Baking Trends for 2012:
The ubiquitous cupcake. Cupcakes have become something of a phenomenon in the past few years, and it seems their popularity isn't waning any time soon. Bakeries specializing in cupcakes began popping up in cities large and small, helping spread a wave of creative cupcake concoctions across the country. A lot of people thought it was a fad that would soon pass, but it seems the love of all things cupcake continues to go strong. Can the cupcake keep its momentum? Only time will tell, but bakeries seem to be saying that the trend this year is tarts, layer cakes and cupcakes.

The evolution of the wedding cake. Wedding cakes today need to not only look good, they also need to taste divine. Clean lines, abstract design and something that personally reflects the bride and groom are common to today's weddings – as are over-the-top, multi-tiered creations fit for the pages of a magazine (ACD magazine, of course!). These days you probably won't see cake tiers stacked upon tall Roman columns; most couples are opting for layers placed directly upon one another (if pillars are used for support, they're probably hidden behind fresh flowers or other decorations). Another thing we're seeing are a variety of subdued hues from light blush and ice blue to pale pistachio, lavender and rum pink. And it seems rich chocolate confections are on the rise, as are pistachio-flavored (and colored) cakes.

How to best capture this season's sales? Offer something different. Non-traditional colors with classic design elements will catch customers' attention. And offering a cake with coordinating cupcakes is a surefire way to tack on additional sales.

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ACD readers invite you to ‘Bake Your Cupcakes Off’
Amateur cake designers compete each month for a chance to win a cake decorating goody bag. Competitors will have have 30 days to complete their cupcake creations based on each month’s theme. You can only use cupcakes in 3, 6, 12 or more batches. See more at: www.facebook.com/groups/172534276143667/