Wedding Cake - Buttercream And Fondant

Decorating By Buffybeth Updated 12 May 2017 , 10:14pm by Buffybeth

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Buffybeth Posted 23 Apr 2017 , 3:14pm
post #1 of 15

Hi guys, 

I was looking for a little advice regarding a wedding cake I'm doing for my brothers wedding. 

His AH has asked for a GF three tier cake - fine with me until finding out she wanted, fruit cake, choc cake & carrot cake... all buttercreamed and stacked. I tried looking to find out if you could buttercream a fruit cake as I've never heard/seen it done before and probably for good reasons so I looked online and it's a no go. 

I have said I could cover all cakes with fondant but she wasn't keen and said could I cover just the top fruit cake tier ... I haven't really seen any designs like this before and said it may look odd so I'm coming here for advise if anyone has any regarding the subject? 

This is the picture of what she would like ; Wedding Cake - Buttercream And Fondant

14 replies
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kakeladi Posted 23 Apr 2017 , 8:06pm
post #2 of 15

It could work.  Best way to get the ridges into both types of icing is w/a rolling pin that is scored.......I've seen them for sale but can't pinpoint any place for you.  Sure there probably will be a difference as you probably won't get the b'cream to *EXACTLY* match the fondant in color but I don't see that as a real problem since they bride is asking for it and should be very slight difference.

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kakeladi Posted 23 Apr 2017 , 8:07pm
post #3 of 15

Oh, also, if using the rolling pin be sure to use a b'cream recipe that crusts well.

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Buffybeth Posted 30 Apr 2017 , 4:26pm
post #4 of 15

I was trying to advoid the buttercream and fondant mix ...

what if I royal iced all three tiers? That should work out fine then? 

I could still crumb coat the chocolate tier in ganache and marzipan the fruit cake...

Keeps them fresh for three days and can still do the impressions into the royal icing and it'll all match!? 

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SandraSmiley Posted 30 Apr 2017 , 4:50pm
post #5 of 15

My first though, Buffybeth, is to crumbcoat and frost the chocolate and carrot cakes with buttercream and cover the fruit cake with marzipan instead of crumb coating, then cover the marzipan with a thin layer of buttercream, just enough to make the ridges.

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Buffybeth Posted 30 Apr 2017 , 4:59pm
post #6 of 15

I did think that but I ready online it's not a great combo fruit cake and buttercream ... not really seen or heard of anyone doing it before 

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SandraSmiley Posted 30 Apr 2017 , 6:59pm
post #7 of 15

I really like fruit cake and I really like buttercream, so I can't imagine being too offended, haha.  Have you considered an almond-vanilla flavored buttercream?  It is my favorite.

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Buffybeth Posted 5 May 2017 , 4:21pm
post #8 of 15

I'm getting more and more nervous as the day is coming ... the almond vanilla sounds great but would the colours match in buttercreams ? 


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Smckinney07 Posted 5 May 2017 , 7:35pm
post #9 of 15

You have to remember that we are the professionals, it's our job to guide clients. Just because she is saying just throw some of this on the top tier doesn't mean it's the best thing to do, you know?!

I wouldn't cover one tier with fondant and the others with BC because I know it would probably look silly-she obviously doesn't realize that. Regardless of what she's saying is fine now if it doesn't match and looks funny she will be angry on her wedding day. Sometimes family is harder to deal with

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Smckinney07 Posted 5 May 2017 , 7:37pm
post #10 of 15

You need to take charge and explain why something won't work or a better option would be...because you will be responsible when something looks wrong/goes wrong. 

It just looks like a combed BC cake, I would cover each tier in  BC and finish with a comb. If you are worried about the flavors make sample cakes and try it-which you should do with any cake you haven't made before. You can use fondant instead just keep it all consistent for a clean, final design. Good luck 

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SandraSmiley Posted 5 May 2017 , 8:50pm
post #11 of 15

Buffybeth, I agree with SmcKinney07 that you should use buttercream on the whole cake.  The vanilla-almond flavor would go well with any cake flavor.  Use clear vanilla (imitation) extract and almond is naturally clear.  You may add white food coloring to the buttercream if you want a brighter white.  Personally, I see no problem with buttercream on fruitcake.

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Smckinney07 Posted 5 May 2017 , 9:57pm
post #12 of 15

Yes SS! Exactly. They used to make fruit cakes that soak for weeks/months in booze those I believe are traditionally covered in marzipan and royal. But BC is fine! Don't forget a trial bake! Especially with new recipes! 

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Buffybeth Posted 6 May 2017 , 8:02pm
post #13 of 15

Thanks for the replies - 

it did start out as a whole carrot cake three tier situation but as the days are getting closer it seemed to change each time. 

The recipes aren't a problem as I've made them all before it's just the BC situation I was stuck on and then as I have never used BC on a fruit cake I researched and got nothing but bad feedback from it. 

I tried to take it into my own hands also and said about making a separate fruit cake and then fondant it as normal and then the three tiers they wanted in BC . 

But it's all been left up to me and as you said family can be worse then an actual client. 

I have loads of cake orders before the wedding cake is due but have about a week before the wedding cake that I can play with recipes and BC options before it's due so was going to play with the vanilla almond BC as SMK had advised - I have the fruit cake soaking now and then a spare for a trial tasting exercise that I'm hoping goes well ... 

thanks again for the advise guys :)

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me_me1 Posted 8 May 2017 , 5:25am
post #14 of 15

Lemon also works nicely with fruitcake. I had a wedding cake tasting with a lovely couple and they wanted to try fruitcake and also wanted to try some lemon cake with lemon curd and lemon SMBC. 

I had put the lemon curd in separate little pots and they were having a grand old time mixing and matching various flavours.

We accidentally found out that the flavour combo of fruitcake with lemon curd is actually really blimming lovely and that is what one part of their dessert table is going to be - little individual fruitcakes topped with lemon curd and lemon SMBC.

I guess my point is just because you don't see it somewhere on the internet, don't be afraid to try things and different combos and see what works for you and your clients   :)

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Buffybeth Posted 12 May 2017 , 10:14pm
post #15 of 15

Aww that's a good story! I didn't think of lemon! Although I think I'm going with the almond vanilla as my brothers not a lover of lemon... 

family is always harder then others - plus they live far, they have tried the cakes before other then the fruit cake BC combo so they are leaving it to me :/ so fingers crossed! 

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