STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- NORTH/WEST SHORES -- Whether it's fruit cake in England; red velvet cake in the South or sponge cake in our area, it's suffice to say that a few hundred pounds of any confection could mean only one thing: A wedding.
"It was called the fountain cake," recalled James Carozza, owner of Cake Chef at 957 Jewett Ave., in Meiers Corners. It was sometime in the 1990s at the El Caribe in Brooklyn and the huge, rectangular sheet cake was five-feet long. It had a working water fountain in the center with pedestals connected with plastic staircases and the obligatory plastic bride and groom sitting on top.
"That's a thing of the past," Carozza said.
What couples are looking for now is a clean finish, with lots of intricate details achieved mostly through the use of fondant (sugar dough), said Teri Rutigliano, who with Joan Sheheen owns Mother Mousse bakeries in Travis (3767 Victory Blvd. ) and in Dongan Hills (2175 Hylan Blvd.).
And while the designs may not include plastic pillars and such, the detail on even the simplest cake can be very time-consuming, Ms. Rutigliano said. She said recently a bride wanted a white wedding cake covered in pearls -- "tens of thousands of pearls" -- to feed 180 people. Getting each one on is very labor intensive, she added.
For couples into their second marriage or getting married in their 40s or 50s, the "bridal look," is being replaced with a more personal approach, whether it's through a particular color palette or theme, the pastry chefs concur.
Another way to add a personal touch -- and keep the groom feeling special as well -- is the groom's cake, Ms. Rutigliano said. The smaller, more colorful cake, is often designed with sports or a man's hobby in mind, she said.
Elements of a bridal gown; colors incorporating the bridesmaid's dresses, and varying tones of white with intricate details are the trend in styles of wedding cakes now, the pastry chefs concur. As far as flavor -- anything goes.
Take for instance the mousse combinations at Mother Mousse, which include chocolate and cappuccino and white chocolate with raspberries. At the Cake Chef a mixing of French cream and fresh fruit as well as cheesecake are also popular.
Most weddings average in size from 125 to 150 people, or at least that's what these cake masters are getting orders for, and many couples are looking for the smooth, detail-oriented designs of fondant. Just a warning: the more intricate the design, the longer it takes and the more expensive the cake will be. The average cost per slice is $7 with the prices creeping upwards of $10 for more details.
"People are becoming more money conscious with the weddings. Before, money was no object and any girl getting married would put her mom and dad in hock, but now people are more conservative and they still want a deal," Ms. Rutigliano said.
To avoid a cake that can cost more than the bridal gown itself, Carozza suggests planning early, but if something happens to the cake right up until the day of the wedding, he can accommodate. "We can whip up a sponge cake at any given time, all we need is a couple of hours," he noted.
What has also become popular is the use of smaller cakes (though, in the long run, the price can be prohibitive) used at each table, and edible favors such as lintzer tarts and boxed cupcakes, Ms. Rutigliano said.
Anne Marie Calzolari is an editor and food writer for the Shores section. She can be reached at calzolari@siadvance.com.