Can The Traditional Wedding Cake Be Replaced?

The towering white wedding cake – once a non-negotiable dessert – is being reinvented, or even skipped altogether

There’s probably nothing quite as memorable as desserts when it comes to weddings – they’re often the one part of the meal that lingers in your memory long after the day is over. And that grand, white, tiered-to-perfection wedding cake has echoed through generations and etched itself into our collective memory. But can any other dessert dare to compete with this beloved, time-honoured centrepiece of receptions? Yes, a delicious rebellion is underway!

Couples are rethinking what a ‘wedding cake’ can be – and sometimes if they want one at all. Instead, there are croquembouches, cheese wheels, mochi stacks, and interactive dessert stations. Away from cookie-cutter celebrations, the idea of slicing into a sugar-heavy tower is no longer a given.

“Couples want their wedding to feel like a true extension of their personality. Instead of the expected, they’re choosing unique and intricate dessert spreads that tell their unique love story. It’s about emotion, aesthetics, and experience. In weddings, even the cake becomes a curated expression of the couple’s journey. Tradition is still honoured but in a way that feels fresh, artistic, and deeply personal,” reasons Dheera Likhi, founder of Parinaya Sutra, a luxury wedding planning company. Having planned weddings across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Oman, she has witnessed the shift firsthand.

A recent survey by Zola of over 6,000 couples getting married in 2025 reveals that couples are split on having a wedding cake over other desserts, with 51% saying it’s out, while 49% still want the classic confectionery. Over-the-top cakes—hand-painted, decked in florals, or dripping in gold leaf – may embody the classic wedding aesthetic, but they’ve also led to a kind of visual fatigue.

There are no rules when it comes to your wedding – and that includes dessert. If you want to skip the classic cake and serve something more inventive, the possibilities are endless: cupcake towers, parfait stations, candy bars, chocolate cream puffs, pancake stacks, and beyond. Couples are trading in tradition for croquembouches, cheese wheel cakes, mochi stacks, macaron towers, and interactive dessert stations.

Health consciousness is playing a role, too. There’s a maze of dietary preferences among guests: gluten-free, vegan, nut allergies, and dairy intolerances. Then there are personal choices involving sugar-consciousness. Then there’s the uncomfortable truth: traditional wedding cakes often go to waste. After the ceremonial slice and a few photo ops, most of it sits untouched.

Even these new-age couples are opting for alternative desserts that blend cultural richness with modern flair – confections that merge local traditions with regional flavours. “Especially in the Middle East, we’re witnessing a beautiful rise in alternative desserts. Couples are curating dessert tables with artisanal baklava towers, gold-dusted macarons, and rose- and saffron-infused mini cakes. Traditional favourites like qatayef and kunafa are being reimagined with modern, elegant twists. There are miniature baklava bites layered with pistachio gold dust, rosewater panna cottas, maamoul cookies adorned with edible florals, and even personalised date truffle boxes,” highlights Likhi.

Moreover, the dessert table has evolved into a canvas – one that takes guests on a journey through flavour, memory, and shared delight. “We’ve seen brides tear up as they serve rose-and-saffron desserts reminiscent of their grandmother’s kitchen, or grooms proudly offering guests handcrafted baklava as a tribute to family legacy. These flavours are timeless storytellers,” she shares.

This isn’t the end of the wedding cake; it’s simply the sweet rebirth of how we celebrate. “I often suggest a blend: a smaller, symbolic cake for the ceremonial moment, paired with an elaborate dessert experience that reflects the couple’s personality and roots. It’s indulgent, personal, and unforgettable, just like the wedding should be,” she advises. Moreover, interactive dessert stations and thoughtfully plated smaller portions open up a world of creativity that a single-tiered cake often can’t match to curate an immersive experience.

Well, cake or no cake, the sweetest thing at your wedding is the love you’re celebrating. Everything else is just the icing!