Okay, so here's the thing: I've been doing cakes for the past 36 years and, although I am self-taught and can pretty much do anything, I am so dead-set against fondant that it makes me curious: How did you decide to work in this medium? I mean, I haven't found anything about it that I even remotely like ... the taste, the technique, the expense, the fact that it can't be refrigerated ... I could go on, but I'm more curious about what makes us decide to work in this medium. So here goes .....

If you LIKE working with fondant, why? What is your favorite fondant (homemade/premaid) and for what reasons? Does it bother you that many of your clients (or their guests) may not care for fondant and subsequently don't know whether to pitch it or eat it? How do you go about convincing people that they should have their cakes covered in fondant? How do you go about flavoring your fondant so it tastes better?

If you HATE working with fondant, why? How do you steer customers who want the LOOK of fondant toward your preferred method so they get the appearance they want but you don't have to deal with it? If you could change anything about fondant to make you WANT to use it, what would that be?

I know it may seem like a strange question, but I am torn about whether or not to make the attempt at really developing this skill or just stick with what I already know and am able to keep myself busy doing that. I'm just really trying to find some sort of understanding and maybe it will also help someone else who is starting out and considering whether or not to attempt rolled fondant.

Thanks, one and all for your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.

I am very new to the cake decorating hobby. I don't quite get the fondant thing...it tastes awful! I have heard that you can flavor it, but I have yet to try that. I do use it for small decorations and such, but the taste is just gross, I can't imagine an entire cake covered in it...but it does look so smooth and pretty!

my little opinion

LOVE IT! I find that cake eaters have an opinion about it just as they do about BC and whipped etc. Some people actually love it, my husband prefers the taste of homemade MMF! I like making it and using it b/c you can create things that can't otherwise be edible on a cake....the sun, the surfboard on this cake attached--these are things i love to create. The kids esp get a kick out of keeping these things for a couple days...weeks...then taking a bite and then it's thrown out. It's my favorite medium.

For the longest time I was dead set about not using fondant, but then I tasted Marshmellow fondant. and it is actually pretty good! I like using it for sculpting figures because there are so many neat things that can be created with it, however I will probably never cover my cakes with it unless it is a special favor. I have seen to many people peeling it off of their cake to convince me otherwise. I think that it looks beautiful but I feel that its sort of a waste. Maybe after I use it more I will like using it for more than creating figures but for the time being I still prefer good old buttercream the best!

Used it twice - not planning on a third.....
Don't like the taste - with flavor. Don't like the texture in my mouth.
Working with it - fine, except I would have to trim my nails, short.
I talked one bride out of it. The other had no idea what it was. I tell them if they want fondant they can go hire someone.

Well, I'm a newbie but I'll throw out my opinion.

I love the look of fondant. I like the smoothness and I love all the neat shapes, charcters, etc. that you can make with it. That said, I have always hated the taste of fondant. So I tried a few recipes from this site. I used the crusting buttercream for my son's Bar Mitzvah cake and it was delicious and gave the effect I wanted for that cake.

This time around(1 1/2 years later- cake #2) I wanted that cool sculpted look. So I tried rolled buttercream and everyone hated the taste, so I tried the easy marshmallow fondant, even though I am not a marshmallow fan. I flavored it with orange extract, and it tastes wonderful! It has been easy to work with and fun. I would definitely use this recipe again, and probably will in a couple of months for my daughter's Bat Mitzvah.

I don't think I would be a good one to answer the other questions because this isn't even really a hobby for me, although it might become one. I came here for help with my son's cake and I came back for help on my friend's son's Bar Mitzvah cake. This will never be a business for me, though, so I'll leave those topics for others!

Good luck,
Kathi

I love and hate it!

I dont like the texture or the taste. I dont know anyone here that eats it.

I love how it looks, what you can do with it and I cant for the life of me get BC smooth . So, on a formal cake I go fondant every time.

I think even if the day ever comes that I can get that BC smooth I would just use fondant for modelling & accents.

I have a love/hate relationship with fondant. I love the things you can do wtih it. I love the look of it on a cake. I also like that it makes for a less delicate cake. You don't have to worry about somebody sticking a finger in it to taste the frosting. I hate the taste and the texture of it though. For me, bc wins hands down for taste.

