At this point in my wedding cake series, I’m sure it isn’t a surprise that given the choice I choose cake over frosting. IMHO, naked cakes are the perfect balance between frosting and cake. However, it may surprise you that I will always veer towards suggesting a Fully Frosted or Nearly Nude cake. And not just because I enjoy their alliterative names.
While I adore the look of a naked cake, and the balance is my favorite, a truly naked cake is more challenging to make. I know this may seem unrealistic. There is less icing—fewer materials. There aren’t countless swipes to make the icing smooth. On the other hand, the layers need to be baked to perfection to get crisp lines. The cake crumb needs to be intact for an even-ish color. That cute crumb that comes through can literally tear the cake if the icing isn’t the perfect consistency.
I suppose you could say, I have a love/hate relationship with naked cakes. I’ve had TWO naked cakes topple over. It was HEARTBREAKING! (Luckily they were cakes for experimenting… and many lessons were learned to prevent this from happening again). A nice chilled outer coating of frosting is firm enough that I don’t worry about the cake slipping or sliding or turning into a leaning tower.
The final concern I have for naked cakes is they can dry out. The frosting on a cake insulates the cake and seals the moisture into the cake. Most bridal cakes are made days ahead of the wedding. Naked cakes have more opportunities for the cake to be out and exposed. Don’t worry though, if you have your heart set on a naked cake, there are ways to compensate and mitigate the risk of having a dry cake.
A simple syrup brushed between the layers can infuse more flavor (if it is an infused syrup) but it can add that moisture you may have lost. Additionally, hopefully, your baker (like me) can plan to bake your cake closer to your event. Currently, I only bake ONE wedding cake a week. I plan ahead of time and for naked cakes especially to bake the day before the wedding.
Nearly Nude
A Nearly Nude cake has the lightest layer of frosting. It still looks very much like a naked cake, yet is more forgiving. It seals in more of that coveted moisture. It is easy to handle (which is important for tiered cakes). This cake is the Goldilocks of cakes. 😸 This cake style is also commonly called Nearly Naked and Semi-Naked.
At the Den
If you choose to work with me, I am happy to answer any additional questions about these cakes. My bias is purely for what I like to eat & what is easiest for me to make. I am over-the-moon excited to make ANY cake. I provide information, answer questions, and then create YOUR dream cake!!! Whether it is for a wedding (LOVE), Birthday (LOVE), Celebrations (LOVE), Just Because (LOVE). I feel immense joy bringing cake dreams to life and infusing my love into these creations.
