Sweet Talk
Cake Lingo Explained

The first time you meet with a cake designer, you may feel overwhelmed. Don't fret – below are several cake decorating terms to help your initial intro run as smooth as fondant (see # 3).

Torte: a dense cake that does not use leavening agents.

Buttercream Frosting: an off-white or ivory soft frosting with a butter base.

Fondant: a smooth icing with a porcelain finish that is rolled to uniform thickness and wrapped around or draped over the cake.

Royal Icing: an egg white-based icing that becomes plaster hard and easy to sculpt into ornamental shapes with a pastry tube.

Marzipan: a paste made with a ground almond base that is used to mold cake trimmings.

Gum Paste: a rigid, edible modeling medium used to make garnishes for the cake.

Piping: decorative details on the cake, made with a pastry bag and metal tips. §

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