I use MMF, I've never tried anything else because I don't want to spend the extra money on something that I don't like the taste of. My husband, oldest child and I don't like it but my 3 year old thinks it's great.
I like the stuff you can do with it, there are so many things you just couldn't do with bc. My MIL drives me crazy on the topic of using it, she'll tell me I should use something people can "actually eat."
I used it on the groom's cakes for my sister's wedding and lots of people liked it.

I LOVE it!!! I too was very skeptical but once I tried it I haven't gone back to an all buttercream cake, hehe. Its so fun & the possibilities are endless. I use MMF the most but just got some Satin Ice that i can't wait to try. Seeing all of the fabulous fondant cakes here in the gallery made me try it and boy am I glad I did. The only bad thing is some people don't like the taste or consistency. My kids love it & dh hates it, I'm in between. I ice the cakes in BC then add the fondant so whoever doesn't like it can peel it off.
Make a batch of mmf and give it a try, its so fun!

I have used it several times, but I have only used the MMF and Wilton. Obviously MMF tastes MUCH better and people will actually eat it! I find if it is on a buttercream that is not so sweet it tastes really good and I don't mind the texture at all! I love the options with it and plan to keep using it. I do whichever the client wants, giving both options and different ideas with each.
Tracy

I love it, there are so many things you can do with fondant. Any figure I want.

It keeps the cake in good condition even in very hot weather. When you cut the cake you see that it's still very cold inside. BC always scares me in hot weather.

I make my fondant so it costs much cheaper than BC. It only has conf.sugar, and a few other cheap ingrediants inside. I can give any flavor I want, because it's flavourless.

My customers insist on fondant even if I advise some other medium for the case. They always say that, fondant cakes make a difference which I agree.

I'm also an "old-timer"....been doing cakes for over 25 years. HATE fondant! Yes, I've tried it .... never again.

How do I convince brides? I just flat out tell them I don't do it. (our city paper did a series on weddings and in the cake edition, there was more than one "real" bakery listed that did not do fondant cakes.)

Most designs can be duplicated in BC, but if they have their heart set on fondant, I will happily put them in touch with a decorator who works with it. I have some fondant on hand that they can taste .... and I provide the trash can that they can spit it out in (and so far, they all have!!)

I think they look like play-doh cakes and I'm not putting my name on something that looks like play-doh. When I go to my cake supplier store and the sales person tries to convince me to try it with "....it's so much easier!", I ask her "What good does it be to be easier (and for the record, I don't believe it is) if people don't eat it and end up thinking I make crappy cakes?" (By the way, I got a lot of high-fives from the other decorators who were in the store at the time,so it was nice to know I wasn't alone!)

I have a high regard for the talent of those who choose to work with it. The time, the extra work, the creativity is pretty awesome and I've seen some cakes that I envy the talent of the person who put it together. I've read of decorators who have to start days ahead of time to make the decorations and bluntly I don't have time to spend days on a cake. (I also do catering so if you can imagine doing cakes AND cooking 75 lbs of chicken and 12 lbs of meatballs plus the pastas, veggies, etc.!)

And I'm not kidding .... I will HAPPILY send a bride to another decorator if she is absolutely set on fondant or nothing. So far, I've not had to do that. (so if you're in the Indy area and want to be on my "she does fondant" list, just let me know!)

I really like it now that I make my own. All of my customers comment how much better it is then what they have had before. I use the MMF and flavor it to suit the individual cakes. It just gives another opion on decorating and a different look then traditional frosting. I really really dont' recommend buying fondant ready made it tastes awful and is very expensive. Why spend all that money to watch it all get thrown away. I highly recommend trying the MMF and adding different flavors. you may find you really like it.

ugh...i hate it.

it's so frustrating to work with and i'm on a time limit...

i've made so many wedding cakes over the years in buttercream i've gotten pretty fast at it.

my daughter in law wanted a fondant whimsey cake for thier wedding....took me 12 hours....

i can do a buttercream whimsey cake in 2.

plus i don't know if i did something wrong with the recipe...but there was cracking....it was just awful....after fiddling with it for so long...it looked ok....but it was such a bad experiance.

i'd like to learn other things you can do with it though....like i bought a bunch of flexible molds to play with....tried the wilton stuff in them and it got stuck....musta done something wrong i thought about maybe freezing it in there....i'm still experimenting.

i must say the fondant bows look cool....

anyone care to share how long it takes to make one?

