icing on cake
Sweet finishing touch
Icing on the cake is an additional benefit or enhancement to something already good: The promotion was great, but the corner office was icing on the cake.
The phrase emphasizes that the extra element, while welcome, isn't essential—the cake is already complete without it.
Sometimes used ironically for unwanted additions to an already bad situation.
- frostingSweet cake covering
- cherry on topFinal embellishment completing something
- added bonusRedundant phrase for extra
- bonusReward beyond expectation
- finishing touchFinal perfecting detail
topping · sprinkles · sweetness · buttercream · whipped cream · royal icing · decoration · fondant · extra · perk · sweet deal · flourish · sugar · piping · birthday · celebration · special occasion · layers
- food idiomsbread winner, low-hanging fruit, cool as a cucumber, bad egg, apples and oranges
- highlightshighlight, highlights, high point, spotlight, peak
icing on cakebare essentials
Absolute minimum required
bare bones · bread and butter · sine qua non · necessities · core
icing on cakefly in the ointment
Small flaw spoiling everything
thorn in one's side · wrench in the works · sting in the tail · spoiler · drawback