Wedding Cake Terms: Jargon a Baker Might Use

The first time you visit a baker you will most likely be in the first stages of the planning process. During that time so much is going on that it will be extremely easy to be come confused with all the options out there. Listening to a baker speak can be a lot like listening to a lawyer speak if you don't know the jargon. To help make your cake hunt easier you'll need to get more aquatinted with these cake terms.

Whipped Cream: An unstable heavy cream used for a thick consistency. This must be kept refrigerated and is not meant for outdoor weddings.

Torte: A dense cake that does not use any leavening agents like baking soda.

Royal Icing: (do not refrigerate.) This icing is made of egg whites and confectionary sugar, this icing starts life as a soft paste piped from a pastry bag to create latticework, beading, bows, and flowers.

Pulled Sugar: Sugar that is boiled and manipulated to created flowers and bows.

Piping: Decorative accents made with a pastry bag and a metal tip.

Pillars: Separators used in tiered cakes that are either made of wood or plastic to achieve the desired look.

Marzipan: A paste made of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites, used to mold edible flowers or fruit to decorate the cake. Marzipan can also be rolled in sheets, like fondant, and used as icing.

Latticework: A piping detail that criss-crosses with an open pattern.

Ganache: A sweet, rich chocolate, denser than mousse but less dense than fudge, which can be used as icing or filling. This is not recommended for outdoor weddings because it will soften in humidity.

Fondant: A sweet, elastic icing made of sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin that's literally rolled out with a rolling pin and draped over a cake. It's a smooth, firm base for gum paste flowers, decorative details, and architectural designs, and has a porcelain finish. This cake should not be refrigerated.

Dragees: Round, edible sugar balls coated with silver or gold and used for decorative purposes.

Dotted Swiss: A piping technique that forms tiny dots in random patterns that resemble a fine dot swiss fabric.

Butter cream: A smooth, creamy icing that stays soft so it's easy to cut through. It can be colored and/or flavored. Also used to create piping, swags, and other borders, as well as decorative rosettes. It can be used as filling, too. (This is the most popular choice for wedding cakes).