Fondant vs. Buttercream

When shopping for your wedding cake and cakes for any other occasion, the question arises,

“Which is better to use fondant or buttercream icing?”

 

 

Fondant

What is fondant?

Fondant is a cream confection, mainly sugar and water. It can be prepared in two forms, poured and rolled. What you see on the outside of the majority of wedding cakes today is rolled fondant. If you have ever had a Cadbury chocolate egg you have had poured fondant, it is used as the filling!

What are the advantages of fondant?

Rolled fondant icing has a harder consistancy than buttercream. Because of this, fondant holds in moisture better keeping your cake fresher longer. Also the consistancy supports the cake structurly, helping to maintain it’s shape and balance.

Fondant covered cakes do not require refridgeration, and can handle being in warm temperatures for an extended period of time. Unless subjected to extreme heat, fondant does not have a tendency to melt.

The look of fondant is unmistakable. It creates a beautiful smooth, clean look to your cake. Fondant can also be molded to create any kind of creative sugar sculpture to compliment your cake.

What are the disadvantages of fondant?

Fondant is beautiful, but the major complaint is the taste. Although you can flavor fondant with any flavor, it is the consistancy that usually steers people away.  Because fondant is mainly sugar and water, that is exactly the taste is produces. It is very sweet and usually disgarded after the cake has been cut.

Buttercream

  What is buttercream?

Buttercream is a cake icing and filling made from creamed butter, powerder sugar, and with other fats.

What are the advantages of buttercream?

Buttercream is more appealing because of the taste and consistancy. It is sweet, but also creamy. The consistancy is soft and very similar to the icings you can purchase at your local grogery store.

Buttercream can be used to create fun textures. If you have ever seen the traditional Easter Bunny cake, you can thank buttercream for that furry texture on the cake.

What are the disadvantages of Buttercream?

Because buttercream is so soft, it does not hold up when transported. When slightly heated by the sun or a changed in room temperature, it has the tendancy to melt.

Buttercream does require mandatory refridgeration. It is made with creams and fats, so if it is left out for a long period of time, these components can spoil and ruin the cake.

Also, Buttercream does not have the consistancy to support molding, thus limiting design options that can be executed.

Conclusion

Both mediums have their advantages and disadvantages. Bake Me A Cake has weighed the differences and found there is more success with Fondant, but realizes that there is a high demand for the buttercream taste. Because of this we have derived a compromise, we frost the cake with buttercream before covering it with the smooth fondant. This way you have the best of both worlds!

 

We want to know what you think, after reading this, what would you choose?