Wedding Cake Nitty Gritty:
A Mini Dictionary of Terms

photo by dion ogust

As the wedding cake figures prominently in the wedding banquet, understanding
the terms associated with it may be helpful as a prerequisite to meeting with your
wedding cake designer. Here then is some basic terminology, along with some
additional information for the do-it-yourself crowd.

Buttercream Fillings
There are two different methods by which to create buttercream: the Swiss and the Italian method. Swiss Buttercream is made by warming egg whites and sugar in a bain marie until the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved the mixture is transferred into a mixer and whipped until cool. Once cool, softened butter is added and whipped until fluffy. Italian Buttercream is made with softball (240°F) sugar syrup which is poured into whipped egg whites. Once whipped, softened butter is added and whipped until fluffy.

(Bain Marie is the French term for “water bath” cooking, in which a container is placed in heated water to gently warm the food inside. A bain marie is similar to a double boiler, except the container in a bain marie sits in the water itself. The container is typically made of porcelain or ceramic rather than metal.)

Fondant
Fondant comes from fondre, “to melt,” and is a soft creamy preparation of sugar, water, and flavoring. It is a sugar syrup crystallized to a smooth, creamy white mass. It is used for icing and decorating cakes. Cooked or European Fondant although the most difficult to make, is best because of its elasticity and smoothness. The process is as follows: Sugar and water are boiled to 240°F and then poured onto a marble slab, sprinkled with water to prevent crystallization. Syrup is allowed to cool to 110°F. The sugar is worked with a steel scraper. When mixture turns white, the fondant is worked until smooth and creamy, a process which may take more than 40 minutes.

Rolled, uncooked Fondant or Sugar paste (also known as Rollout icing or Pastillage), is quite different. It is made by simply mixing all ingredients together. This fondant is easier to make (mold, shape, color and roll out) because it need not be dry before finishing the final decoration on the cake.

Royal Icing
Royal Icing or glacé royal is made by beating sugar and egg whites (or meringue powder).

Powdered sugar and cream of tartar are sifted together and placed in a mixing bowl. The mixture is beaten for seven to ten minutes or until the icing holds a strong peak.

Cake Decorators Icing
Cake Decorators icing is the kind that is used most frequently in the United States.
The basic recipe includes flour, shortening, salt, water and icing sugar. The flour and shortening are mixed until fluffy. Then the salt is added. Water is then added a little at a time. Icing sugar is added a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.

Marzipan
Marzipan has been used for centuries by pastry chefs worldwide in baking and for covering and filling cakes. It makes great decorations and figurines. Marzipan must have at least 25 percent almonds or it’s considered almond paste not marzipan. A thin layer of Marzipan can be used to cover a cake. When color is added, it may be used as frosting. It is also may be used under Fondant to protect the Fondant from moisture.

Extra fine ground blanched almonds are used. Uncooked Marzipan is kneaded together until smooth and is then stored in an airtight container. In cooked Marzipan, sugar is added to the water and cooked in a pan until the sugar is dissolved. Almonds are added and cooked until the batter comes away from the side of the pan. The mixture is removed from heat and placed onto a marble slab, wooden board or a sheet pan. While warm, the mixture is kneaded with a wooden spatula and then by hand until smooth.

—Judy Lewis