Cakes Around the World: We Have George Clooney Covered for His Wedding
(Photos: AP)
George Clooney is finally settling down. But the middle-aged man candy is a busy guy—and his fiancée, international lawyer Amal Alamuddin, is even busier—so we here at Yahoo Travel decided to step in and give the couple a hand. We know how crazy wedding planning can be, but don’t worry George: we’ve got your back.
Today, we’re helping the couple with one of the most challenging parts of wedding planning, in our opinion: the cake. Come back tomorrow for our honeymoon picks.
So where do you turn for cake ideas for one of the most jet-set couples around? None other than cakemaker-to-the-stars Deborah Lauren, of City Sweets & Confections, who has crafted confections for everyone from Cynthia Nixon to Alec Baldwin. One of her specialties? Destination-inspired creations. She dreamed up a luau-themed design for a beach wedding—covered in tropical Hawaiian flowers like plumeria and hibiscus—and a Stonehenge cake for a British-inspired wedding, with fondant-dipped Rice Crispies Treats.
Depending on where George and Amal get married, Lauren’s got the cake. Read on for her picks:
Lauren’s Hollywood Deco cake. (Courtesy: City Sweets Confections)
Los Angeles
Because: George may want to get hitched at home.
The Cake: The Hollywood Deco
Why: “When I think L.A., I think all-American and people who aren’t as adventurous with flavors,” says Lauren, who can go gluten-free, lactose free, organic, or vegan—perfect for the guest list, if Clooney chooses Tinseltown. This white-chocolate beauty with raspberry mousse is perfect for a warmer climate: not too heavy, but still decadent and flavorful.
The La Dolce Vita cake. (Courtesy: City Sweets Confections)
Lake Como, Italy
Because: Why get married in L.A. when you have a gorgeous house on the shores of Italy’s most beautiful lake?
The Cake: La Dolce Vita
Why: Lake Como would be a stunning backdrop for this pistachio number with Valrhona chocolate filling that references an Italian cassatta cake invented in the mid 1800s: “The Italians are nuts about pistachios.”
The Gilded Tower. (Photo: Cly Creation)
New York City
Because: The couple may want to walk down the aisle halfway in between his house in L.A. and hers in London.
The Cake: The Gilded Tower
Why: For NYU graduate Amal and her Manhattan-loving fiancé, this champagne extravaganza with a three-berry filling would be the icing on the cake. “It’s rich and extravagant, just like George Clooney,” says Lauren.
The Classic cake. (Courtesy: City Sweets Confections)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Because: It is George’s semi-hometown
The Cake: The Classic
Why: If Ohio homeboy George decides to stick with tradition, Lauren would create a white-on-white vanilla-bean cake with chocolate truffle ganache. “It’s an old-fashioned favorite,” says Lauren, “and sure to please everyone.”
The Angel cake. (Courtesy: City Sweets Confections)
London
Because: Amal is a busy girl and she may need to go back to work after tying the knot, so a London wedding would be perfect.
The Cake: The Angel
Why: A thoroughly modern Earl Grey cake: what better flavor to have for Clooney’s London-based fiancée? “I’d stay away from a granny cake like Kate and William had,” says Lauren.
The Jeweled Fantasy. (Courtesy: City Sweets Confections)
Beirut
Because: It is where Amal is from, and it’s tradition to marry in the woman’s hometown.
The Cake: The Jeweled Fantasy
Why: A classic Middle Eastern spice cake with a creamy filling pairs perfectly with the country’s traditional fare. “This chai-spiced cake with hand-rolled white-chocolate pearls is opulent and colorful, calling to mind the fabrics and tiles and lamps of the region.”
