Spring brings about a rebirth. New life quite literally “springs” up, with vibrant colors and delightful smells. That is also the case with the seasonal cakes that will be offered at shops in March, April, and May.

Color dominates the scene this time of year. Pastels are considered springtime colors because of their delicate, subdued shades. Each color has meaning, and when combined, colors truly celebrate the season. Yellow is joy and happiness, such as the sun shining on a clear, spring day. Pink is a fresh beginning, a healthy new start, and playfulness. Blue is the color of the sky and water. It suggests peace and harmony. It is the clear blue sky and rain that brings forth the spring growth.

Naked cakes were all the rage in the late 2010’s, but cakes in 2020 are trending toward more colorful options. Hand-painted, watercolor cakes will take over in the spring. Cake decorators are artists, so adding a little art to a cake with hand-painted frosting can go a long way. Yellows, pinks, and blues work well within this trend. Pink colors fit a romance theme for spring weddings. Couples may also want to go bold with yellows and blues.

Florals remain popular for spring cakes, but you can find creative ways to reinvigorate the designs. Try pressing and crystallizing edible flowers to accent your wedding cake and turn it into a blooming masterpiece. Edible flowers also make it more sustainable, which is becoming much more important to couples as they plan for weddings with the environment in mind. It’s a no-waste way to adorn desserts while also keeping with the theme of spring.

“Couples have long used fresh flowers to decorate their wedding cakes, but now, the difference is that the flowers become part of the dessert instead of being discarded after the cake is cut. Violets, marigolds, pansies, and even some rose varieties are types of edible flowers that couples can use to create a zero-waste wedding cake,” says Samantha Iacia, associate editor at WeddingWire. “For background, edible flowers were popular during the Victorian era—not just as garnish, but also as a way to add flavor and color to foods. The same concept appeals to modern-day couples who want a natural-based wedding cake made without synthetic ingredients.”

Florals can even be hand-painted onto the cake to combine two trends into one, says Jasmine Clouser, owner of The Couture Cakery in Tustin, California, and winner of the WeddingWire 2020 Couples’ Choice Award.

“Natural looking and organic floral accents on cake will be a big trend this spring,” she says. “Whether it is hand-painted florals or textured florals created in buttercream using a palette knife, this look brings true art to any wedding.”

Texture will also be important in the appearance of wedding cakes. Iacia suggests that you can anticipate seeing more cakes with deckle edges, which resemble ruffles (or even the edges of flower petals) encircling the cake. The phrase “deckle” comes from stationery lingo, like with wedding invitation suites and escort cards that have raw edges to create a vintage, antique look.

Clouser says that textured buttercream will be very popular this spring. Buttercream spackle texture or horizontal textured lines are cake styles that will compliment any wedding reception, and fresh flower accents or sugar flowers are beautiful additions to this style.