marzipan

 
Pronunciation: /ˈmɑːzɪpan, ˌmɑːzɪˈpan/

noun

[mass noun]
  • a sweet yellow or white paste of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites, used to coat cakes or to make confectionery.
  • [count noun] a sweet or small cake made of or coated with marzipan: pralines, chocolates, and marzipans

verb

[with object] (usually as adjective marzipanned)
  • cover with marzipan: a marzipanned cake

Origin:

late 15th century (as marchpane): from Italian marzapane, perhaps from Arabic. The form marchpane (influenced by March and obsolete pain 'bread') was more usual until the late 19th century, when marzipan (influenced by German Marzipan) displaced it