The moment bridesmaids or wedding guests gather to pull their cake charms can be a reception or bridal luncheon highlight. Who pulled the airplane charm? She's bound for a life of travel and adventure! The recipient of the chili pepper charm? Get ready--she's in for red-hot romance! But before the cake pull moment can take place, the charms have to get placed under the cake in a way that won't result in frosting and cake flying everywhere. Luckily, there are a few options for how to do that.
Heather Baird, whose award-winning Sprinkle Bakes blog was named a 2015 Best Baking Blog Editor's Pick by Better Homes and Gardens, researched how to insert cake pulls when blogging about this very topic. As she describes in her blog post, her method was to tape a piece of baker's acetate to a cake stand and then slide the charms underneath the plastic, with the ribbons trailing out. A little frosting on the underside of the cake layer kept the cake secure on top of the acetate. Look at her fabulous results! (Photo courtesy of Sprinkle Bakes.)
Be sure to check out the Sprinkle Bakes blog post for for more photos that show this beautiful project in greater detail. (As an added bonus, you can find Heather's recipe for the raspberry-champagne layer cake featured in the photo, as well.)
An alternative way to insert cake pulls involves a Bundt cake. Charms can be placed in the center opening of the cake, with ribbons streaming out over the cake itself. To keep the charms hidden until they are pulled, place flowers in the center of the cake. Check out this link on marthastewart.com for an example of this method. This cake pull method can also be adapted for baby showers. Instead of flowers, insert a cute teddy bear or other baby-themed toy in the center of the cake. There are endless possibilities for decorating the center opening!
With cupcakes a hot trend at the moment, some are opting to put cake pulls under individual cupcakes instead of a big cake. A little parchment paper (or baker's acetate cut to size) between the cupcake bottom and the cupcake liner keeps the charm in place. Or, skip the cupcake liners and follow the Sprinkle Bakes method with acetate and frosting. Then stack the cupcakes in tiers and arrange the ribbons to flow down the sides. Pretty and festive!
No matter which way the cake pulls are inserted, including this tradition in your wedding--or other event--will add an element of whimsy and surprise for your guests. Have fun and be creative!