Discover expert wedding cake advice from top Scottish bakers. Learn how to choose flavours, designs, portion sizes and timings for your perfect wedding cake
Your cake should reflect your vision for your wedding, believes Denise at YiShi Cake, who made this sculptural beauty (Photo: Kuenzli Photography)
Your wedding cake is more than dessert – it’s a centrepiece, a photo moment and a delicious reflection of your day.
From tasting boxes and design consultations to delivery details and timing your cake-cutting just right, we asked some of Scotland’s best wedding cake makers for their expert advice.
Whether you’re planning a statement showstopper or something simple and elegant, here’s how to make every bite count.
The advice at Liggy’s Cakes is to order six to nine months in advance of the wedding
How to pick your wedding cake flavours
Q. How do you decide on flavours?
“The best way is by tasting them,” smiles Denise Lai at YiShi Cake in Edinburgh. “We offer a tasting box by post, either with our six most-loved flavours or your own custom selection. They’re all freshly prepared and delivered next day to enjoy at home, completely stress-free.”
Q. What can I do about guests with special dietary requirements?
“Many places can cater to that,” explains Liggy Rennie at Liggy’s Cakes in Glasgow. “For example, we can make an individual cupcake with the guest’s name piped on to ensure it gets to the right person.”
“Each tier can feature a different flavour, giving you the chance to enjoy a variety of options.” – Cakes by Nicole
“Most larger companies should be able to cater to any dietary requirements,” says Cakes by Nicole (Photo: AJ Photography)
Designing your dream cake
Q. There are so many incredible designs out there – how do we decide what to pick?
“We have a range of designs online, although we always encourage couples to bring their own creative flair to the design process,” says Liggy. “We can add sugar flowers, hand-piped monograms to match the stationery, or tie it in with colours and details from your wedding decor.
Laura Gillespie at Troon’s Infinite Indulgence talks bringing creations to life: “When I chat with the couple, I create a doodle based off things they like so they can start to visualise it.”
Find wedding cake suppliers in Scotland
Q. I know the design I want – what now?
“To bring your vision to life, a private face-to-face consultation is best (typically around four to six months before the wedding),” says Nicole Duncan at Cakes by Nicole in Ayrshire. “This is where we can refine the design and perfect every detail.”
“Special offers might sound tempting at first, but if a baker constantly has special offers, that’s just their prices." – Jappacakes
At Jappacakes, you’ll sample all 10 possible flavours to help you figure out which ones you love best
Budgeting for your wedding cake
Q. How much does a wedding cake cost?
“This is always a difficult question as it tends to come down to the size of the cake and the time each design takes to create,” explains Liggy. “Our average wedding cake, that’ll serve 80 to 100 guests, costs around £400-£500.”
TTKS Tries: a wedding cake tasting at Jappacakes
Q. How can I stick to my budget?
“Handmade sugar flowers are expensive, so if your cake style is floral-heavy, perhaps consider using fresh flowers supplied by your florist,” suggests Farzana Manzoor of Sparkles Cake Company in Clackmannanshire.
“Another way to save money is by replacing a tier or two with a dummy cake and having sheet cakes ready for serving in the kitchen. This could make things easier for the servers at your venue too.”
“If you’re offering a dessert table or multiple sweet options, a smaller wedding cake may be sufficient. In this case, the cake becomes more of a visual centrepiece and ceremonial moment.” – YiShi Cake
A gravity-defying showstopper by Sparkles Cake Company (Photo: Lloyd Stevenson Photography)
The practical details
Q. How far in advance should we place our order?
“There are always benefits to ordering in advance – for example, if you’ve been given a quote for a particular design and you stick to it, your price won’t change,” explains Laura Graham at Jappacakes in Lanark.
"In other words, you could get a 2027 cake for 2025 prices if you book now. That said, if we have the capacity, we can make your cake with just a few weeks’ notice. We once made one with two days’ notice, but I wouldn’t encourage quite such a laid-back level of planning!”
Wedding cake planning: serving sizes, designs and more tips
Q. How much cake do we need?
“I generally recommend catering for around 75 to 80% of your total guest count – unless you plan to serve the cake as your dessert,” says Nicole at Cakes by Nicole.
“If you like the look of a larger cake but don’t actually need to feed a lot of people, dummy tiers can be incorporated into the design of the cake to create the desired effect without the extra servings.”
The overall colour scheme of your wedding can inspire the design of your cake, says Laura at Infinite Indulgence
Expert wedding cake tips to remember
Q. Who delivers the wedding cake? And what about setting it up?
“Most cake suppliers will offer delivery and set-up but there will be a charge for this,” according to Laura at Infinite Indulgence.
“Some couples want to collect their cake themselves – but, remember, your supplier is insured for all travelling and setting up. If anything goes wrong, they will be on hand to fix it immediately, so really this fee will give you peace of mind.”
Q. When is the best time to cut the cake?
“The cake-cutting moment is a beautiful tradition and a great opportunity to gather your guests for a shared celebration,” believes Denise at YiShi Cake.
Unique wedding cake designer YiShi Cake talks us through her bespoke creations
“Most couples cut their cake either after dinner and just before the first dance, or as part of the evening reception, especially if it is going to be served as dessert or with coffee later in the evening. “The timing ultimately depends on your flow of events, meal structure and whether the cake is for display only or is being served.”
