Butter cream frosting is a smooth and creamy kind of finishing with a delicate buttery flavor. It offers one of the best values in terms of price. This cake is easy to cut, but needs to be kept refrigerated until just a few hours before serving. It also allows for easy decorating.

Whipped cream is a very delicate kind of frosting that can't stand heat. It has to be kept refrigerated until you are ready to serve it. It does not allow for easy decorating due to its delicate nature, but they taste real good.

Fondant is usually rolled out like a piecrust, smooth and flat. Made primarily of sugar and corn syrup, it should not be refrigerated, so make sure that you select a filling that is equally sturdy. The rolled sheets of fondant are wrapped around the cake, creating a smooth, flat surface on which to pipe icing decorations or place flowers. Looks gorgeous, but is not particularly tasty and can be hard to cut.

Royal icing is a very hard finish that can be piped on to create a variety of shapes and patterns on cakes. This is a very common type of wedding cake.