The wedding cake holds a special significance – it’s an artistic masterpiece that sweetens the palate and serves as a symbol of love and celebration.

Within the heart of Italy's culinary landscape, a master confectioner, Sania Crepaldi from Dazero Offelleria, emerges as a virtuoso in the art of crafting state-of-the-art wedding cakes and sweets. In this article, we embark on a sweet journey into the world of wedding cake design and tempting Italian sweets.

Dazero Offelleria – creating edible elegance

Crafting wedding cakes is true artistry, where skilled bakers like Sania Crepaldi from Dazero Offelleria blend creativity with precision to produce edible masterpieces. Each tier, adorned with intricate details and personal touches, transforms the cake into a visual symphony that mirrors the couple's unique story and style.

When inquired about what sparked her interest in this delightful metier, Sania says that she can't remember when this passion of hers began, but she has a clear idea of the moment when, as a child, she began to write down the recipes on loose sheets of paper, which she then scattered around the house, or among books because she was afraid of forgetting them.

Perhaps it was also a way to save her roots. Reflecting on her profession, she says that being a pastry chef is a deeply personal and fulfilling vocation that allows her to combine her love of pastry making and artistic expression, where she can create edible masterpieces and unique visuals that evoke memories, celebrate milestones and touch the hearts of those who experience them.

Wedding cake design

The wedding cake design serves as a focal point in the celebration, symbolizing the union of the couple. The design reflects the couple's personality, style, and overall theme of the wedding, creating a visually stunning centrepiece. It adds a touch of artistry to the event, elevating the overall aesthetic and leaving a lasting impression on guests.

As Sania Crepaldi explains, the art involved in pastry making leaves room for endless exploration. She embarked on the passionate journey to become a wedding cake baker when she discovered an undeniable love for artistry and precision. Her first creation involved meticulously creating intricate designs, bringing the motif of the bride's dress onto the cake. As she sees it, creating a design allows you to express yourself and make people happy.

Each wedding cake design is unique, but the first step for Dazero Offelleria is inquiring what the style of the event will be. It is important to take a direction to set a mood and then delve into the details of the design. As follows, Sania’s Crepaldi service of cake stylist includes the creation of mood boards to create a unique wedding cake that reflects the couple, the style, the details, and the atmosphere of the location.

These are factors that allow her to create an entire dessert design, from the flavour to the visual and scenography aspects, passing through a real taste project which takes every element into account.

The wedding cake is undoubtedly a visually appealing creation, but it also has to taste amazing. When asked how she ensures that the wedding cake not only looks stunning but also tastes delicious, Sania Crepaldi explains that the key is to combine the attention to artisanal excellence with the desire to invest in high-quality raw materials.

A confectioner has to understand them and best enhance their taste. Working the ingredients with skill means infusing flavours and harmonizing textures in a balance to create extraordinary desserts that delight all the senses.

Wedding sweets and cakes in Italy

In the realm of Italian weddings, the artistry of crafting wedding cakes and sweets involves reflecting individual preferences but also getting inspired by regional differences and traditional Italian wedding sweets. Collaboration with fellow vendors, like florists and wedding planners, is essential to create a harmonious visual experience. Additionally, accommodating dietary restrictions such as gluten-free, vegan, or nut allergies is integral to the thoughtful design of wedding cakes and sweets.

As Sania Crepaldi sees it, the Italian wedding is an ever-growing trend. Italy has a unique style, a beauty that is difficult to match and a boundless artistic and cultural heritage. To these elements must be added the aromas and flavours of Italian confectionery art, the Made in Italy excellence, recognized throughout the world. This undoubtedly adds to the strive for perfectionism of Italian confectioners.

When asked about traditional Italian wedding sweets, Sania shares that, as far as the wedding cake is concerned, there is no longer a type or preference between regions. Today, every cake is a signature. The choice of wedding dessert is personal, with very high attention to the smallest detail.

However, in the Bel Paese, there are typical desserts deeply linked to the territory. Each region of the Bel Paese has its unique confectionery specialities, they are classic delights, famous and appreciated all over the world and have always given extraordinary emotions in one of the most awaited moments, the grand dessert buffet.

