How Often Do You Do Fondant Cakes Vs Buttercream?

Decorating By Wildgirl Updated 15 Jul 2011 , 9:36pm by AnnieCahill

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Wildgirl Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 6:19am
post #1 of 13

Should I take the fondant class? I've taken the basic and the royal icing classes but not sure about the fondant. I don't plan on doing this for a business, although I may do something for friends here and there. How often would I really use fondant anyway?

And if I did use fondant, would my instructor know if I came in with the marshmallow fondant instead of her regular fondant recipe? I'd rather make something that tasted halfway decent but I've never made regular fondant so I don't really know the difference.

12 replies
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cathyscakes Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 6:43am
post #2 of 13

It took me a long time before I started doing fondant cakes, now I love it. I usually just used fondant accents. The cakes look so much better with fondant, so now it is my choice for cakes. I have never taken classes in fondant, I have bought videos on the subject, really like Jennifer Dontz's video on fondant, she walks you thru the process and gives you her recipe with white chocolate kneaded into pettinice fondant, tastes pretty good, or go on youtube, alot of information on there, so you could check that out, and see if its something you would like to do.

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michel30014 Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 1:18pm
post #3 of 13

I actually use buttercream most often. I've only done a couple of fondant cakes. I mainly use fondant as accents. I've never taken a class about fondant. I learned everything I know from the internet and youtube!! Including how to make marshmallow fondant. Good luck with whatever your decision is! icon_razz.gif

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AnnieCahill Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 1:33pm
post #4 of 13

I have never done a fondant covered cake in my life. I understand some designs call for it, but you can do a lot with buttercream as well. You can even paint, stencil, and do impressions on buttercream if you're using the right recipe.

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Relznik Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 1:42pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnnieCahill

I have never done a fondant covered cake in my life.




And I've never done a buttercreamed one! icon_biggrin.gif

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bakerliz Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 1:51pm
post #6 of 13

I try to avoid doing a buttercream cake when I can. I'm just not good at it. I never took a class for fondant though I'm sure it would have been helpful, it probably would have saved me a lot of trial and error icon_smile.gif

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TexasSugar Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 2:15pm
post #7 of 13

I'm guessing you are talking about the Wilton Gum Paste and Fondant Course? I'm a WMI and my thoughts on it are...

Really everyone likes different things. There are people that do mostly buttercream and people that do mostly fondant. As for me, I do a little of both depending on the cake design. With most things can be done in buttercream there are times when fondant will make a difference in the design.

Also in this class, it focuses on Flowers to me more than just covering a cake in fondant.

I do prefer that my students work with Wilton fondant in class. It has a good texture and is pretty easy to work with. Over the years I've had a few come in with homemade recipes, but they are often off in texture and that isn't something I'm prepared to help fix in class.

I always suggest to my students to try different recipe at home, but in class things go a lot smoother for me and my students if we all start on the same playing field with the same products/icings.

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bakerliz Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 2:30pm
post #8 of 13
Quote:
Quote:

I've had a few come in with homemade recipes, but they are often off in texture




Again, I've never taken a class...but teaching myself to make my own fondant was difficult because I didn't have a point of reference. After months of semi success, I ended up buying fondant and it was like a lightbulb went off "That's what it's supposed to be like!" So starting with something premade until you get the hang of it sounds like a good idea to me icon_biggrin.gif

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dmo4ab Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 2:40pm
post #9 of 13

If you are interested in learning it....then by all means take the course! icon_biggrin.gif Even if you don't use it often, you will glad you have some experience and confidence using it when you need to.

I use mostly buttercream, but most of my friends/family really don't like fondant. I do use MMF, so kids really seem to love that, but most of the adults would just rather have buttercream. However, I use fondant accents on probably 75% of what I've done lately. Even recently made a few animals which was so much fun!!!

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Lemmers Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 5:41pm
post #10 of 13

To be honest I PREFER the fondant look as it tends to look neater (obviously buttercream experts can probably achieve the same look), however I haven mostly used buttercream, purely because I have yet to master rolling out a piece of fondant big enough for my cake and always end up in a blind temper launching a screwed up piece of fondant across the kitchen when I get it wrong, so I 'resort' to buttercream instead of demolishing the kitchen.

However once I master it, I anticipate the majority of my cakes being fondant covered.

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klutzy_baker Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 5:54pm
post #11 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by bakerliz

Quote:
Quote:

I've had a few come in with homemade recipes, but they are often off in texture



Again, I've never taken a class...but teaching myself to make my own fondant was difficult because I didn't have a point of reference. After months of semi success, I ended up buying fondant and it was like a lightbulb went off "That's what it's supposed to be like!" So starting with something premade until you get the hang of it sounds like a good idea to me icon_biggrin.gif




That's exactly what I was thinking! icon_smile.gif

I personally would rather get the feel for fondant before I try to make it myself. I want the activity to be enjoyable rather than continuously beating my head against the wall because my homemade fondant's texture is off.

As far as the class, if it's not too much money, then by all means do it. I'm under the philosophy that learning new techniques, even if you may not use them very often, is still a good thing. But I'm just the sort of person that loves learning regardless of what it may be. icon_smile.gif

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Jeff_Arnett Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 8:29pm
post #12 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildgirl

Should I take the fondant class? I've taken the basic and the royal icing classes but not sure about the fondant. I don't plan on doing this for a business, although I may do something for friends here and there. How often would I really use fondant anyway?

And if I did use fondant, would my instructor know if I came in with the marshmallow fondant instead of her regular fondant recipe? I'd rather make something that tasted halfway decent but I've never made regular fondant so I don't really know the difference.


You know there will be a million different answers on this one.....but I am 99% buttercream! I can smooth a cake that looks just like fondant.....in fact this past weekend I was setting up a wedding cake at a venue and this fellow came up and told me he made wedding cake too....but he "didn't use fondant like I do".....he nearly didn't believe me when I told him it was buttercream!

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AnnieCahill Posted 15 Jul 2011 , 9:36pm
post #13 of 13

Jeff,

Didn't you have a faux fondant technique floating around somewhere? a while back I was looking for it and couldn't find it!

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