Decadent Desserts

Two-tiered white cake with pink fondant border, icing designs and oral accents. Photo / Davis Bakery

Three-tiered white frosted cake with oral accents. Photo / Davis Bakery

By Meghan Walsh

At most weddings, the couple and guests alike eagerly anticipate the cutting of the cake. Today, bakeries are serving up cakes and small desserts galore to appeal to a variety of tastes. From large, traditional wedding cakes to pastries and macarons, two local bakeries off er their ideas for something tasty for everyone.

DAVIS BAKERY

Classic white cakes with white frosting can be the perfect way to tie together any wedding. These traditional cakes are still going strong, says Jay Davis, vice president of operations at Davis Bakery in Woodmere and Warrensville Heights.

“A lot of people just really fi nd our white cake to be delicious,” Davis says. “We add a touch of almond fl avor to our white cake, so it gives it a nice, distinct fl avor.”

Occasionally, some people want a fruit fi lling, such as lemon or another citrus, between the cake layers.

Davis says he has noticed couples seeking smaller cakes lately, sometimes for the sole purpose of having a cake cutting ceremony.

“Then, they’re kind of accompanying it with an eclectic mix of desserts, whether it’s our cream cheese pastries or our mini coconut bars to go with that small cake,” he explains.

Couples also frequently accentuate their cakes with fl oral details.

“A lot of people want nice fl oral arrangements with the real, live fl owers that the fl orist will place on the cake, and it really does give the cakes a nice, elegant look,” he says.

Overall, Davis says traditional fl avors and designs take the cake.

“I would say that we’re still seeing a vast majority of our cakes are white and elegant, white buttercream iced,” he says.

Two tiered, white frosted, textured cake with oral accents. Photo / Luna Bakery

Three-tiered “naked” cake with pinecone and leaf accents. Photo / Davis Bakery Two tiered, white frosted cake with rose gold borders and piping and oral accents. Photo / Luna Bakery

LUNA BAKERY

Some may say the best part of a meal is dessert, and weddings usually have some sort of baked goods to satisfy a guest’s sweet tooth. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, weddings have gotten smaller and henceforth, so have the cakes.

“Everyone has sort of shifted towards this smaller tiered cake with a lot of mini desserts,” says Brynn Keefe, cake shop manager at Luna Bakery in Cleveland Heights and Moreland Hills. “We don’t have a lot of big wedding cakes that serve three or four hundred people.”

Keefe says a lot of people are looking for fruit-based fl avors this time of year, such as lemon-raspberry. Hazelnut-mocha is also a trending fl avor.

Today’s couples have been in search of non-traditional sweet treats, such as mini tarts, macarons, cookies and other desserts that are more casual, she adds.

“People are really looking for alternatives to cake, which Luna does off er, and so I feel like that is something more (popular) this year than we did in years past,” Keefe says. sj

Samantha Somogyi & Kevin Hurtuk

Wedding Day May 29, 2022 Gleneagles Golf Club and Events | Twinsburg

Today Ages: 26 & 31 Hometown: Fairview Park Synagogue: Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple

How did you meet?

Through mutual friends.

Do you have any interesting stories to share about getting to know one another?

We met through mutual friends at Kent State University, although Kevin had already graduated college and I (Samantha) was fi nishing my senior year. Kevin came back to visit friends during Kent’s homecoming weekend. We didn’t get an opportunity to talk a lot that weekend, but it was just enough to spark interest in each other. A couple months later after a couple more encounters with mutual friends, Kevin fi nally asked me out on a fi rst date. We went to Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar in Lakewood for dinner followed by bowling at Madison-Square Lanes. This restaurant is also where we had dinner the night we got engaged.

One of our favorite things to do together is travel. After only a few months of dating we traveled to Florida with the same two friends that we met through. That same year we took a weekend trip to Pittsburgh, Pa., and Gatlinburg, Tenn. Over the next few years, we traveled to Washington, D.C., Surfside, S.C., San Antonio, Texas, Newport, R.I., and Charleston, S.C. And fi nally, our favorite trip of them all was our honeymoon to Maui, Hawaii. We hope to continue traveling the world together!

How long did you know each other before you got married?

Five-and-a-half years

When did you know you wanted to marry your partner?

Samantha: After our fi rst few dates it was very obvious that Kevin and I shared something special and unique. It was and always has been so eff ortless between us and from the start our relationship has been fi lled with so much laughter.

Kevin: I knew shortly after our fi rst date because it was so easy to be myself around Samantha in a way I’ve never felt before.

What was the best part of wedding planning?

It’s hard to pick just one. We loved all the celebrations with friends and family along the way – dress shopping, the bridal shower, bachelorette and bachelor parties. And it was also so special to see all the little details slowly come together leading up to our big day.

Was there any spot-on advice you received prior to the big day, either in terms of the wedding or lasting relationship?

Advice for our wedding day: Don’t forget to take little moments to stop and take it all in, the day goes by so quickly. Advice for marriage: Never stop dating each other.

What was the most fun or interesting Jewish aspect of your wedding/partnership?

The chuppah and breaking of the glass because we love the symbolism it represents. We also loved the Jewish hora because it was such a fun way to get all of our friends and family on the dance fl oor! “Our ‘ rst look’ was a really special moment for us. It was so nice to step away from everyone and everything for a little while, and have time together. And we read our vows privately at that time! But overall, we were so incredibly happy to have our favorite people all gathered in one place, that really meant a lot to us.”

- Samantha

Planning

• Engagement: Dec. 23, 2020 • Officiant: Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk of Anshe

Chesed Fairmount Temple • Wedding Colors: Slate blue, natural greens and white • Dress/Veil: Galleria Gowns in Highland Heights • Wedding Rings: Custom design from Aebischer’s

Jewelry in Poland, Ohio • Jewelry: Drop earrings from HundredHeartsJewelry on Etsy, and pearl stud earrings gifted years ago by Samantha’s father • Shoes: David’s Bridal • Hair: Cortney Elias • Makeup: Jillian Mismas • Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie • Groom’s and Groomsmens’ Formalwear: The

Black Tux • Bouquet/Flowers: Lowe’s Greenhouse Florist • Ketubah: Etsy artist HAPPYprojectSHOP • Chuppah: Rented from Lowe’s Greenhouse Florist • Photographer: Anne Spires Photography • Videographer: Shaun Crum of Swept Away

Videos • Planner/Consultant: Heather Piccone with

Gleneagles

• Reception/Catering/Rehearsal Dinner:

Gleneagles Golf Club & Events • Cake/Sweets: Cake from Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes.

Cookie table from various bakers organized by mother of the groom, Martha Hurtuk. • Invitations/Stationery: Zazzle • Music/Entertainment: An Affordable DJ • Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn – Twinsburg • Registries: Target, Crate & Barrel and Bed Bath &

Beyond • Honeymoon: Maui, Hawaii