They are pretty quick, I just put some rubber gaskets on the ends of my rolling pin to roll it out even and quickly then just cut the strips and form your bow be sure to put some support to help shape them ie. tissues. let it set and that's it. You can have the cake done and let it dry on it or form the bow ahead, make the cake and then place the set bow.

i havee been decorating for years and have always used buttercream....until i joined cc... i just did my second cake with mmf and i am sooooo hooked!!!! it is so easy to make, it's easy to work with, it's yummy, and you can do sooooo much with it!!!! i loooove it....and thanx to all of you for helping me find my way in cake decorating after all these years!!!lol

I have been decoratng for about 6 years. I have a love hate relationship with fondant. I love to make decorations figures and accent pieces to go on my buttercream iced cakes. I make my own fondant it tastes 1000% better than Wiltons. I do love rolled butter cream and the fondant like look it gives. I have never tried MMF but since I don't ever plan on covering a cake with any type of fondant I probably won't mess with the recipe that gives me good results for my needs.

What is Rolled Buttercream? Whats the recipe? why its good than normal butter cream?

Aobodessa, you asked exactly what I have been thinking for a long time. I have all of those questions about fondant also. I am just starting out learning to decorate cakes and wondered the same things as you. It seems like the MMF gets high marks here so I may try it today while hubby and daughter are at football game. By the way, this site rocks. Good luck on your quest.

Christie

I have been decorating for 7 years and fondant is a new thing to me as well while i see that you can achieve a flawless look using it and add alot more charecter to a cake I find it taste awful and while customers like the look of it not many care for the taste I personaly always frost in buttercreme I've just now starting using fondant for accents to the cake's but i feel like it takes some of the hand crafted feel away from a cake I mean no offense to those of you who make stunning fondant cakes the likes of which i doubt i would even attempt but everytime I use it i feel like im working with playdough just cut and paste.

I love fondant and the majority of my cakes are covered in it. I'm in England and what I've heard our fondant does taste better than what is generally available in the states but everyone eats it over here. If I tried to do a buttercream cake most of it would get left over here as us Brits tend to find buttercream has a very sickly taste if too much is eaten. Fondant is fairly cheap to buy here, quick to work with and goes on very smoothly. i get great results with it.

I too love working with fondant. I like the smoothness you can get with it and all the things you can model with it. I use the stuff you can buy and I had a go with MMF and that works great too and tastes fab!

I will admit I've never tried an all buttercream cake, maybe I should but I feel it would be so more delicate and time consuming to do one. I use fondant on cakes which don't take too long to cover (I cover and fill the entire cake with a layer of buttercream first) then cover with fondant. I make all my flowers out of sugarpaste (a firmer version of fondant) days ahead when I will need them.

I do think all the cakes (fondant and buttercream) look great and skill is needed to do both, and what I've seen of all the photos on here everyone is really skilled. I take my hat off to all of you!

cheers Jan

I have been doing cakes for 48 years so understand where you are coming from. I have always used buttercream because while I loved the looks of fondant I disliked the taste and texture, I think most of us consider buttercream when we think about eating a piece of cake. But I decided after being on cake boards that fondant has caught on more and more over the years and it was time for me to try it again, learn to conquer my fears about getting it on the cake smoothly and learn to adjust to the taste and texture. Still didn't find a recipe or pre-made that I really liked until someone recommended Fondx. Now I find it is easy to roll, I can get it on the cake without it wrinkling or tearing. It smells wonderful and I can even tolerate the taste. Still prefer buttercream for eating purposes but I have brought my cakes up to date with fondant and know I can now offer it when asked or even suggest it for certain cakes.

Yum. I think it taste good. MMF that is. It is the only one I have used as accents, I have not covered a cake in it. I like the taste, its fun to play with, its cheap and gives other alternatives than just bc. I dont know how to do much, and actually I have only used it for one cake, my race car cake.