The sweetest part of planning your wedding is selecting your wedding cake, and we have everything you need to know about wedding cake decorations, shapes, and creative adornments. By the time you've started thinking about your wedding cake, you should already have figured out your wedding theme, wedding venue, wedding caterer, reception menu and the overall feel that you're going for. Aside from your main wedding cake, you may also want to consider having a groom's cake or having a dessert bar to give your guests a sweet treat as well.
Below, we've listed some popular wedding cake terms to help you de-code what your baker is talking about. Remember -- when you know some wedding cake decoration lingo, you'll make your life -- and your bakers -- much easier!
Cake Plate: The base used to support each layer of wedding cake, except the bottom one. Also called separator plates.
Cake Stand: A decorative platter, elevated on legs or some other decorative stand, used to display the wedding cake at the reception.
Cake Table: The table at the reception on which the wedding cake is displayed. The cake table should be sturdy, level and wide enough to hold the cake, serving set and any intended decorations.
Cake Tasting: Couples generally choose the flavors for their wedding cake by arranging a cake tasting with the baker. The couple is provided with morsels of different available cakes to sample and choose from.
Cake Tower: An elaborate cake stand used to display multiple 'satellite' wedding cake layers at the reception.
Candy Dough: A mixture of confectioners' sugar, water, cream of tartar and tragacanth gum which can be molded like clay and turns hard and brittle as it dries. Often used for cake decorations. Also known as gum paste or sugar dough.
Caribbean Black Cake: A rum-laced fruitcake traditionally served at Caribbean weddings. Fruit may be soaked in rum for up to one month before the cake is made.
Caster Sugar: Refined sugar with grains that are bigger than powdered sugar, but smaller than granulated sugar. Dissolves without lumps.
Cheese Cake: A mixture of cream cheese, eggs, lemon juice, corn flour, sugar, vanilla and butter or cream poured over a piecrust and baked.
Columns: Tubes placed in-between layers of wedding cake to create a multi-tiered effect with open air in-between each layer of cake. Unlike separators, columns are clearly visible on the decorated cake and are part of the overall look. Also known as pillars.
Confectioners' Sugar: Fine sugar with a little cornstarch added.
Cornelli: Icing piped onto a cake in a pattern resembling lace.
Croquembouche: A pyramid made from pastry balls filled with cream and coated with caramel. A traditional French wedding dessert.
Read more about Wedding Cakes:
Wedding Cakes Glossary A-B
Wedding Cakes Glossary D-F
Wedding Cakes Glossary G-M
Wedding Cakes Glossary N-R
Wedding Cakes Glossary S-Z
Find more ideas and inspiration in our wedding cake photo galleries