{Photo by Leigh Miller}
The battle between Fondant and Buttercream has been raging for decades and seems to be ever more prevalent now that fanciful and elaborate cakes, cupcakes and cookies are all the rage. Each have their pro's and con's and todays post is dedicated to helping you pick which one is right for you. Fondant is great for molding and offers that polished, smooth look so many people love but it doesn't always taste so great. Buttercream, on the other hand, is delicious and is a timeless classic but it can be messy and will melt in the heat. Not so good for those outdoor summer parties.
When I am making cookies for an event I always find myself in a tug-of-war when deciding how I want my presentation to look. Do I want them to be perfect and look beautiful or do I want them to have an old-fashioned look to them and taste amazing?? Do I want to be able to bag them or am I okay with just plating them? Will transportation be involved? What type of location is the event being held at?
I battled the same battle when choosing the cake for our wedding. Guess what I ended up with....BOTH! Yep, that's right. Both. I decided on a tiered buttercream wedding cake and a fondant covered groom's cake. With all of that being said, below I offer my tips and tricks below for those of you who battle the same battle.
Fondant? Buttercream? Fondant? Buttercream?
Fondant Pro's & Con's:
- Flexibility: You can incorporate more of your overall design with fondant. It's a good base for patterns, objects, 3-D modeling. All can all be done with fondant and helps give your creation that POP! It's a designers canvas...
- Prep Time: You can work with your fondant ahead of time when creating flowers, letters, decorative shapes and figurines that will adorn your cake or cookies.
- Delivery: Delivery is much easier and safer when working with fondant. It acts as a protective shell for cakes and aids in keeping them cool. When working with fondant covered cookies, you can bag them and tie them off with a sweet ribbon and not have to worry about any smudging or sticking like buttercream.
- Taste: Fondant usually is not known for it's taste but companies like Fondarific make a better tasting fondant in Vanilla, Chocolate and Fruit Flavors.
Buttercream Pro's & Con's:
- Flexibility: Temperature plays a major role in the stability of buttercream. In the summer it can be a nightmare if the event is outdoors. No matter how much the buttercream is set, it will instantly lose it's shape when exposed to heat. Butter + heat = melting. Also, things tend to stick to buttercream. If you are using one of the many adorable cupcake holders out there, such as this or this, fondant is a much better option as buttercream will leave the wrappers with a greasy look. Buttercream is a flexible medium and there are many piping tips on the market that allows for many different looks.
- Prep Time: Standard buttercream recipes are fairly simple to make and can be made at least a day in advance. I prefer to prepare my icing and then let it set overnight to allow the flavors to fully incorporate into the butter and sugar.
- Delivery: Unless you don't have to worry about delivery, buttercream will always remain a true test for bakers who are required to deliver their cake, cupcakes or cookies. Some make it out successfully, some end up with disaster on their hands.
- Taste: I will say, again and again, that buttercream wins this one hands down. Who doesn't love a huge dollop of sweet, thick buttercream on any cake or cookie? Oh wait, that's right. My best friend. For that, I think she is off her rocker. (Wink.) But hey, each to their own.
And that statement sums it up perfectly. Each to their own. Some love fondant. Some loathe it. Same goes for buttercream. Just make sure whatever you choose, you choose it with love and care and bake it the same way. That's all people are really looking for in their desserts. Love and care.
{Images courtesy of Martha Stewart & The Knot}
Be Sweet.
-Kristy
