If you’re new to cake decorating you’ve probably asked yourself at one time or another, “What is marzipan?” Well, marzipan is a type of almond paste that can be molded into different shapes and decorations. You can think of marzipan as a type of edible play-doh.

Marzipan can be used to cover your entire cake but most people don’t use it for this purpose. However, marzipan does a good job of preserving cakes by keeping the moisture in, so it’s often used for special events like weddings where the cake might be sitting outside for extended periods of time.

Marzipan is most commonly used for modeling purposes. Because of the ground almonds, marzipan is usually more expensive than fondant or royal icing. Marzipan is similar to almond paste but contains a higher amount of almonds.

You can buy marzipan pre-made or make it yourself at home. Most people agree that homemade marzipan has a better flavor. When you purchase marzipan already prepared it usually comes in two color varieties: gold or white. The gold marzipan can be a little more difficult to work with, since added food coloring can result in undesirable shade. The yellow marzipan can also show through if you plan on placing a thin layer of icing over the top of your cake.

Whenever anyone asks me “what is marzipan?” I tell them simply to try it out for themselves. Sometimes the best way to learn about something is to just jump right in and give it a try. Many professional cake decorators find working with marzipan to be fun, rewarding, and even a bit relaxing.

You can tint marzipan different colors just like you can with cake decorating frosting. Simply break off the amount you need and add a small amount of coloring gel or paste with a toothpick. Knead in the color to evenly distribute. If the marzipan starts to stick to your fingers, simply spread a little shortening over your hands.

After you begin making a few marzipan shapes and figures you might find the whole experience very addicting like I did. You’ll never need to ask yourself, “What is marzipan?” ever again!

Tags: Cake Decorating Frosting, cake decorating icing, marzipan