Additionally, among the pastry pearls preferred by Italian spouses, there are the great desserts of the Italian tradition such as Sicilian cannoli, sfogliatelle, Babà, bignè, the timeless mini pastries, fruit-based tarts or single-portion cakes (Sacher, tiramisù, diplomatica, a millefoglie). Traditional desserts, typical of the place or region chosen for the wedding, are also welcome.

The favourite wedding cake in an Italian wedding is the fruit cake, sponge cake, Italian Chantilly cream and a lot of fresh fruit or the mille-feuille, always with fruity or floral decorations. Dazero Offelleria wanted to design a new concept of traditional Italian pastry making, focused exclusively on aesthetic and stylistic involvement, highly original and distinctive.

Speaking of the choice of flavours for the wedding cake, Sania says that they are influenced by the season, in which the couple will get married, as the ingredients have a fundamental role linked to seasonal temperatures. Commonly, for weddings celebrated in Italy, almost all wedding cakes are filled with classic Italian Chantilly cream and seasonal fruit.

Dazero Offelleria’s productions are mainly linked to the seasonality of the product. In the summer, the tastes are enriched with fresh and colourful flavours, while in autumn and winter, choice changes with creamier flavours, where spiced chocolate and creams are combined with seasonal fruit, such as orange or pears. Another element that determines the ingredients that make up the dessert and, therefore, the preference of one flavour over another is the flavour that will best complement the menu.

Creating the perfect wedding cake

Crafting the perfect wedding cake and curating a sweets table requires a delicate blend of artistry and practicality. Let’s walk through some key recommendations for a delightful wedding cake and sweets table.

When curating a sweets table, maintain visual harmony through coordinated colours and themes, creating an appealing display. Embrace flavour diversity to cater to varying tastes, ensuring there's a delightful option for every guest. Lastly, keep in mind the guest count when determining the size of the cake and planning the sweets table, aiming for abundance without excess. Accommodate dietary needs thoughtfully to ensure all attendees can indulge in the sweet celebration.

With Dazero Offelleria, you can be sure that every aspect of wedding sweets will be well thought through and unique as they develop a different concept of dessert table, choosing the richness of local gastronomy to add a strong personality as well as an identity. As they see it - the dessert table finishes the wedding reception with sweetness and elegance.

In their experience, an increasingly sought-after choice is an alternative to the final note of the wedding banquet for those who do not like a pompous wedding cake – a wider variety of creations in different sizes to offer to guests for one-of-a-kind visual impact. Dazero Offelleria can provide a wide variety of sweets while meeting all the needs of the couple and guests, for example, tastes, food intolerances and culinary preferences and maintaining a balanced and harmonious overall look.

Sania’s Crepaldi advice for couples would be to choose a team of vendors that carry your style seamlessly and whom you trust to do their work. A team that collaborates in all phases of a wedding is essential for success, and maintaining contact with suppliers is crucial throughout the creative process to intertwine ideas and harmonize them so that the style is coordinated.

Keeping your cake designer connected with the vendors and the final style of your wedding is extremely important in her eyes. She likes to feel the atmosphere of the wedding for which she is creating so she can get excited about the design and translate all of that into the cake.

The cherry on the top – wedding cake cutting

The cake-cutting ceremony is a cherished tradition, and the design enhances the joy and significance of this moment. Sania Crepaldi agrees that cutting of the wedding cake has become a spectacular ritual designed to surprise all the guests with style. To make this moment memorable, she recommends excellent planning.

To turn the cake cutting into an unforgettable moment, coordinate the timing with your wedding planner or venue coordinator to ensure it aligns with the overall flow of the reception. Choose a location that allows all guests a clear view, for example, at the centre of the dance floor, and prioritize the aesthetic by selecting a beautifully decorated table and ensuring proper lighting for optimal photos.

Don’t forget to discuss with your photographer to capture the moment from different angles, emphasizing the emotions and reactions of both the couple and the guests. Inform the catering staff about any specific cues or music changes that will accompany the cake cutting to synchronize the event smoothly. It's essential to have the right utensils for the task, a cake knife and a server, which can also be personalized to add a special touch.

Lastly, enjoy the moment – the cake cutting is a symbolic and joyous act, so savour it with your partner and share the sweetness with your loved ones.

Author: Renāte Berga

Wedding cake and sweets design: Dazero Offelleria