Common Wedding Cake Terms You Need to Know

If you're totally new to the world of wedding cakes, the vast possibilities can be slightly overwhelming. To help you get a better understanding of wedding cake options and trends and to help inform your cake inspiration, familiarize yourself with these common cake terms before your first consultation with your baker.

This creamy and classic icing is made from butter and can be used for decorative touches, fillings, and the outer icing coat. 

 A crumb coat is a thin layer of icing that traps in crumbs before adding fondant or a final icing layer. Some couples opt to leave the crumb coat visible for a rustic touch. 

Decorative sugar balls (often in metallics) that are used to adorn and decorate a cake. 

A smooth icing that's made of sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin and gives the cake a clean look. Fondant needs to be rolled out, then placed on the cake, and cut. 

A decadent chocolate sauce that can be used as filling or icing. 

Thin layers of edible gold that can be applied to the outer layer for a decorative flair. 

 A cake that is made especially with the groom's interests in mind, that is consumed at the reception. Typically, these are themed cakes with intricate details. 

A cake without icing on the outside. 

Support systems for holding layers of the cake up. Can be visible or placed inside the dessert for support. 

A technique where icing is applied through an icing bag to create designs or flourishes. 

A type of icing that dries quickly and hardens to help intricate design work stay put. 

A sugar-based dough that can be used to create sugar flowers or ribbons.