wedding cake may have its origins in the ancient Roman practice of breaking a cake of wheat or barley (mustaceum) over the bride’s head as a symbol of good fortune, but many centuries would pass before a special cake became a focal point at weddings. As was the custom with other important celebrations, the hosts served the finest food they could afford; for the wealthy and nobility this included dishes containing dried fruits, spices, and sugar, luxuries imported from exotic lands. Enormously expensive, they became fashionable status symbols for the affluent elite. See dried fruits and spices.
