Gorgeous Wedding Cakes With Serious Flavor and Fillings

Take sugar flowers to new dimensions—2-D roses are a modern alternative to gum-paste blooms, giving the cake a chic, contemporary look. Then fill it with something that will excite your guests’ palates. “If you had cannolis on your first date, have a cake with fresh cannoli filling,” says the team at Keremo Cakes. “Have fun with the process—it’s the sweetest part of the celebration.”

What’s Inside: lemon cake with raspberry mousse and Swiss meringue buttercream filling

Ombre can be bold and fun or totally sophisticated, like this white to peach design, decked in pearls and sugar flowers. “When choosing fillings, consider what else will be served,” says Cynthia Peithman of Cakeline. “If there are other offerings, like a chocolate mousse or a dessert buffet, your cake should complement those flavors.”

What’s Inside: alternating layers of white and chocolate cake with salted caramel buttercream and raspberry ganache filling

Opt for a simple design and let the trimmings steal the show. A lush bouquet of sugar blooms pops, while gold leaves give the cascade a bit of unexpected glitz. “Choose a flavor you love and don’t worry about pleasing everyone or making a ‘safe’ choice,” says Betsy Thorleifson of Nine Cakes. “Pick a pairing that’s based on seasonal flavors, or something that complements the dinner menu.”

What’s Inside: almond cardamom cake with strawberry ginger buttercream

Want a classic cake with a bit of edge? Pair bold, graphic circles with a ring of sugar flowers for a contemporary take on the white-on-white design. To give your filling a modern twist on tradition: “Alternate the cake between two different flavor profiles, like vanilla with raspberry and chocolate with chocolate mousse,” says Victoria Zagami of Made in Heaven Cakes.

What’s Inside: vanilla and chocolate cake with cappuccino mousse and chocolate ganache