Hello everyone,
I have been baking for many years but am about to do my first wedding cake (for my best friend's sister).
The cake needs to be non-dairy, and I'm unsure about what the best substitute would be for butter. I've used Earth Balance in other baked goods and the taste is always good, but the texture comes out differently. I'm worried that the texture difference could ruin the cake and icing.
The cake will be covered with fondant, so the buttercream will really be for the filling and the crumb coat.
Can anyone provide advice on good alternatives to butter for the cake and "butter"cream, or any other relevant tips?
Thank you so much!!
MG
I always bake non dairy dueto kosher reasons. As such, I always replace mik with soy or rice milk (or even water or orange juice) I use either margarine or shortening, etc. in place of butter. NEVER had a problem in 20 years of baking or 10 years of decorating! Good luck, hope this helps.
Since I love to bake, pareve baking as become a hobby. Pareve Earth Balance works good for the cake itself but not really liking it for icing. Due to the fact that it becomes oily on the icing. So I would try to get some GOOD pareve butter from the Kosher market.
My cakes are all non dairy for kosher reasons. I use smart balance non dairy (parve)margarin. It's the yellow and green tub. I have not had any complaints. For the icing, I use shortening. You can add any flavoring you like. And if a recipe calls for milk, I use soy milk or kosher non dairy creamers in my icing.
Also, you can use tofuti sour cream and tofuti cream cheese. I never went wrong with these products.
To all the kosher peeps out there, nice to meet you. I have had many a sleepless night trying to figure out substitutes for many amazing sounding dairy recipies. I think I'll put all of you on my "buddies" list if you don't mind. There are not too many of us on the CC & I think we can all help one another.
Hi, I also ue shortening, margarine, rice/soy milk, pareve creamer. Never thought of using tofutti, now there are so many more recipes i can try! All my baking equipment is pareve, so I cannot try these recipes even if it's for a dairy event, cause I don't want to buy more stuff! Thanks so much, shana tova!
just_for_fun, I know what you mean.
MiriamG, does the cake need to be non dairy because of allergies or kosher reasons?
If it's for kosher reasons, you can't use the same pans that you make your dairy recipies in. Unless you kosher them or get new ones. If you really want to get "Kosher" technical, you can't make the cake on a Saturday either.
On a different note, I cannot find a parve substitute for heavy cream. Anyone have any advice?
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your responses! I actually have a strictly kosher, sabbath observant home, and also keep all my equipment pareve.
I ended up making a cake which called for vegetable oil as the fat, and that worked out fine.
My first attempt at "buttercream" with Earth Balance was somewhat of a disaster, and I ended up using Crisco instead. I need to find some pareve butter flavoring, because it took a lot of vanilla and some orange extract to make that buttercream taste decent.
The cake came out great (according to those who ate and viewed it), so all in all a success - and a learning experience! I posted a pic of it with my profile.
It would be great to start a 'buddy list' for kosher bakers, I'm sure we can all benefit from eachother's experiences.
Thanks again, shana tova!
MG
I am glad the cake turned out!! 
Can't wait to see the photo. Its so cool to find a "kosher bakers" community on CC! I have just started cake decor. with a few friends of mine so we can make Kosher wedding and birthdays, etc cakes in our community!
Thank you! The fondant had some imperfections, so I'll try to do better on that next time. I had the most fun making the gum paste flowers...
Does anyone have a good source for kosher certified petal dust and luster dust? I've only found a few colors that have any sort of hechsher.
Also, I see that some of them are not even food grade, just non-toxic. Do those actually need kosher certification? Are they considered a food product?
I make icng with Earth Balance all the time. I use half Hi-rat and half vegan spread. I do not add as much hot liquid as sugarshacks recipe calls for because the spread has a higher water content, but I follow her recipe as a guide. I use Silk creamers and extracts for the liquid. I would like to find a thickner for it though. I keep making it with so much PS to keep it thick and sturdy and it is really sweet. I have substituted a little of the PS for CS and that helps a bit to tone down the seetness as does adding a pinch of salt.
There is butter flavoring in the grocery near the other extracts and liquid food coloring.
You can shop at the Peppermill (in Brooklyn or thepeppermillinc.com) or Kerekes (bakedeco.com). happy homes housewares (ehappyhome.com) I found that bakedeco.com had the biggest selection, they cater more to the pro (which i am not!), great prices, they know what they're talking about, and will know the kosher certification of each item.
does anyone know if there is such a thing as non dairy candy melts? Wilton candy melts are kosher but dairy, and I really need them sometimes to stick something heavy on my cakes.
