25 Black Wedding Cakes

wedding cake crop — **Photo by The Light and Color; Cake by North Country Cake**

There's no reason to be bound to a traditional white wedding cake if it doesn't fit your wedding style and aesthetic. And one of the best ways to go bold with color is to embrace the look of a black wedding cake.

“Many black wedding cake requests come from couples having glamorous winter or New Year’s Eve weddings,” says Dalana Fleming, owner of The Cake & The Giraffe. “Others are just not into the traditional white wedding cake look.”

Meet the Expert

Dalana Fleming is the owner and baker behind The Cake & The Giraffe, a bakery in Vancouver, B.C. with a focus on custom designs and wedding cakes.

The options for black wedding cakes are vast—they can be dressed up with sequins or glitter for a glamorous celebration or they can be the perfect complement to a rustic fall soirée. “It’s a great option to match dark, romantic, moody décor and to create a bold focal point,” says Fleming.

Often, black wedding cakes are made using fondant, allowing any type of frosting to still ice the cake. Many bakers opt for fondant because of the particular style of cakes they create. Plus, more often than not, guests will usually take the fondant off of their cake slice. Others may opt to use food coloring for the icing on their cakes, but it’s important to be careful that the black color incorporated won’t stain anyone’s teeth. Either way, double-check with your baker to be sure the beautiful black color of your cake won’t carry through with every bite.

Ready to go all-in on a bold showstopper? Read on for 25 of our favorite black wedding cakes.

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Decorate With Flowers

A black wedding cake provides the perfect canvas for gorgeous flowers, and this cake embraces the look in the best way. Three tiers are stacked tall, paired with the most beautiful color palette of fresh blooms.

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Consider Bold Detailing

black wedding cake — **Photo by Garnet Dahlia; Cake by Floretta Sweet**

We can’t get over this gorgeous textured look. With hints of bronze paired with gold details, figs, and other natural elements, this is perfectly moody for a fall wedding.

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Embrace Your Surroundings

Who says black wedding cakes are only for indoor, glamorous venues or rustic fall weddings? We love this look, as the cake is designed to match the scene. Three-tiers are stacked with ornamental grasses added to create a beautiful bold design.

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Choose Cascading Blooms

A black wedding cake truly provides the perfect backdrop for a cascade of stunning florals and sprigs of greenery. We love the unique contrast this design provides.

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Make a Small Statement

You can make a statement with a black wedding cake in so many ways, but this cake proves you don’t need multiple tiers to do it. This tall one-tiered confection sits beautifully with white and gold leaf detailing for a rustic wedding.

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Design With Sequins

Can you believe this design is even real?! This one-of-a-kind piece of art was inspired by a sequin structure on display at the couple’s venue and recreated using buttercream and edible sequins.

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Add Gold Detailing

There’s just special about gold detailing on a cake—and when painted on a black wedding cake, it pops even more. This cake, which was made by utilizing a dark chocolate ganache rather than fondant, is a great choice for an elegant, modern celebration.

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Make It Mini

This dainty one-layer cake is decorated with rustic white stripes and gold detailing, making it a beautiful, moody option for a fall wedding.

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Think Minimalistic

Choosing a minimalistic design can certainly go a long way, especially if you’re hoping to display a cake that will truly wow your guests. This three-tiered cake utilizes squares to offer sleek, smooth corners, paired with one single stem.

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Make It Marble

marble cake — **Photo by The Godards Photography; Cake by The Cake & The Giraffe**

This is the perfect choice for couples who want a dramatic look without going all black. We love the marble effect—especially when dressed up with a few blooms and greenery.

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Be Romantic

There’s just something so romantic about pairing a bold, black backdrop with deep-hued florals. The addition of red and pink roses make this cake all the more romantic.

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Go Square

Your wedding cake doesn’t have to be white, and it certainly doesn’t have to be round. This trio of cakes brings together bold corners, sleek lines, and gold detailing for a modern display.

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Embrace Plenty of Details

Talk about a showstopper! There are so many elements—such as hand-painted detailing, greenery, and fresh blooms—working in harmony to create a beautiful, bold look.

The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Cakes

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Incorporate Multiple Cakes

Who says you only have to opt for one cake? We love the look of multiple black wedding cakes, each featuring unique detailing and beautifully intricate designs.

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Add Geometric Patterns

It’s possible to choose a black wedding cake without going overboard. This three-tiered cake features gorgeous gold-painted details for a glam geometric look.

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Add a Chocolate Drip

weddding cake — **Photo by Jennifer Georgette Photography; Cake by Sugar by Tracy**

While the exterior layer of frosting on this two-tiered confection isn’t as dark as some black cakes, the drip added to the design really brings it home. A deep, dark chocolate drip paired with plenty of berries and florals makes for a stunning fall look.

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Dress Up One Tier

This cake screams "simple elegance." We love the idea of focusing on adding intricate ruffled details to the bottom tier while letting the rest of the cake speak for itself. Topped with a sugar flower magnolia, it definitely gives off a Victoria-era vibe.

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Incorporate Different Shapes

You can definitely make your wedding cake unique with a black color scheme, but this cake took it one step further. Opt for a hexagonal tier set amongst traditional round cakes to truly create a showstopping design.

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Mix In White

A black wedding cake doesn’t have to be all dark. Pairing a mixture of black and white to create an artistic look makes for such beautiful contrast. We love the way this three-tiered confection was topped with bold blooms to complete the look.

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Go With Geode

Just because you opt for a black wedding cake doesn’t mean you can’t add other pops of color. This confection feels totally celestial with the addition of moody blues and purples and a pop of gold.

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Commission a Painting

Is there anything more elegant than a hand-painted cake? This rose-covered cake takes it one step further by using a black background to add contrast to a stunning design.

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Embrace a Moody Look

With cement-colored buttercream and a black drip, this cake is absolutely stunning. But it’s the bold pops of color from florals and other sweets that truly make it stand out.

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Decorate With Succulents

With two rectangular tiers and incredible sugar art, this cake is truly a work of art. The pairing of succulents (typically a boho choice!) with such a bold background is unexpected yet great.

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Dress For Black-Tie

Is there any color combo that’s chicer than black and gold? It’s a total classic that's ready for a black-tie winter wedding.

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Channel Starry Nights

We love the subtle geode look incorporated in this design, without going overboard. Utilizing a black backdrop with incredible gold detailing makes it feel like you’re gazing at a beautiful starry night.

25 Showstopping Black Wedding Cakes