Though most brides spend their engagement stressing about losing weight, they make an exception for one dessert-related activity: tasting wedding cakes. The wedding cake has gone from a cute part of the reception to a symbolic pastry. In fact, tradition dictates that you freeze the top layer of your cake and enjoy a slice on your one-year anniversary.
Year-old cake? To some, that sounds like a recipe for spending your anniversary doubled over in stomach pain. However, it's perfectly safe as long as you do it correctly (though it may be a bit stale). Here's how the experts recommend you preserve the top layer of your wedding cake:
The Night of the Wedding
1) Once the cake has been served at the reception, let the catering staff or a good friend know to box up the top layer and get it ready for transportation. Keep it in the refrigerator for the duration of the reception.
2) When you get home with the cake, open it and remove any sugar flowers, fresh fruit, or other decorations that might spoil.
3) Wrap the chilled wedding cake in several layers of plastic wrap - NOT ALUMIUM FOIL! Foil will give it freezer burn.
4) Place it in either a Tupperware container or airtight plastic bag.
5) Mark it in some way so that no one accidentally removes it from the freezer during the next year.
One Year Later
1) Put the cake container in the refrigerator for 48 hours to thaw.
2) Leave it out at room temperature to thaw for 2-3 hours before eating it.
3) Enjoy your special wedding cake!
The most important thing is to get the cake from the reception to your freezer as quickly as possible. Also, once it goes into the freezer, leave it there. Removing it and putting it back can mess with the moisture levels, which will make it taste yucky.
And despite your best efforts, not all wedding cakes are built to last (unlike your marriage, of course!). White cake and cake with whipped cream filling are not particularly durable under the best circumstances.
Some couples - due to limited freezer space or a weak stomach - decide to forego the tradition entirely and just order a smaller version of their wedding cake to enjoy on their anniversary. As with most secrets to marriage, there's no one right way to go about it - just do what makes you happy!