Pictures of Black and White Wedding Cakes

Designs for black and white wedding cakes shown in pictures for formal and informal weddings are great resources. Couples can explore different styles in photos to get ideas for their wedding cake design.

While simple white tiers edged with basic black ribbons is an easy wedding cake design, there are many beautiful options for black and white wedding cakes to match any theme or formality.

Small black vines or branches decorating white cake tiers is an elegant and organic look suitable for formal garden weddings in spring and summer. This can be a busy design, however, so avoid extra embellishments to help the cake keep its simplicity.

A wedding cake with different tier shapes can easily be decorated in black and white without looking overdone. A thick ribbon wrapping the central tier gives consistency to the design and allows for different piped icing designs on both the upper and lower tiers, though all are coordinated through the simple colors. Topping the cake with a solid black bow topper draws the design together with the thicker ribbon for an overall elegant look.

A black and white wedding cake with simple ribbons and a crystal spray topper is a chic, modern look perfect for a winter wedding because the topper simulates ice or snowflakes. Tier shape can be varied, though square tiers are often preferred to preserve the modern geometry. This is an easy and elegant design, yet it coordinates well with any wedding décor.

Add a burst of color to a black and white wedding cake with a floral cake topper. Avoid adding too much color to the cake or it will look overdone, but a few boldly colored roses that match the wedding accent colors can be a beautiful way to finish a monochrome cake design. Icing lace in black over a white cake is particularly elegant with a floral topper and helps give the cake a softer, organic appearance.

For a western or country wedding, a whimsical cowhide cake can be a fun choice. Sculpted from fondant icing, this pattern has splotches of black over a white base, and black ribbons or edging along each tier helps keep the cake uniform and elegant. Just a few large splotches should be used to avoid an overwhelming pattern, or smaller spots can be used to create a dalmation effect instead.

If you want to add color to your black and white wedding cake without going overboard, add just a few bright blooms along the edges of the cake. This will coordinate each tier and give the cake a finished look without losing the appeal of a simple black and white design.

Add flair and distinction to a black and white wedding cake by layering fondant icing shapes to create patterns over the tiered surface. More delicate patterns and smaller shapes should be reserved for the top tier while larger shapes are used for the bottom tier for visual balance and symmetry.

One of the easiest and most popular black and white wedding cakes is a simple tiered cake with thin black ribbons around the base of each tier. The edges of the ribbons can be adhered discreetly to each tier or tied in a more obvious bow if desired. A floral cake topper adds a burst of color without losing the elegance of the simple cake.

Many modern wedding cakes use creative shapes and unique patterns on each tier, and this is easy to do with a black and white wedding cake. By keeping the cake colors simple, you can use different patterns and tier shapes without overwhelming the senses or clashing with the design. This is a fun and creative type of wedding cake perfect for a modern wedding.

Black and white can be romantic colors for a wedding cake when they are used to create climbing vines in subtle floral or ivy shapes. A thin ribbon can separate each tier for a more stylized appearance, but keep the vines in short segments to avoid too busy of a pattern for this type of wedding cake design.

For a heavily textured wedding cake with buttercream icing, use wide black ribbons to create a smooth, bold base for each tier. This gives the cake visual stability and interest by creating a change in textures and contrasting colors without going overboard.

Black bows on each tier of the cake adds a whimsical yet still elegant touch to the design of a formal wedding cake. This is perfect for an afternoon wedding with a sweetly romantic theme, but too many bows can seem overdone for an ultra formal or evening wedding.

Thinly piped black icing in swags and dots along a simple wedding cake gives the dessert a delicate and delicious appearance without too much black color. Add a subtle touch of color with piped dots that match the bridal party dresses or wedding accent colors as well.

Using sheer ribbon to decorate a black and white wedding cake is a more unique option than solid black satin ribbon. The edges of the ribbon are still solid, but the white cake icing shows through the sheer fabric for an elegant and coordinating gray. To avoid doubling the sheer ribbon and making the edges darker, however, opt to pin the edges of the ribbon to the cake in a style reminiscent of the pearl buttons on the bride's dress.

Small bunches of flowers can be added to each tier of a black and white wedding cake to coordinate with the wedding flowers and other colors while still using the elegant black and white theme. For more texture on the cake, add simple piped dots or small clusters of dots to simulate the look of extra blooms with subtlety and grace.

A white fondant wedding cake is the perfect palette for black stenciling. Stenciled designs such as fleur de lis, monograms, or other stylized patterns are popular and this decorating technique gives you more options for elaborate designs quickly and easily. This can also be less expensive than if the patterns were hand iced or piped onto the cake.

Black and white may be simple wedding color choices, but a black and white wedding cake can be anything but. There are many shape and design options to use for black and white cakes to create elegant, outstanding desserts to share on your wedding day.

For more wedding cake inspiration, check out…

• Examples of Wedding Cakes
• Pictures of Unusual Wedding Cakes
• Gallery of Fall Wedding Cakes