Is there really such a thing as a "groom's cake?"

There is a long, cherished, romantic history to the groom's cake, which has been around for ages. Single women at the wedding reception would take home slices of this cake in special bags. You then place the cake slice under your pillow. You would see your groom-to-be in a dream vision. Also, originally the cake was a fruitcake… as in be fruitful and multiply.

I don't know where people are making wedding cakes that are mostly cardboard, but if your decorator offers this service to you, run in the other direction. This is quite possibly the largest bakery scam I've ever heard of.

As the other poster mentioned, it's not cardboard. But we'll over look that and pretend it is for the sake of argument. You are charged the basically same whether the cake is really a cake or a dummy cake, so why would a bridal couple choose to pay for 2 cakes based on this reasoning?

Most bakers/decorators create beautiful multi-tier cakes that are 100% cake. Those that are not either do not know how to stack real cakes or are coming up with reasons why you should spend twice the money. I honestly can't think of any other reason. The only time I would consider combining a dummy cake with real cake: The bride wants a larger, more dynamic cake than necessary for the amount of guests. But this would be by the Bride's request only.

Don't agree. In general most wedding cakes are all cake. A dummy cake is normally used to create the required design without generating unwanted cake. Dummy cakes are normally made from polystyrene or styrofoam (cardboard is not suitable for this purpose).

The 'grooms cake' was once actually referred to as the wedding cake and and the fancier cake was called the brides cake. Like the other poster mentioned, the grooms cake was usually a fruit cake and was cut into slices and passed out as favors as taken home. One superstition was if an unmarried young girl would put the cake under her pillow, she would dream of her future husband.

Nowadays the grooms cake is usually chocolate though it can be anything the groom likes as it's main purpose today is to give the groom a special part of the wedding. Some brides order the grooms cake as a secret and have it shaped and/or decorated to reflect his personality, interests or hobbies. But you could have him pick it out himself.

The grooms cake is usually served at the reception in addition to the wedding cake but some brides have been known to serve the grooms cake at the rehearsal dinner.

I have seen at a couple of weddings where the couple would cut the grooms cake together and the bride would give the first piece to the groom's mother, though I am not sure of the significance of this.

As for the 'dummy' cake thing ... I have seen this practice done only in design elements like the other poster said. For example; maybe you want a traditional looking 3 tier cake but you only have 50 guests.

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Yes. While it isn't as popular as the wedding cake, some wedding parties do opt to have a groom's cake. The biggest reason is that wedding cakes are usually (anymore) 75% cardboard. The bottom tier is usually the only REAL cake on a wedding cake. Once all of the guests have a slice of wedding cake, there usually isn't much left. So the Groom has his own cake so he and his friends and family can have as much cake as they like. It also provides for more cake for larger weddings.

For a good example, watch "Steel Magnoilias" they talk about the groom's cake in that movie.

Yes. A friend had one at their wedding. It was red velvet.

Maybe a Cocklet cake?

Yes. A groom's cake is often a darker, more substantial cake than the traditional lighter airy wedding cake. It is also MUCH smaller. I've seen grooms choose carrot cake with a carmelized coconut frosting, zucchini cake, Black Forest cake, red Velvet cake and fruit cake.

These days it's not required, but it's a nice touch especially if you two have different tastes, or expect a number of 'unexpected' guests.

The grooms cake is still alive and well, maybe not but we do on occasion get asked to create one.

As stated above these are normally down to the grooms taste and the last one we created was a chocolate sponge cake covered in chocolate sweets, I suppose the groom liked chocolate!

Weddingcakemaker
www.cakesbyann.co.uk

Yes ..... there really are "grooms' cakes" at wedding receptions.
I have no idea when this custom began, but the weddings I've attended have almost all had a groom's cake.
They've always been chocolate/devil's food with chocolate frosting, and always served with coffee.
I see no reason, though, that the groom shouldn't have any type cake he wants.