How many days before a wedding should you make the cake?

The best time to make a wedding cake depends on the type of cake and the filling. A classic sponge cake with buttercream is best baked two to three days before the wedding. This gives you time to let it cool, fill it, crumb coat it, and add the final layer of icing without rushing. It also lets the flavours settle. You can bake the sponges even earlier and freeze them, then assemble and decorate a day or two before.

Fruit cakes are different. They improve with age, so you can bake them six weeks to three months ahead. Feed them with brandy or sherry weekly, then marzipan and ice them a week or two before the wedding. This is a traditional approach and gives a rich, moist result.

Cakes with fresh cream, custard or fruit fillings should be assembled as close to the wedding as possible, ideally the day before or the morning of. These fillings do not keep well and can spoil. If you are having a tiered cake, it is often safer to assemble the tiers at the venue, so the cake does not shift in transit. Always talk to your baker about their recommended timeline. They know their recipes best and can advise on storage and transport.