Cake Fillings, Icings & Frostings

Appears in
top 1000La Varenne Pratique
La Varenne Pratique

By Anne Willan

Published 1989

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Fillings and toppings complement cakes. Butter cream is rich, appearing as the filling, coating and decoration of many European cakes. Soft icings are more classical, notably fondant, which offers a mirror-smooth background for decorations of nuts, sugared or almond paste flowers, or a piped message. Alternatives are an almond paste or spectacular royal icing coating.

Simple whipped frostings are more frivolous and may also double as fillings. Others include pastry cream, thick custard, ricotta and cream cheese. With the exception of whipped or Chantilly cream, fillings, icings and frostings are usually added ahead so flavors mellow.