Wedding cakes have become more and more a centerpiece to the wedding reception. With cake and baking tv shows on the rise along with the influence of Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter, people are becoming increasingly excited about cake decorating and getting the most decked out cake they can whether it’s for a wedding or other celebration. One topic of concern, when it comes to creating the best cake, is whether to use rolled fondant or buttercream frosting. Here we will examine the benefits and drawbacks of both types of cakes so that you can ultimately pick your favorite and the best option.
A popular concern, when choosing a cake, is whether or not a buttercream frosted cake will hold up in a warm setting, especially if the cake needs to be outside in the sun. The answer for the most part is yes. A buttercream cake should hold up even in warm weather, but if you are really concerned talk to your cake decorator or bakery to get their expert advice. Buttercream frosting can be made using many different recipes and some will include stabilizers that make the frosting set. For the majority of buttercream recipes, if the cake is left in a cool environment, the frosting will hold up like chilled butter. If the buttercream cake is in a warm setting, the frosting will be more smooth and creamy, like a buttery spread. If your cake will have to sit outside or in another warm environment, you may opt to have the cake cutting ceremony at the beginning of your reception. Having the cake cutting at the beginning of the reception will allow the cake to be taken away if needed because of warm conditions, and if the setting is not as warm, you can choose to leave the cake on display for a while.
Taste can be the deciding factor when it comes to picking either a fondant or buttercream frosted cake. Many bakeries and cake decorators do things differently so you should definitely consult with them to see their fondant options, also ask to get a taste sampling of what they have to offer then you will know precisely what you are getting. For the most part, however fondant cakes usually have a layer of buttercream frosting underneath the fondant. Fondant is much thicker than frosting and has an acquired taste. The chewy texture and sugary flavor often throw people off when taking their first bite. Fondant doesn’t necessarily taste bad it is just known to have a very “sweet” sugary flavor. Fondant comes in several flavors, but the most commonly used are vanilla, chocolate and dark chocolate. Fondant definitely has a much larger capacity for decorating options, but as far as flavor, buttercream can pretty much be flavored to any flavor of your choosing. You can however keep in mind that many people often peel the layer of fondant off, set it aside and eat the rest of the cake. Since the cake usually has a layer of buttercream frosting underneath anyways, you can still choose any flavor for the buttercream for guests to enjoy.
Many wonder if a buttercream cake will look as smooth as a fondant cake, the answer is that it is very possible for a buttercream frosted cake to look just as smooth as a fondant cake depending on your cake decorator’s skills. In a layered cake, the top of each layer will result in a much sharper edge when using buttercream frosting versus fondant. Many prefer this cleaner look, and if not preferred it is very easy to pipe a decoration along the edges of the cake which will take away the sharp edges. There are many ways to decorate a buttercream frosted cake to make it look just as clean as a fondant cake. Many brides are now decorating their cakes with flowers which can cover up any rough spots that may occur on a buttercream cake.
Cost will sometimes be the deciding factor when choosing a cake. And what it boils down to is that by far, buttercream cakes cost far less than fondant covered cakes. Fondant cakes are much more expensive for many reasons. Many bakeries will purchase their fondant rather than making it in a house because fondant is hard to produce and tough on machinery. Fondant itself is actually expensive which drives up the cost of the cake that you order. Fondant is also a much harder material to work with and requires a much more skilled decorator along with more time to produce which also adds to the cost of the cake. Generally speaking, buttercream cakes are far less expensive than fondant cakes.
Keep an open mind when deciding on what type of cake to choose for your wedding. Be sure to get your cake decorator’s expert advice on the type of cake you want to choose. In all reality, both types of cakes can be elaborately decorated and flavored to your liking for a most memorable wedding cake.
