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There are a lot of interesting traditions out there when it comes to weddings, and that includes the best part of the evening: dessert. There are amazing wedding desserts from around the world that reach far past that regular vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and a few flowers on top. Wedding dessert traditions that punctuate the sweet, sweet love of the happy couple are an interesting peek into so many culinary styles.
Indeed, even the classic wedding cake can get really far out there when it comes to cost and style — because that's just how important treats are to some people. According to HuffPo, in 2017, the most expensive wedding cake ever was made over in Chester, England at Cake Bakery for a cool $52 million. The reason for the extra expense? It wasn't a costly batter —the delicacy was covered in 4,000 diamonds. Let's just hope nobody swallowed one of those bad boys, amirite?
But in truth, there is no need to go that wild, as long as your desserts are baked with love. Below, take a look at some of the incredible sweets that married couples serve for their lucky guests all around the globe. It will definitely have you thinking about having a wide variety of options for your own special day.
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Black Cake, Jamaica
This is another cake used for a few types of special celebrations at Christmas, but the Jamaican black cake is a must at weddings, and often passed down for generations from mother to daughter. And according to The Washington Post, the longer you soak the fruit going into the cake, the more legit a cake it is!
These days many people try to elevate the aesthetic of the plain cake with some colorful fondant.
The black cake is dense and sweet is particularly spicy, and flavored with both wine and rum.
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Zuppa Inglese, Italy
Leave it to the Italians to due something a little out of the ordinary with this custardy specialty. Not unlike a trifle, the Zuppa Inglese — something you very well might find coming to your place setting as you listen to all those wedding speeches in Italian — alternates between custard and sponge cake, and is usually served in a glass dish. Ladyfinger cookies are also often involved. While it translates to "English soup," it's definitely a traditional Italian treat. Top with raspberries, and celebrate with love!
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Xi Bings, China
According to Singaporebrides.com, Xi Bings can be like a biscuit, or small cake and can be baked, steamed, or fried, and filled with things like bean paste, lotus, or nuts.
Traditionally, they are given away as a sign of "the groom's gratitude" towards the bride's parents during the "Guo Da Li" ceremony, where gifts are given to the couple. They are also often given as announcement of the engagement, and motifs that symbolize luck or happiness are often printed on top.
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Croquembouche, France
No shocker here, but the French know how to do dessert, and that of course includes what you'll be served at a wedding. If you get to the after-dinner delights at a French celebration, you might just chance up on a croquembouche. These rather unbelievable concoctions are tall pyramid towers made up of cream pastries, then covered in caramel — those pastry balls need to stay put, after all — and then decorated. There are plenty of variations in size, but they always look an awful lot like the Eiffel Tower, don't you think? Vive le France!
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Genoise Cake, Germany
Although the Genoise cake came from Genoa, Italy, Germans are indeed known to cut into one of these delightful, traditional sponge cakes for their wedding days. They are made with syrups and liqueurs to sweeten them, and filled with marzipan, jams, or nougat. No wild colors for these cakes, because even though they find the decoration of these beauties to be of top importance, artificial colors and sweeteners are a big no-no!
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Sakotis, Lithuania
Sakotis are beyond incredible visually, as you can see, and are often used as a wedding treat in Eastern Europe, as well as to celebrate other occasions like special birthdays. (Sweet sakoti sixteen anyone?)
These pine tree-looking desserts are made of butter, yolks, egg whites, flour, sugar, and cream. To make them, the batter is turned over a spit, and the batter that dries as it drips, making delicious pieces to break off and enjoy.
There you have it, world travelers. Are you inspired to start baking yet?
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