Family Reunion Cake Ideas
A family reunion can be a daunting event to plan and execute. There are many details which go into such an event, and arguably none are more important than deciding what will be on the menu. A family reunion cake can be an opportunity for your family to celebrate its rich past and exciting future. Your cake design can be used to express many aspects of your family-your cultural heritage, your shared values and your fondest memories. It can also be used to commemorate special occasions, honor older family members or celebrate how your family has grown. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Honoring the Family Name
Your family name connects and unifies your family, making it the perfect symbol to use in designing your family reunion cake. There are many options for a family reunion cake designed around names. If you can find cake tins in the shape of the necessary letters, then you can put together a series of cakes that spells out your family name. Another option would be to simply decorate a large cake with your family name (and crest or other insignia, if you have them). You can spell out your family name in frosting, or you could use a stencil to make it. Individual stencil letters are available at most craft stores, or you could cut your own by using an Exacto knife on heavy paper. Once your stencil is ready, you can fill in the letters with sprinkles, powdered sugar, crushed candy or other delicious toppings. If your cake is large enough, you may be able to fit the names of multiple family members on it.
Family Tree Cakes
Another popular type of family reunion cake is the family tree cake. Some bakers simply make a cake in the shape of a tree. You can do this by "carving" and slicing sheet cake into the necessary shapes, and then coloring them with frosting so that they resemble leaves and branches. Or you could put together a cupcake cake. This is done by baking multiple batches of cupcakes and then arranging them as if they were a single cake. In this instance, cupcakes are used to form the "leaves," while fondant, candy, frosting or other items are used to make the "trunk." The cupcake leaves can be decorated like leaves alone, or they can have the names of each family member written on them. You can even arrange the family tree cupcake cake to resemble your real family tree, arranging names according to how people are related. If you are a skilled baker, you can also attempt to decorate each "family member" cupcake with a frosting portrait.
Photo Cakes
An easy way to transform an ordinary cake into a family reunion cake is to decorate it with laminated photos of your family (these must of course be removed before eating). Group photos or photos of a special family member you would like to honor are a good choice for this. You can use just a single large photo centered in the middle of the cake, or you could use frosting to make the cake look like a photo album, and then place your photos accordingly. Some bakeries offer "sugar photo printing," which is a service wherein your photos can be printed out on sugar paper with edible food coloring ink. "Sugar photos" can be used to decorate family reunion cakes as outlined above, and they have the advantage of being totally edible.
Family Favorites
If you are unsure of what kind of family reunion cake to make, the safest strategy is to prepare a cake that ranks among your family's favorites. If there is a cake that your family only eats on special occasions, it is probably perfect fare for your family reunion. Another option is to have a number of family members prepare their specialties, which will ensure that the whole family is involved in preparing and enjoying their favorite cakes. In addition, older members of the family may have cake recipes that they would like to share. These recipes may reflect your family's cultural heritage, which makes them a wonderful choice for your family reunion cake.
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