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Buttercream - A light, cream frosting made with softened butter and confectioners' sugar. The uncooked frosting is beaten until light and creamy. It can be flavored in many ways and is used both as a filling and frosting for a variety of cakes and pastries. Buttercream cakes are often combed on the sides. Fondant - Often used on wedding cakes, Fondant is kneaded to a smooth soft paste that drys hard. Fondant can be cooked to a specific temperature and then kneaded to a smooth, soft paste that dries hard. Fondant can be colored or flavored. Unlike buttercream frosting which is spread onto the cake with a knife, fondant is rolled to a uniform thickness and then laid over the cake. It can also be used for detail work such as making intricate flowers. A fondant-covered cake can be spotted by its rounded edges. Ganache - A confection of cream and melted chocolate used as a filling between different layers in a tier. Ganache can also be poured over the cake and used as a glaze. Gum Paste - This paste of sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin is used to mold realistic-looking fruits and flowers to garnish a cake. Gum paste decorations are edible and will last for years as keepsakes, but they don't taste as yummy as marzipan. Marzipan - A sweet, pliable mixture of almond paste and sugar. It's often tinted with food coloring and molded into a variety of forms including fruits, animals and holiday shapes. Marzipan is also rolled into thin sheets and used either to cover cakes or to cut into strips to form ribbons, bows and a variety of other shapes. Mazarin - Almond cake, often used as base for pastries. Whipped Cream - Heavy cream beaten to achieve a thick consistency. Whipped cream is very light and fluffy and can be dyed or flavored. Vertical swirls are formed when the whipped cream is "bagged" on the sides of the cake using a pastry bag. Unlike buttercream or fondant, whipped cream does not work well as an icing, and must be kept refrigerated. It is unstable and not recommended for outdoor weddings. |
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