Bridal Shower Cake

Cake is the ultimate celebration food. One look at this frosted treat and everybody's in the mood to party. So shouldn't a bridal shower cake enhance the festive mood? Picture it: Shaped like a dress or a heart; inscribed with heartfelt wishes or a clever one-liner. You can't lose. Cake is bound to please.

As you know if you've ever watched "Ace of Cakes" on the Food Network, this familiar dessert can take any shape, color or style you want. The elaborate stuff can be expensive, but your local baker has a few tricks up his sleeve, too. A photo of the bride or the couple can be duplicated in frosting. Tiered layers can represent wrapped gifts or a fountain, or be spread with different patterns (stripes on the bottom, checks on the top, etc.). A sheet cake is a better choice if you want guests to notice the inscription in particular.

Be sure that you know what design and flavors the couple has chosen for the wedding cake, so that you do not duplicate. This may involve using the bride's second favorite kind of cake.

Thinking outside the box, what about cupcakes or mini-cakes? They can be decorated individually (shaped like a wide bridal dress skirt, adorned with single sugar-sculpted flowers or bows) or assembled to form a picture or message (one letter per cupcake).

Thinking even further outside the box, how about both? Try a round layer cake surrounded by individual cupcakes in the bride's colors. Now that's festive!