They say everything comes full circle, and this is no more true than when it comes to wedding cake design. When I first started making wedding cakes ten years ago, most cakes were covered in fondant. Wedding cake design has come an extremely long way, and with the advancing of alternative techniques, fondant has long fallen out of favour – until now.
I have my theories as to why fondant became untrendy. Firstly, the term “fondant” alone seems to bring up memories of vintage wedding cakes. If you’re old enough to remember ’80’s and 90’s cakes were covered in marzipan, then a thick layer of fondant. Those cakes were short in height, rounded at the corners, with thick ribbon on each tier. Looking at them with 2025 eyes, they just look very dated. Also, fondant has a reputation for being sickly sweet. These features in parallel with the refinement of buttercream cake design has meant that bridal couples en masse have been requesting buttercream wedding cakes.
More controversially, and an opinion I hold, is that it’s harder to grow a wedding cake business using fondant. As cake tiers have increased in height, covering cakes with fondant requires some serious skill. Though methods have evolved, the thought of using fondant is enough to send some cake designers running.
Most wedding cake designers rightly make what they enjoy. With so many people disliking fondant, there are bakers who flatly refuse to work with it. I am not one of them, we love fondant over here! In fact, I have a whole post about why fondant is fabulous. This post is about the wonderful cake designs we can create with fondant.
I am so happy that more of my couples are actively seeking out a fondant cake. For the first time in years, I’m getting couples who are happy to use any medium, as long as they get the aesthetic they desire. I’m also seeing my inbox light up with “We’re looking for fondant wedding cake”. Well, look no further! Let’s have a look at some fondant wedding cake ideas.
Modern Fondant Wedding Cakes
Fondant wedding cake design has come a long way. As with their buttercream counterparts, tiers are taller, lines are sleeker, and shapes are unexpected. One of the beauties of fondant wedding cake design is the ability to pair it with other mediums. Fondant’s sturdiness lends itself well to designs with wafer paper, sugar flowers & more.
Fondant Ruffle or Fondant Wrap Wedding Cakes
Fondant wrap cakes are wedding cakes in which the fondant appears to be delicately placed around the cake. Often called fondant ruffle cakes, the ruffles can be as “busy” or as subtle as you like. These cakes are popular as they convey a natural, organic whimsicality which suits the occasion of a wedding wonderfully.
Often the wraps can be revealing something underneath them such as texture or a colour. This design originates from San Francisco, by the talented Jasmine Rae Cakes from San Francisco. If my inbox is anything to go by, this trend shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Each fondant ruffle cake is as unique as the couple and there are multiple ways to customise them. The ruffles can be gilded with highlights of precious edible metals, or textured with pearls and other decorations.
Fondant ruffles in slightly different shades add a real dimension and movement to wedding cakes, and are always a firm favourite amongst wedding guests.
Textured Fondant Wedding Cakes
No matter the medium, texture is one of my favourite ways to decorate a wedding cake. When it comes to making a textured fondant cake, there is no shortage of options. In the above mini gallery, I’ve used all kinds of techniques. A floral stencilled fondant design mixed with pearls & edible jewels give the white elegant three tier cake an air of drama & high fashion. The edible wafer paper lace gives a light & airy ambience to the cake – perfect for a wedding in a castle or a city townhouse. Can you tell the inspiration for this cake was in fact a wedding dress?
Bas relief is a method used in art to allow a design to stand out from the surface. Bas relief has been popular across several historical ages, and continues to be used in modern architecture now. You can find bas relief in many wedding venues, and it’s an elegant way to decorate a fondant wedding cake.
Fondant rosettes are swirls of fondant which are delicately spun to capture the image and romance of a rose. They can be placed sporadically or organised to cover a whole tier. Fondant rosettes bring a soft and graceful texture to your wedding cake, echoing the timeless beauty of fresh roses.
Colourful Fondant Wedding Cakes
Minimalist colour palettes will always be synonymous with weddings. However, this year, and I predict into 2026, we’re beginning to see the inclusion of vivid colour in weddings. For the maximalist brides and grooms amongst you, now is the time you can really get creative. Whether you want bold pops of solid tiers, lustred tiers of gold or really bright lustrous florals, colour is making it’s entrance! I’ll always love a blush wedding, but when there is so much colour in the world, let’s use it!
Fondant wedding cakes can feature subtle colour by including marbled tiers, painted patterns or coloured stencilled detail. The possibilities are endless. Next year one of my bridal couples have opted for a three tier mint green wedding cake with an abundance of vivid colourful sugar flowers, I can’t wait! Be sure to check back, as I will definitely be making a blog post about that wedding cake!
Colourful fondant doesn’t mean compromising on elegance. From soft watercolour washes to bold jewel tones, colour can be woven into your wedding cake in endless ways, always keeping romance and artistry at the heart of the design.
Floral Fondant Wedding Cakes
And now here we have my favourite – floral fondant wedding cakes! Cakes with flowers will always be on trend. I think they’re even more special when the flowers are handmade. I’ve written a blog post all about the benefits of using sugar flowers in your wedding cake design, you should seriously consider them!
Handmade sugar flowers go especially well with fondant wedding cakes – a marriage made to last! There is no risk of the fondant melting and destroying the flowers, and no risk of the flowers wilting. Even better, handmade flowers are completely food safe, free from pesticides and other nasties!
Pressed flower cakes are still very popular. These organic, pressed blooms are usually tenderly placed on buttercream cakes. However, when it comes to cake decorating, there really are no rules – so I have happily applied them to fondant, too! The effect is just as stunning, and if a thin layer of rolled sugar paste is to your taste, there is no need to compromise on your cake’s covering.
Floral wedding cakes are endlessly romantic. From appliqué-style blooms, to lace-like botanical elements, to hand-painted florals that feel as though they’ve been brushed onto fine paper, floral fondant cakes capture the poetry of nature in sugar form. Delicious, beautiful & strongly evocative, what’s not to love?
Fondant wedding cakes are a beautiful canvas for creativity – whether adorned with delicate textures, blossoming with floral detail, or dressed in soft pastels and bold hues. Each design is beautifully personal and unique. However you imagine your cake, fondant allows us to capture that vision with elegance and romance, ensuring it becomes a sweet reflection of your day.
If all you know is that you are dreaming of having a unique wedding cake for your day, I’d love to speak with you. It’s my job to craft a memorable piece of edible art from your words or mood board. I count it my joy to do so. Please get in touch using the form below, to begin the journey of a fondant wedding cake that wows your guests, that you’ll look back and smile at, and that you’ll savour long after the wedding is over.
Until next time,
Jasmine