Buttercream A Dying Art?
Decorating By whisperingmadcow Updated 2 May 2009 , 5:06pm by bostonterrierlady
We just need someone who does piping to come along and get a Food Network show, and then we'll see a resurgence of buttercream techniques
Can that be me? Granted, it will be different from the other Food Network shows, just showing my hands, but I could so be this person 
CeeTee Said:
"I don't think this makes someone who works only in fondant lazy or less skilled than someone who works only with buttercream. Both have their bonuses and drawbacks. I think it's just because the popular cake decorators of right now all work with fondant and it has high exposure is why it's so commonplace. We just need someone who does piping to come along and get a Food Network show, and then we'll see a resurgence of buttercream techniques"
I completely agree with you on this. I am not trying to say that people are lazy for loving fondant. But as someone who is still developing as a cake decorator, I want to make sure that I am putting my time and money into what is going to be on top tomorrow. I don't want to buy twenty fondant crafting items if its a simple trend. (Thats not so say that I wont anyways ). I also agree that you can't find any instuctions in the old styles (lambeth) of decorating without paying $200 for an out of print book.
Maybe someone should post something here. "advanced buttercream techniques" or something like that..
I don't decorate with buttercream (I just eat it ), but with royal icing. Same concept. I wish more people would pick up the piping bag and do some elaborate piping. There is nothing more beautiful than a well piped cake! I love old cake books with all their BC/RI techniques.
I think we need to start a group called "Cake decorators for the preservation of piping skills" 
IMHO buttercream is an art, and fondant is a craft...if that makes sense....doing buttercream roses is lot like painting roses, and leaves...you just hold the bag instead of the brush...in the 80's i had a shop where i taught acrylic painting lessons...
fondant is like crafting with clay....
i like using them together...but i do not ever want to cover a cake with fondant, i did a mad hatter cake for my son's wedding a few years ago....all the fondant was left on the plates.
i do them in buttercream now, plus....if you get skilled in buttercream...it is SOOOO much faster to do.
but you can't beat the lil fondant figures, bows and polka dots, and curly q's
IMHO buttercream is an art, and fondant is a craft...
I totally disagree with this 100%. I've seen many fondant creations which are more akin to sculpture or pottery than simple clay crafting. Decorators like Bronwen Weber and Duff are artistic masters, not simple crafters who happen to work with edible clay.
The difference between 'Art' and 'Craft' is the skill level behind the person and the motivations behind the work, and has nothing to do with the actual materials used. Crafters can work with paint and brushes (or piping bags) and Artists can work with clay (or fondant). Saying buttercream is more challenging or artistic than fondant is like saying decorating a round cake is more challenging than a square one. There's no inherent advantage to either style of cake decorating.
Shoot, I *envy* people who can work with fondant. I have a terrible time covering cakes with it and my figures and cut outs never seem to turn out. I have all this fondant equipment, taken classes, and watched dozens of tutorials and I still struggle. I fall back on piping because it's easier for me to achieve the effects I want. Fondant definitely takes some special skill to work with, and I respect those who do it well.
As far as art vs. craft, I have to put in my two cents. I have an art degree and I think the technical difference between art and craft is this: Craft is following step by step instructions to duplicate something that has already been done. Art is creating something original. It can take great skill to do some crafts and little skill to do some art if you look at it that way. I think it takes significant skill to make something beautiful out of either buttercream or fondant. I sculpt with clay so fondant is like edible clay for me. Buttercream on the other hand tastes better. I will continue sculpting in clay but hope to do more of my cakes in buttercream just because thats what I would prefer to eat.
We just need someone who does piping to come along and get a Food Network show, and then we'll see a resurgence of buttercream techniques
Can that be me? Granted, it will be different from the other Food Network shows, just showing my hands, but I could so be this person
YES !......and I could come and be on your show. (I would also just show my hands) lol.
........and by the way, buttercream decorating isn't just piping...it is also: all of the flowers, sculptured cakes, picture cakes, figure piping.... That is why I love it. You can do everything and you only need about 10 decorating tips and a bowl of icing.
No, you can't come 'be' on the show, you'll be co-host! lol, I like the 10 tips, I have about 50 and only use the same 10!
I'm new here but have been decorating for many years. If anyone wants to learn buttercream decorating, Roland Winbeckler has several books on his web site that go from simple figure piping to life-sized cake sculptures.
I also just read on here that he recently taped a Food Network challenge so he'll probably be doing some buttercream decorating on it.
OMG - if SeriousCakes had a TV show, I'd be phoning the cable company to order whatever package that show was on...
and with some of the other talented icing artists here as co-hosts and guests?? FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC.
Add me to the list of buttercream (and royal) fans...I do NOT like fondant. I really wish Wilton would de-emphasize it and focus on their icing skills.
I do like working with gumpaste though...
Canadianchick you took the words right out of my mouth.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%