
The Dress
DIY Hair Fascinator
The Reception
Creating The Invitations
DIY Ticket Booth
Passport Guest Book
Stenciled Burlap Table Runners
Our Wedding Cake Alternative
Traveling Trunk Prop
DIY Photo Booth Props
Out of Town Gift Boxes
Organize Your Wedding Mementos
Tips For Planning Your Engagement Photo Shoots
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