My recent birthday cake order sparked a fondant versus buttercream debate.

I used fondant to get that sleek, professional look for a client's cake. But at the party, kids just peeled it off and left it. Buttercream is delicious and everyone eats it, but it doesn't hold sharp edges in humid weather. For my next project, I'm torn between what looks good and what tastes good. I see other bakers choosing sides online. What's your view? Do you go for fondant's style or buttercream's flavor?

3 comments

3 Comments

lucas_kelly1d ago

Used to swear by fondant for the clean look until I saw a whole sheet get peeled off and trashed. Now I'll only use it for tiny decor bits and do the whole cake in buttercream.

kim.margaret1d ago

Dealing with kids peeling fondant off cakes always makes me cringe (like, all that effort for nothing). I tried a thin layer once, but it still got scrapped off in chunks. Buttercream tastes amazing, sure, but watching it wilt in humidity is just as sad. Maybe the answer is using buttercream for most of it and fondant just for accents? That way you get flavor and some sharp details. It's a tough call, but seeing both sides makes sense.

the_drew1d ago

Seeing kids peel off the fondant and leave it is so relatable. I once tried to decorate a cake with fondant and it ended up looking like a lumpy pillow. Buttercream tastes way better, but you're right about it melting in the heat. Maybe the real trick is making fondant so thin that no one minds eating it? What do you do when you need both sharp looks and good flavor?