350 Degrees Bakery. Photos: Chris Emeott
Cottage bakers and resident makers are charting new territory.
The topography of the reception dessert table is evolving. The tiered white wedding cake is just the beginning of increasingly varied terrain. Whether you want to scale a macaron tower or explore rolling hills of gelato, modern wedding trends encourage couples to choose their own adventures.
If you’re feeling a bit lost navigating this uncharted territory, don’t fret. We’ve compiled an assortment of makers and bakers to get you to your dream wedding dessert destination.
You might be breaking the glass on your wedding day, but your guests can break the brittle. For an exciting late-night bite, consider an out-of-the-box option like slabs of brittle (complete with wooden hammers for guests to break off pieces). St. Croix Baking Company, Hudson, Wisconsin; stcroixbaking.com
Cream of the Cakes designs beautiful, custom wedding cakes and cupcakes, but the cannoli and whoopie pies are sleeper hits on many wedding buffets. The bakery also has a selection of gluten-friendly and vegan offerings. Cream of the Cakes, Lakeville; creamofthecakes.com
Consider giving a sweet nod to one of Minnesota’s iconic music makers—Prince. If you’re a fan of him and cheesecake, take your pick of over 15 cheesecake varieties. Founding owner and head baker of Cheesecake Funk, Vanessa Drews, worked at Paisley Park. Cheesecake Funk, Minnetonka; cheesecakefunk.com
Personal cutting cakes are undeniably in—but they don’t need to be plain. For a wedding cake that is as intricate as it is delicious, look to baker Elouise Suoja. Her designs feature delightful florals and whimsical color palettes, extending from personal cakes to equally captivating cupcakes. 350 Degrees Bakery, Mahtomedi; 350degreesbakery.net
For a nontraditional show stopper, donut walls are a tried-and-true trend. They’re simple to build and customize—and can be a beautiful addition to your wedding reception dessert display. Grandma’s Bakery, White Bear Lake; grandmasbakery.com
What’s sweeter than fine chocolate? As of August, Painted Turtle Chocolatier is under new ownership, and owner Jackie Van Norden is excited to bring a fresh taste to this Metro mainstay. Consider its truffles, such as chocolate caramel, peanut butter, milk and dark chocolate, or create your own flavor profile with the chocolatiers, for a fun display or addition to your dessert table. Painted Turtle Chocolatier, Osseo; paintedturtlechocolatier.com
Painted Turtle Chocolatier
If we all scream for ice cream, we’re bound to fall for gelato. This delicate, small-batch Italian treat is made in traditional flavors like almond stracciatella, hazelnut and pistachio. For intimate weddings, consider personal gelato cups in flavors of your choice. Orso Bianco Gelato, White Bear Lake; orsobiancogelato.square.site
Nothing says love like a handmade pie—especially when it’s heart-shaped. For a dessert that’s as sweet and gushy as you’ll be on your wedding day, consider a curated pie table. These tasty pies come in a variety of sizes (including hand pies, little tarts, pie jars, pie pops and whole pies) and flavors—many of which are infused with local booze. Sara’s Tipsy Pies, Stillwater; sarastipsypies.com
Kyiv Cakes’ signature layered honey cakes, which include traditional honey, lemon and raspberry options, are inspired by owner Iryna Motta’s childhood in Ukraine. Kyiv Cakes Bakery, Lakeville; kyivcakes.com
Add some artistic flair to your wedding dessert table with individual desserts. Patisserie Margo is known for its exquisite craftsmanship, elegant cupcakes, eclairs, rich chocolate mousse, creamy panna cotta with passion fruit and cherry and lime tarts. Patisserie Margo, Edina; patisseriemargomn.com
For something untraditional that still gets the oohs and aahs, look toward a macaron tower. Take it a step further with a beautiful macaron cake. Memoo’s Macs, Woodbury; memoosmacs.com
Sometimes, you just want a slice of decadent wedding cake. From a cut-ting cake to multitiered cakes—and even cupcake towers!—Nadia Cakes can design just about any delicious dessert. Nadia Cakes, Maple Grove and Woodbury; nadiacakes.com
There’s always plenty of toasts to go around, but how about ending the celebration with just one more sweet round? Consider mousse martinis, featuring pistachio, raspberry, Vandermint, vanilla bean and more. Buttercream, Wayzata; buttercream.info
