Wedding cakes have become more and more a centerpiece to the wedding reception. With cake and baking TV shows on the rise along with the influence of Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter, people are becoming increasingly excited about cake decorating and getting the most decked out cake they can whether it's for a wedding or other celebration. One topic of concern when it comes to creating the best cake, is whether to use rolled fondant or buttercream frosting. Here we will examine the benefits and drawbacks of both types of cakes so that you can ultimately pick your favorite and best option.
One major concern when deciding on a buttercream cake is whether or not the buttercream frosting will hold up at the reception, especially if the cake needs to be outside. In all reality, a buttercream cake is very capable of holding up even in warm or humid conditions. There are many different recipes for buttercream frosting. For most recipes the frosting will remain a more refrigerated "butter" like consistency if the setting is cold. If in a warm setting, a regular buttercream frosting may have a more smooth and creamy consistency. However, there are many ways to make the frosting set so that even in warmer and more humid conditions you will not have to worry about your buttercream cake melting. Talk to your chosen cake decorator or bakery to get their expert advice. If you do choose a buttercream cake and your reception takes place outside in a warm environment, make the cake cutting ceremony one of the first things you do, that way the cake can either be taken away if you're worried the climate is too warm, or the cake can remain if the conditions permit.
Taste is often a factor when deciding on a fondant cake or a buttercream cake. Cake decorators and bakeries often do things differently so you will want to consult with them to see the specific fondant cake options they offer, but for the most part all fondant cakes usually have a layer of buttercream frosting underneath the fondant. Fondant is much thicker than frosting and has a chewy texture which can sometimes throw people off upon taking their first bite of cake. Fondant also is known to have an acquired flavor, not that it necessarily tastes bad, but some actually don't like the flavor and consistency combination of fondant. Fondant does however come in several flavors, the most popular being vanilla, chocolate and dark chocolate. As far as decorating options fondant offers a much larger variety of options, however when it comes to flavor buttercream definitely "takes the cake." Buttercream frosting can pretty much be flavored to any flavor of your liking, the possibilities are endless. You can also keep in mind that many people will often peel the fondant off and eat the rest of the cake, which can be frosted with any flavor frosting of your choosing anyways.
Often people wonder if a buttercream cake can achieve the same look of smoothness that a fondant cake produces. The answer is most likely yes depending on the skill level of your cake decorator and the types of decorations you want your buttercream cake to have. In a layered cake a buttercream cake will have much sharper edges at the top of each layer, which is a look that can actually be preferred over the round edges of a fondant cake. If the sharper edges cause concern, your cake decorator can pipe a design around the edges to hide the sharp corners. A skilled decorator will surely be able to frost a cake which will look just as smooth as a fondant cake. Many brides are also decorating their wedding cakes with elaborate arrangements of flowers which will help to cover any non-smooth portions of cake.
The factor that it sometimes boils down to is the cost of the cake. Fondant cakes can be far more expensive than buttercream cakes for many reasons. Many bakeries choose to purchase fondant rather than make it themselves because it can be hard to produce and also rough on machinery. Fondant is actually quite expensive itself and contributes to the more expensive cost. Also, fondant is harder to work with than buttercream and requires a higher level of expertise to work with. Also, the more elaborately decorated fondant cakes take much more time to decorate than buttercream which also adds to the cost. All in all buttercream cakes are generally much cheaper than fondant cakes.
Keep an open mind when deciding on what type of cake to choose for your wedding. Be sure to get your cake decorator's expert advice on the type of cake you want to choose. In all reality both types of cakes can be elaborately decorated and flavored to your liking for a most memorable wedding cake.
One major concern when deciding on a buttercream cake is whether or not the buttercream frosting will hold up at the reception, especially if the cake needs to be outside. In all reality, a buttercream cake is very capable of holding up even in warm or humid conditions. There are many different recipes for buttercream frosting. For most recipes the frosting will remain a more refrigerated "butter" like consistency if the setting is cold. If in a warm setting, a regular buttercream frosting may have a more smooth and creamy consistency. However, there are many ways to make the frosting set so that even in warmer and more humid conditions you will not have to worry about your buttercream cake melting. Talk to your chosen cake decorator or bakery to get their expert advice. If you do choose a buttercream cake and your reception takes place outside in a warm environment, make the cake cutting ceremony one of the first things you do, that way the cake can either be taken away if you're worried the climate is too warm, or the cake can remain if the conditions permit.
Taste is often a factor when deciding on a fondant cake or a buttercream cake. Cake decorators and bakeries often do things differently so you will want to consult with them to see the specific fondant cake options they offer, but for the most part all fondant cakes usually have a layer of buttercream frosting underneath the fondant. Fondant is much thicker than frosting and has a chewy texture which can sometimes throw people off upon taking their first bite of cake. Fondant also is known to have an acquired flavor, not that it necessarily tastes bad, but some actually don't like the flavor and consistency combination of fondant. Fondant does however come in several flavors, the most popular being vanilla, chocolate and dark chocolate. As far as decorating options fondant offers a much larger variety of options, however when it comes to flavor buttercream definitely "takes the cake." Buttercream frosting can pretty much be flavored to any flavor of your liking, the possibilities are endless. You can also keep in mind that many people will often peel the fondant off and eat the rest of the cake, which can be frosted with any flavor frosting of your choosing anyways.
Often people wonder if a buttercream cake can achieve the same look of smoothness that a fondant cake produces. The answer is most likely yes depending on the skill level of your cake decorator and the types of decorations you want your buttercream cake to have. In a layered cake a buttercream cake will have much sharper edges at the top of each layer, which is a look that can actually be preferred over the round edges of a fondant cake. If the sharper edges cause concern, your cake decorator can pipe a design around the edges to hide the sharp corners. A skilled decorator will surely be able to frost a cake which will look just as smooth as a fondant cake. Many brides are also decorating their wedding cakes with elaborate arrangements of flowers which will help to cover any non-smooth portions of cake.
The factor that it sometimes boils down to is the cost of the cake. Fondant cakes can be far more expensive than buttercream cakes for many reasons. Many bakeries choose to purchase fondant rather than make it themselves because it can be hard to produce and also rough on machinery. Fondant is actually quite expensive itself and contributes to the more expensive cost. Also, fondant is harder to work with than buttercream and requires a higher level of expertise to work with. Also, the more elaborately decorated fondant cakes take much more time to decorate than buttercream which also adds to the cost. All in all buttercream cakes are generally much cheaper than fondant cakes.
Keep an open mind when deciding on what type of cake to choose for your wedding. Be sure to get your cake decorator's expert advice on the type of cake you want to choose. In all reality both types of cakes can be elaborately decorated and flavored to your liking for a most memorable wedding cake.
About the Author:
Hawaiian wedding planner Lauren Ellis has been helping brides plan their weddings from every last detail including booking cake vendors. For more info about wedding cake options visit http://alohabridalconnections.com/index.php/my-wedding/vendor-selection
No comments:
Post a Comment