Photo: Marcus Nilsson
At just 24 years old, TLC's Next Great Baker winner Marissa Lopez has perfected the recipe for wedding cakes. Here are her favorite flavors of all time:
1. THE NEW CLASSIC: Red Velvet + Cream Cheese Frosting. "This is a good in-between option—more adventurous than basic vanilla or chocolate but still a hit with the guests."
2. THE CHOCOHOLIC'S DREAM: Devil's Food Cake + Chocolate Ganache. "It's the ultimate chocolate cake—I'd want to eat this cake at my own wedding!"
3. THE CITRUS TWIST: Lemon Cake + Lemon Buttercream + Lemon Curd."I suggest this for summer weddings—it's refreshing, and you can easily add fruit, like fresh blueberries, to the filling."
4. THE SHOWSTOPPER: Pink Champagne Cake + Raspberry Mousse + Vanilla Buttercream. "Girly brides—and husbands who don't mind a bright pink cake—love this. Instead of adding water to the batter, I use champagne."
5. THE HARVEST PICK: Apple Spice Cake + Caramel Buttercream + Brown-Sugar Mousse. "My take on the caramel apple. I can see these flavors working for an autumn wedding in a rustic venue, like a barn."
6. THE NOSTALGIC FAVORITE: Chocolate and Vanilla Cakes + Chocolate Buttercream + Mocha Mousse."Everyone loves chocolate and vanilla, and this combination is the best of both worlds. The mocha mousse gives it a grown-up twist."
7. THE PEOPLE PLEASER: Sponge Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Topped with Coconut + Bavarian Cream with Fruit."I recommend this to a lot of my couples. It's a basic cake with a nice, light cream filling, and you can add any in-season fruit you like. A guaranteed hit."
—Heather Lee
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