The next big thing in wedding cakes - the croquembouche!

Cream puffs, filled with light vanilla mousse and coated with caramelized sugar, carefully stacked into a towering cone.  What's not to like?  I've made several croquembouches over the years, but recently, I've noticed a significant increase in requests for all sorts of events from weddings to baby showers.

They can be contemporary, such as this tower filled with raspberry and rose mousse.

Or classic, with the traditional almond nougatine and royal icing base.  Note the stylized grape leaves, a nod to the wine country theme of this wedding.
The bride, who is French, wrote me this very nice note after the wedding...

Hello Wendy,
I just want to let you know that your cake was amazing.  My mother and grandmother ... are really happy from your job!  The decoration was perfect, and it tasted so good.  Thank you so much for making us a real French wedding cake.  You made us really happy.
                                                                                          -Annabelle & Rafael

Here's a little bit of what went into make this dessert.

About 200 choux!

Vanilla pastry cream and white chocolate whipped cream.

Caramelized sugar and sliced almonds cut and decorated with royal icing.