When I do wedding shows, I have my show off cakes and one simple cake with just "buttercream" and some flowers. I hear comments all the time from brides telling me how much they love that cake and that the all the bakeries always seem to have these fancy cakes they cannot afford. (I explain to them that we are just showing off our talents) I want to make another simple cake, that is pretty, yet elegant. I already have a cake a ribbon on the bottom and swirl designs and the quilting...so does anyone have any ideas on a simple cake that is covering the latest trends?

I've always hated "trends" ... because I view them as designs promoted by cake supply mfg'rs to push and promote their latest product.

I also got another insight into "trends". A bride came to me and she had already been to another bakery in town. This other bakery charged an add'l $65 to add a ribbon to the base of the cake and the bride had to provdie the ribbon. As the bride is looking thru my cake books and picking out cakes she likes, her sister days to her, "So you DON'T want the ribbon design? I thought that's what you picked out at the other place?"

The bride said, "I picked the ribbon design because that's the cheapest thing she had!"

So when cake makers nickel and dime a bride to death by charging for every little thing (and for the record, I tell brides that some things DO merit an add'l charge, like fondant work, gumpaste flowers and some very intricate designs), is it a "trend"? Or are all the brides picking the same design because it fits their budget better? Is it a true statement that "oh, brides are LUVIN" the ribbon around the base look!"? Or is it a truer statement that "Oh, brides are being very budget conscious (sp?) and the cheapest thing to get today is a ribbon wrapped around the base."

I just don't believe in "trends". I have it on my FAQ page that "the current trend" is whatever style of cake the bride wants.

Again I cite the cake decorator who told me to remove my square and basketweaves from my website because "...those are just not the trend these days", when the truth is 15 out of 19 consecutive wedding cakes I made were square and half of those were basketweave .... all real cakes, all ordered by real brides.

So much for "trends" and "expert opinions".

That is an interesting statement....especailly about the ribbon. I don't charge extra for placing ribbon. They bring me the designs from other web pages and most of the time is the ribbon cake with little dots on it..you know what I am talking about. Should I start asking them "did you pick this design because you think it will be cheaper? Let me show you some design ideas that are very diffrent and won't cost you any more..."

I agree, square cakes are very much in...although the big thing I have been seeing lately is the round, square, round, square. I think its wierd looking, but I sure do a lot of them. I don't know if they are trying to be different...or really like that look. Or its just my personal taste. Or because they are a b*tch to do. haha!

Basketweave is also coming back, as well as fountains and stairs. So what is old is new again.

I was just wondering what people would think would be an elegant simple cake...

Maybe we should have 2 categories .... what is considered "simple to make", and what is considered "a simple look".

Because brides think no design and no border is a "simple" cake ... and I just hate doing those. (mostly because they don't showcase any talent ... even tho' it takes more talent and time to make those kind of cakes look good).

So .... my favorite "simple" design to make is a basketweave using push in pillars. No smoothing and no doweling. Any cake civilian can set it up.

I like this one, but I don't know if you could use it since you already have the swirls and quilting.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1272440

What about this one for fall?
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1272346

I think the calla illusion cakes are eye catching too. I'm not sure if any of these are "trends" as I am not known to be very trendy.