Non-Traditional Wedding Cake Alternatives

Mini cakes and cupcakes. Instead of ordering one giant multi-tiered cake, provide your guests with an abundance of cute mini cakes and/or cupcakes. A cupcake bar or cupcake tower made of brightly decorated cupcakes will certainly capture everyone's attention! Individual cupcakes have one more advantage: while a wedding cake can have only one flavor, cupcakes come in all sorts of flavors so that there will be a cupcake to suit every taste.

Shot glass desserts. Instead of individual cakes, offer your guests several varieties of delicious desserts served in shot glasses. Desserts that can be served in glasses include, but are not limited to, parfaits, ice cream, mousse, cheesecake, panna cotta, trifle, tiramisu, jelly, crème brûlée, strawberry shortcake, etc.

Doughnuts. If you want to have a fun and informal wedding, offer your guests a doughnut tower. Maybe doughnuts are less refined and romantic than cupcakes, but everyone loves them. Who said that your wedding dessert has to be serious?

Cake pops. Another fun dessert for an unconventional wedding. Cake pops are small cakes styled as lollipops. They look fabulous, are easy to eat and come in all sorts of flavors, just like cupcakes.

Croquembouche. A croquembouche is a French cake often served at weddings. It is basically a tall cone made of small profiteroles glued together with caramel. It may also be decorated with fruits, chocolate, sugared almonds, ribbons, flowers.

Macarons. Macarons are another French dessert. A macaron is composed of two almond meringue discs filled with a layer of ganache, buttercream, or jam. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavors and colors. A colorful and elegant macaron tower is a great wedding cake alternative for a romantic wedding.

Mini dessert buffet. Why choose between cupcakes and macarons if you can have both? Instead of picking one or two types of confections, offer your guests an abundance of bite-size desserts – cupcakes, macarons, dessert shots, cake pops, cream puffs, meringues, cheesecakes, cookies, cannoli, cronuts, whoopie pies, waffles, candy, chocolate-covered fruit, mini pies and tarts, etc. Choose several items and make sure everyone can have a taste of each confection.

DIY dessert bar. Making your own dessert is fun, so why don't you suggest that your guests decorate their own cupcake/doughnut or make their own sundae?

Cheese cake. No, we aren't talking about cheesecake, we are talking about a wedding cake made up of stacks of different cheese. It's unusual, it's delicious, it's perfect for those who are not fond of sweet desserts but love cheeses.