Marzipan is a
confection consisting primarily of
sugar or
honey and
almond meal, sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into
sweets; common uses are
chocolate-covered marzipan and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. It is also rolled into thin sheets and glazed for icing
cakes, primarily birthday,
wedding cakes and
Christmas cakes. This use is particularly common in the
UK, on large
fruitcakes. Marzipan (or
almond paste) may also be used as a cake ingredient, as in
stollen. In some countries, it is shaped into small figures of animals as a traditional treat for
New Year's Day. Marzipan is also used in
Tortell, and in some versions of
king cake eaten during the
Carnival season. Traditional Swedish
princess cake is typically covered with a layer of marzipan that has been tinted pale green.