Fondant, genache, marzipan, oh my!
When I was tasting cakes earlier this month, I realized there was a lot of baker's lingo being thrown at me. Brides.com has a great glossary of cake terms that covers shapes, frostings, fillings, decorating techniques and more. I've listed the terms for the fillings and frostings, but be sure to check out the whole list here.
Buttercream
Sweet, creamy mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs that's used for icing and filling. Fruit or liquor give buttercream extra flair. Best for: indoor receptions—buttercream melts in hot sun.
Fondant
Sweet sugar dough that looks like porcelain when it dries. Best for: indoor or outdoor weddings—fondant doesn't need to be refrigerated.
The three varieties:
Rolled: Chewy, claylike icing that's rolled flat and wrapped around each tier.
Poured: Smoother than rolled. Often used as a covering for petits fours.
Sculpted: The stiffest fondant. Best for making flowers and other decorations.
Chocopan
Like fondant, but tastier. Comes in milk-, dark-, and white-chocolate flavors. Best for: outdoor weddings—chocopan doesn't need to be refrigerated.
Ganache
Melted chocolate and heavy cream blended together for frosting and icing. Best for: indoor weddings—ganache will melt in hot weather.
Royal icing
Blended sugar and egg whites that makes a thick frosting used to create lace and latticework. Best for: indoor or outdoor weddings.
Whipped cream
Light icing or filling. Best for: cakes kept on ice until served—whipped cream will spoil if left out.
Marzipan
Sweet paste made of ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar that makes a smooth frosting or decadent filling. Best for: creating shapes that can be colored with dye.
