If you are a Dom Perignon bride with a Bud Light budget (dilly, dilly), this post is perfect for you. With one little recipe, you can bake a simple groom’s cake or even a classic fondant wedding cake for under fifty dollars. Listen, I’ve been married for almost fifteen years. Cut back a little on the cake, and save up for the minivan you “would never buy” if you were asked today, but will swoon over in about ten years. Those things are the freaking embodiment of mom-luxury. I have sixteen cupholders, y’all.

Okay, back to the baking. The cake I chose for this recipe is five layers of boxed brownie mix, and four containers of vanilla frosting. Yes, I’m totally serious. Normally, I would never bake a wedding cake with boxed mix, but really no one will know, and this recipe is quick, easy, and tastes amazing.

Aside from being delicious, I like using brownies as the layers in this particular recipe because they are sturdy, and you don’t need to cut the tops off as you would with typical cakes. Just bake the brownies in round cake pans in your preferred size and let cool. Once baked and removed from the pans, spread frosting in between the stacked layers, and be sure to place the brownie that is going on the top of your cake upside down so the top of your cake is nice and flat.

Next, using a piping bag filled with frosting, pipe frosting around the outside of each layer. Then, using a spatula held against the outside of your cake, spin the stacked cake to allow the frosting to spread and flatten along the outside of the cake. Try not to make this part too perfect, as the beauty of this cake is it’s effortless vibe.

If you are making a groom’s cake, you can add flowers and you are done! If you are baking a wedding cake, keep reading….

Groom’s Cake:

For the fondant wedding cake version of this recipe, continue to cover the entire cake with frosting until all of the brownie layers are covered.

Use our simple fondant recipe here to finish out your cake. If you want to add any elements such as the rope detail, roll out your fondant (like a flat circle) and cut two long pieces. Twist the two pieces together to make rope, and twist into your preferred knot. Secure the knot to the cake using light corn syrup. You can also use toothpicks to make absolutely sure your knot will adhere to the cake.

The gold band at the bottom of this cake is made with one strip of white fondant. We painted the strip gold with this fantastic gold dust powder. You just add a tiny bit of water to the powder and it’s like painting with gold. So easy. So fun!

Finally, keep additional powdered (confectioner’s) sugar on hand whenever you are using fondant. I like to sprinkle it on the cake or brush it on gently with a paintbrush, to keep the cake dry and smooth. Powdered sugar is your fondant’s best friend.

If you are making a wedding cake and this is the first time you have used fondant, take time to practice. It’s so inexpensive to make, and with a little preparation, you will feel comfortable using the fondant for such a special cake.

We hope these cake variations inspire you to bake even the most important of cakes. With a little practice and effort, you can have the cake of your dreams without the nightmare price tag. You can do this!!

For more wedding inspiration, please check out my very favorite wedding blog at: http://acoastalbride.com