Any suggestions? I tried Royal icing, but at times, I need something stronger.
MirimaG and fellow kosher CCers, below every post is a little square that sais "profile". when you click on it, you will go into another window of that person's info. If you click on "Buddy", they automatically go on your personal buddy list. This way, you will always keep in touch with that particular person and ask any questions you may have.
To find all of your buddies, refer to the window on the left hand side of your home page that sais "My forum posts". when you open that window, at the top of your page you will see "buddy list".
Shana Tova to you all and may your fast be easy on Yom Kipur.
Malishka, thanks for the 'buddy' tip!
I've used Merckens a couple times, but those candy melts are also dairy.
I found two pareve items that might work: Shufra's white baking bar, and Leiber's white decorating chips. I've never used them, so I can't speak from experience, but they're probably the closest thing you'll find to pareve candy melts. I assume you'd have to add coloring to the melted product if you wanted it to match something on your cake.
Hope that helps, and Shana Tov u'Metuka!
Actually, I think the Shufra product does come in different colors.... see here: http://www.manhattanchocolates.com/products.cfm?categoryid=2400&ProductID=1350384&do=Detail
I found these...
http://www.happycow.net/blog/?p=720
I have used the one in the first link. They were good.
I am wondering if we melted it down and added some soy milk powder would it help to add a depth to the flavor like the real dairy white chocolate. If you are making ganache you need cream anyway. Soy creamers and soy milk are nothing like ehavey cream but I think adding some more fat and flavor with the powder might help.
thank you, but Shufra doesn't look like it gets really hard. I could be wrong. The candy melts get really hard so I can use them in molds just like the shufra chocolate. However, I don't know if it would harden quickly or at all, if I use it as a glue.
when it comes to finding a heavy cream, it's hopeless.
not at all hopeless...
http://www.veganstore.com/vegan-food-items/dairy-alternatives.html
There are 3 on this page mimic cream, provamel heavey cream and condensed canned cream
If you need whipped:
And the soyatoo whipped topping is FABULOUS!!!!! But wait till they have the cartons in that are pantry stable and can be whipped yourself-they have way more cream then the cans disspence.
I asked at my local kosher cake deco store what there is comparable to wilton candy melts, and they said there is really nothing that can replace it. the shufra bars (and i think liebers too) come in a few colors, they don't taste very good and i don't think they dry as quickly/hard as candy melts. I have never tried attaching anything heavy to the side of a cake, so I don't really know what you can use.
I ordered those chips and the soyatoo last year. I have a cart full right now..LOL if I can convince my hubby that we need all this stuff right now! $$$ but most of it will last. I am over the moon about the canned condenced soy milk! I have never seen that before. And I can't wait to try the mimic cream.
I asked at my local kosher cake deco store what there is comparable to wilton candy melts, and they said there is really nothing that can replace it. the shufra bars (and i think liebers too) come in a few colors, they don't taste very good and i don't think they dry as quickly/hard as candy melts. I have never tried attaching anything heavy to the side of a cake, so I don't really know what you can use.
Thank you for asking them. Now I am thinking of using the parve white chocolate. I'll tell you how it goes.
sadsmile, I see that you're really into pigs. Kosher ones I am sure. lol
I can't wait to try the condensed milk also. And with the rest of this stuff,
OH the possibilities!!! 
You have made me happy my friend.
I'll be putting condensed milk into cake batters, my icing, my fillings. I wonder how it will do if I use it insead of heavy cream for a ganache.
I'm getting too excited. Have to calm down before my boss notices.
well, my dad's wife makes a non dairy cheesecake. It is plain nasty. we swallow it so we don't insult her, but even my kids (not knowing it's not real) won't touch it.
Experiment, experiment that's what I do. Just finding products at my local supermarket is difficult, not to mention the 2 whinny kids I have that want to go home. Kosher markets are way to expensive and I always look at ways to cut $$$.
by the way, your cakes are beautiful. Especially the one that you made with a big bow on top. I also have all of Sharon's videos. I love her!!!
MiriamG, can we see your cake?
That is exactly what I am talking about Malishka! YUCK! LOL
I wish I had Sharon's videos! One day I will, but I am just starting out and making cakes for my family and friends. It shows in your cakes that you have her DVDs! 
Miriam I really like your textured yellow loopy bow topper!
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