The Saturday of Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of wedding season as couples across the country take advantage of the warmer weather and higher likelihood of sunshine to tie the knot. While the onslaught of summer weddings might tickle your inner romantic, they can create a hefty dilemma for dieters. The food served at weddings is typically high in calories and fat – and that’s even before you consider the cake.
According to Frost Magazine, a piece of wedding cake can set you back approximately 650 calories – which certainly won’t help you snap into shape for the summer swimsuit season. If you’re attending a wedding as a guest it can be hard to say no to cake on someone’s special day. If you’re the bride or the groom, choosing the cake can be no easy feat: you want one that looks gorgeous, fits your wedding theme and tastes delicious. The quest for the perfect cake can be even more difficult when you want to find something figure-friendly, too.
Luckily, some clever couples have moved away from traditional wedding cake and are choosing to serve figure-friendlier desserts that will still satisfy the sweetest sweet tooth.
Use Fruit: Instead of serving a traditional wedding cake, look to your favorite fruits – the most natural dessert option out there. “I attended a wedding recently where they bride and groom wanted a more laid back environment and decided to avoid most typical wedding traditions,” said Jennifer Mitchell. “Instead, they served flambeed bananas. They also had ice cream for anyone who wanted it as a topping.” When fruit is the base of your dessert, even when prepared richly, you’ll still reap the nutritional benefits.
Control Portions with Cupcakes: Instead of a dense, thickly frosted cake opt for petite treats: cupcakes. According to HerWeddingPlanner.com, wedding cupcakes are a hit with brides. Cupcakes allow each guest to choose his or her favorite flavor and the bride can have more input as to the serving sizes and display. Try our Red Velvet Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.
DIY Desserts: Instead of having a decadent cake catered from your favorite bakery, ask your friends and loved ones to contribute their favorite dessert to your buffet table. The traditional cutting of the cake will be more meaningful if it’s mom’s famous recipes and you can make them again on your anniversary each year.
I recommend some of our favorite lighter cake recipes from our archives:
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting