20 Engagement Party Cakes to Inspire Your Own Celebration

The party starts now!

Updated 01/07/21

Whether you’re throwing your own engagement party, or you’re planning one for your BFF, there are plenty of details to keep in mind. Of course, you’ll want a great theme and venue, along with a delicious menu of food, drinks—and dessert! Engagement party cakes can come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s all about finding the right fit for you and your partner.

“A lot of the time, wedding planning becomes a mixture of what the couple wants and what the parents want,” says Tiffany MacIsaac, owner of Buttercream Bakeshop. “We think the engagement party should be all about the couple!”

Meet the Expert

Tiffany MacIsaac is the owner of Buttercream Bakeshop, a Washington, D.C.-based bakery with a focus on custom cakes.

If you’ve already chosen your wedding cake, you may have settled on a flavor that you wanted to make sure everyone on your guest list would like. “This is a great chance to have some fun with flavor and design,” says MacIsaac. “We also think it’s a fun time to give a little preview of what’s to come on the big day.”

It's also an opportunity to play with designs. MacIssac suggests debuting the monogram or a font that will appear on your wedding stationery or incorporating sugar flowers that mimic the blooms you’ll be showing off in your bouquet. Planning a destination wedding? Incorporate a nod to the locale in your engagement party cake. The sky is the limit!

Read on for 20 sweet ideas to inspire your own engagement party cake.

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Add a Special Topper

Keep the design simple, but send a message up top with a cake topper! This is an especially budget-friendly idea as you can dress up any style cake to make it look next-level without much additional cost.

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Serve Individual Cakes

There's plenty of options for sizes and shapes of wedding cakes, and the same goes for engagement party cakes. If you're not wanting a large, tiered cake at your actual wedding, don't force it! Trial out a cute option like these individual mini cakes instead.

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Go for Gold

Planning a stunning gold color palette? Bring all that shine to your engagement party! We love the way this single-tier cake is completely covered in gold, paired with a pop of pink for the perfect balance.

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Incorporate Multiple Sweets

If you can't decide on your day-of desserts just yet, let your engagement party guests help! Put together a display of cupcakes, macarons, and a small cake paired with a festive topper to see what they love best.

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Make a Macaron Tower

Planning to send your guests home with macarons as favors? Or planning a huge tower of this popular sweet? Try it out first. Opt for a simply decorated macaron tower for your engagement party to see how your guests will respond.

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Embrace a Garden Vibe

Planning a stunning garden-party style wedding? Why not set the stage with an on-theme engagement party cake! This simple white cake makes a statement with a mixture of beautiful blooms on top.

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Add Personalized Lettering

Be personal from the start with a simple and stylish cake topper. These can be customized with your names or initials—so just choose one in a color palette that matches your theme and you're good to go!

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Hint at What’s to Come

Celebrate with a preview of what's to come on your wedding day with a lovely cake topper. We love the idea of displaying a mini version of your wedding cake design with a cake topper and then using the same topper for the larger cake on your wedding day.

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Preview a Masterpiece

If you're planning a hand-painted cake for your wedding, give a little preview of the masterpiece to come. This single-tiered cake is anything but simple with buttercream detailing, macarons, and beautiful blooms.

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Make a Sweet Statement

Ditch the cake idea altogether and showcase one of the most prominent hues in your wedding palette. We love the look of this tall macaron tower, and it can be customized to showcase any color you choose!

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Celebrate a Locale

Jetting off to a distant locale? Give your nearest and dearest a hint! Whether you're planning a destination wedding or eloping on the beach, serving up a cake that embodies the destination is such a fun way to kick off the celebration.

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Celebrate With Cheesecakes

Who says it has to just be one cake? If you're planning a dessert spread for your wedding day, this is such a fun way to give a little taste. We love the idea of a sweets table decked out with donuts and mini cheesecakes with cute hearts!

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Keep It Light and Fun

Who says you can’t have a little fun? Find a whimsical cake topper as you celebrate your engagement and the fact that this is the beginning of your forever together.

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Add a Simple Touch

Just the simplest touch of detailing can go such a long way, especially if you're hoping to just give a tiny preview. Ask your baker to incorporate the smallest detail to match your upcoming wedding’s aesthetic.

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Embrace the Season

Your wedding may be planned with plenty of jewel tones for fall or early winter, but if you're having an engagement party earlier in the year, it may seem like you can't offer any nod to the planned aesthetic. Totally wrong! This semi-naked cake is decked in rich hues, paired with fruit and fresh blooms, to celebrate multiple seasons.

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Think Tropical

Planning a tropical-themed wedding? This is the perfect preview! Top a simple cake with shimmery gold flamingos for a fun nod to your big day.

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Be Bold

Have you ever seen a more perfect cake for fall? Give a stunning preview of the confection to come with plenty of detail, a delicious drip, and a bold topper.

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Keep It Simple

If you're planning your engagement party far before you've even had time to think of your wedding date, theme, or color palette, there’s no need to worry! Keep things simple by going with your favorite stand-by flavor. We love the idea of a simple chocolate cake with semi-naked vanilla buttercream. Then, use other custom sweets to decorate around the cake to fit your engagement party's theme.

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Celebrate the Sea

Your seaside nuptials may not be happening for a while, but that doesn't mean your cake can't give a little hint. Show your engagement party guests just how excited you and your partner are for your beachside wedding with a few seashells adorned on top of your cake.

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Dress It Up

Hello, decadence! Just because you might be serving a smaller crowd for your engagement party, it doesn’t mean your cake can’t be incredible. We love the idea of setting the stage for a late-summer or fall wedding with a single-tiered cake decked in blooms, berries, and the dreamiest caramel drip.