Cake Decoration supplies can be bought for the top of your cake from a cake decorating supplier, or your florist if you like to have fresh flowers on your cake.
Your wedding cake can be covered and decorated in various ways. Listed below are some of the more common terms used that you will come across when looking for your wedding cake.
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American stack
Each tier of the cake sits directly on top of the one below with no pillars in between.
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Basket weave
A piping technique that looks like the interwoven reeds of a wicker basket, this is best achieved by using butter cream and royal icing
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Buttercream
Is used to fill and ice cakes. It is a mixture of butter and icing sugar.
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Cake Tower
A multilevel, multiarmed cake stand which is used to display the cakes individually.
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Chocolate Ganache
Is a mixture of boiled cream and coverture chocolate (white, milk or dark can be used). It is smoothed over the cake with a palette knife and can also be used as a filling.
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Columns
Also known as pillars, these are used in most traditional wedding cakes. They are tubes which are placed between each layer to achieve an open look between each tier and are a part of the overall design of the cake.
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Cornelli
An intricate piping technique that gives a lovely lace like look.
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Croquembouche
A French dessert made from profiteroles filled with cream, covered in rich toffee or chocolate sauce and spun sugar.
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Cup Cakes
Individual fairy cakes, one for every guest.
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Dacquoise
A round dessert made up of layers of meringue mixed with ground toasted nuts, and layers of whipped cream mixed with soft fruit.
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Decorative piping
Made from icing sugar or butter cream in a piping consistency to form dots, snail trail, shells, rope border, reverse shells, rosebuds and half rose, zigzags, ruffle, lily of the valley, basket weave.
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Dotted Swiss
A piping technique which tiny raised dots are arranged in patterns on the cake to resemble dotted-Swiss fabric.
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Dragees
Sugar coated almonds that come in a variety of colors including gold and silver. Also known as Jordan almonds.
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Filling
A fruit or cream based paste spread between layers within tiers of a cake.
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Fondant
A soft rolled icing that is used to give a formal finish to cakes. It is also used for sugar flowers and modeling work, and can be colored to match any theme.
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Fresh Flowers and Fruit
Can be arranged on the cake on the day of the wedding.
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Genoise
A classic European sponge cake. It is a tender dry cake which is usually moisten with sugar syrup.
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Grooms Cake
The use of a Grooms Cake is an old custom that is still observed at some weddings. It is a separate cake, traditionally a fruit cake but can be a sponge of any flavor and shape and can be based upon the groom’s hobbies, sport or any other interest he may have.
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Gum Paste
This is a mixture of sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin. It is edible and is used to make realistic decorations, such as fruits, flowers and shells. It can also be formed into loops and bows. It is also known as sugar dough.
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Lattice work
Is a piping detail that is made up of crossed strips arranged in a diagonal pattern with open spaces.
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Marzipan
A paste made from ground almonds, corn syrup and sugar. It can be used to make shapes of fruit or other desired objects to decorate the cake. It is also used as a layer between a fruit cake and fondant icing.
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Meringue
A mixture of egg white and sugar and air that is whisked and dried slowly in the oven. Meringue can be shaped before it is baked.
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Meringue Butter cream
Butter is added to egg whites that have been whipped with sugar over heat; this gives a glossy smooth creamy covering.
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Modeling Chocolate
A mixture of chocolate and corn syrup that is firm and pliable. It can be used in the same way as gum paste.
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Piping
Decorative details, such as borders, basket weave, patterns and flowers created by forcing icing through a pastry bag fitted with various piping nozzles.
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Pulled Sugar
A technique in which boiled sugar is manipulated and pulled to produce flowers and bows.
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Royal Icing
Made with pure icing sugar and egg white it is used for detailed piping work on cakes. It can be color matched to your theme. It is also used to make piped flowers and shapes.
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Sugar Flowers
Are handmade from gum paste, these flowers are delicate. They must be stored in an airtight container.
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Spun Sugar
A web of fine, long strands of crystallized sugar.
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Torte
A dense cake that does not use leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda.
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Whipped Cream
Heavy cream beaten until soft and foamy. It is unstable and not recommended in hot weather for outdoor weddings.
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