When it comes to icing for your wedding cake, there are two basic options: Buttercream, and fondant. Which one you should pick depends on a variety of factors, like what you want the cake to look like, taste like, and cost. Below is some more information about fondant and buttercream that will help make your decision easier.
Fondant is a dough made of powdered sugar, corn syrup, and water. Sometimes, the bakery will add gelatin, melted marshmallows, or some other type of substance that helps the fondant keep its structure. Once all the ingredients are melted together, it makes a squishy paste that has a claylike texture.
The main reason professional bakeries use fondant is that it’s extremely versatile. You can roll it out and cover a cake with it to make a smooth, seamless look; make flowers and other decorations, or layer it over rice krispie treats to make some truly unusual cake sculptures.
There are a few drawbacks to using fondant. First of all, it’s hard to make and hard to work with, which means it’s usually more expensive than buttercream. Secondly, if it’s not stored properly, it will dry out and crack. And lastly, some people dislike the taste and/or texture of fondant, saying it tastes too much like candy.
Buttercream icing is, essentially, butter whipped with powdered sugar. A few recipes use egg whites. It can be flavored or colored, and used as both an icing and a filling.
Aside from being delicious, buttercream is favored by many bakers because it can be loaded into a pastry bag easily and piped into rosettes, swirls, and shells. The recipe for buttercream icing is also usually very forgiving; if you add too much or too little sugar, you can easily thicken it up or thin it out. Buttercream is also made with fat more fat than fondant, which gives it a rich, delicious taste that many people prefer.
On the other hand, buttercream has its own disadvantages, not least of which is the calorie content. Since it’s only butter and sugar, buttercream icing is terribly unhealthy, and many people find it too sweet and too rich, like eating a stick of butter. Buttercream also will never look as neat and tidy as fondant, no matter how smoothly it’s spread. And lastly, buttercream will melt right off the cake in hot or humid weather. If you’re planning an outdoor summer wedding, buttercream icing might be something to avoid.
If you live in Raleigh, Durham, or Wake Forest and need a cake for your special day, give us a call! We have made hundreds of cake for Raleigh-area residents over the years and can’t wait to make yours. To place your order for wedding cakes in Wake Forest NC, click here.
