Inspired by the Wedding Cake thread... alternatives to buttercream and fondant?

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

You can flavor the buttercream (real, not the wilton shortening crap!) with just about any of the flavor extracts. LorAnn makes some really good flavors, I pay $1.79 a dram and a dram will make two batches of buttercream. My current fave is the chocolate hazlenut, it turned out amazing. The kids love the caramel flavor. The creme de menth is really good too.

I make marshmallow fondant that actually tastes good, again it can be flavored.

 

[punkin712]

What about using marzipan?

 

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

Therefore, my advice: don't worry about what you like, taste-wise. Go with what looks good.

I can appreciate what you are saying about the bride and groom not having all the much time to enjoy a piece of cake but it doesn't have to be that way. I fully intend to sit down and enjoy my own wedding cake at my wedding. It's your wedding; you can do what you want. Not only that but even if I didn't get to eat any of it, I would still want something that my guests would enjoy. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg but I've had some God-awful wedding cake in my day and I don't know why people spend all that money on something that tastes like sawdust. Sure you want it to be pretty but for the sake of your guests make it edible too.

 

[cryssi]

we loved our cake so much...

...I had 2 pieces at the wedding!

 

[debbi801]

Go do a cake tasting somewhere near home. When we went cake tasting, we discovered several different "types" of butter cream and they all tasted different. One had more of a cool whip taste, although a much thicker consistency.

GL & Congrats!

 

[chamonix]

so, why does it matter that your MIL doesn't like fondant? I mean, it's nice of you to take her feelings into consideration, but you aren't going to please everyone's tastes, that's for sure, and your options are pretty limited on this one. I'm not suggesting "screw your MIL!" lol, just saying maybe it's not the end of the world if she doesn't care for the frosting. It's much more important that you DO. I actually think it's pretty bold (rude?) of her to even mention to you that she doesn't like fondant.

For some reason my pessimistic mind is worrying that this is the first of many skirmishes to come......hope I am wrong!

(and I have to agree, what the cake tastes like is really not a big part of most/many wedding days)

 

[Imzadi]

I LOVE fondant. I love making it, working with it, and making cakes out of it.

I noticed you didn't say you like to EAT it.

I've worked for a few high end caterers here in NYC where the clientele is multi-billionaires, including Trump. So I've had the ultra-expensive gourmet cakes. I've never eaten a fondant I liked. It's basically a dry, pasty layer of a sugar coating akin to plastic wrap. (I won't tell you how I really feel. ) I usually peel off the fondant & eat the cake & filling underneath.

Personally, I think a layer of buttercream covered with fondant slugs the ball out of the park.

That's a great compromise. Then for those of us who peel back the fondant, there is a layer of good frosting underneath. This way, the frosting can be any flavor & color.

I actually want to learn cake decorating. With my catering connections, I've found a few places that are looking for part-time cake decorators - but ones that are trained already. I was going to sign up for the Wilton classes a few weeks ago, but then the weather dropped down to 20 degrees. I'll wait til it gets warmer. Hopefully I'll still get enough experience in before wedding season.

I really don't want to learn to make fondant cakes as I personally hate to eat them. But that will severly limit the various places that will hire me, if I'm unwilling to learn that technique. Maybe, (when I'm at that level of influence,) suggesting to add a buttercream layer underneath will be an acceptable reason for me learning to work with fondants.

 

[jillyjoey]

Just my 2 cents:

1. Fondant: Wilton fondant is gross. Marshmallow fondant is not. Regardless, I use buttercream (homemade which is not sweet) underneath. Most people remove the fondant layer as others have stated. There is also CHOCOLATE fondant. I used this for the first time on a groom's cake I made in October - I made extra to sample and it was to die for -- again I used chocolate buttercream beneath the fondant for those who don't like fondant. I personally love the look of fondant although I did not have it for my own w.c. -- before I knew better.
2. The icing that you get on store-bought cakes is sicky-sweet. Homemade buttercream is not. If you ask the cakelady what kind of b.c. she uses you will be able to tell if it is the store bought kind or not -- you can tell from the ingredients. I have a recipe for a marshmallow creme b.c. that is to die for -- but it is sometimes hard to decorate with depending on the weather and humidty.
3. I had the white chocolate buttercream on my wedding cake and it was not sicky sweet either -- have no idea how this was made but it was wonderful.
4. If you do a red velvet or carrot cake -you could do a cream cheese icing.

Like others have said -- I wouldn't worry about MIL not liking fondant as most people peel it off anyway.

 

[FluffyPumpkin78]

I noticed you didn't say you like to EAT it.

I've worked for a few high end caterers here in NYC where the clientele is multi-billionaires, including Trump. So I've had the ultra-expensive gourmet cakes. I've never eaten a fondant I liked. It's basically a dry, pasty layer of a sugar coating akin to plastic wrap. (I won't tell you how I really feel. ) I usually peel off the fondant & eat the cake & filling underneath.



That's a great compromise. Then for those of us who peel back the fondant, there is a layer of good frosting underneath. This way, the frosting can be any flavor & color.

I actually want to learn cake decorating. With my catering connections, I've found a few places that are looking for part-time cake decorators - but ones that are trained already. I was going to sign up for the Wilton classes a few weeks ago, but then the weather dropped down to 20 degrees. I'll wait til it gets warmer. Hopefully I'll still get enough experience in before wedding season.

I really don't want to learn to make fondant cakes as I personally hate to eat them. But that will severly limit the various places that will hire me, if I'm unwilling to learn that technique. Maybe, (when I'm at that level of influence,) suggesting to add a buttercream layer underneath will be an acceptable reason for me learning to work with fondants.

I don't really eat cake at all anymore...when you are around some much sugar and fat on a regular basis you get tired of it.

However marshmallow fondant is very good. It tastes very similar to circus peanuts!

I have never heard anyone NOT putting bc under the fondant. Most people ice the cake with bc, and then you lay the fondant over. The bc helps the fondant stick to the cake. Without it, the fondant would slide off.

 

[Jennasis]

Our wedding cake was chocolate cake (oh my GOD it was like eating a hershey bar in cake form) with cream cheese frosting and filling. Delish!

 

[jillyjoey]

However marshmallow fondant is very good. It tastes very similar to circus peanuts!

I have never heard anyone NOT putting bc under the fondant. Most people ice the cake with bc, and then you lay the fondant over. The bc helps the fondant stick to the cake. Without it, the fondant would slide off.

It's better than circus peanuts! I use bc under my fondant but I have heard of people using an apricot glaze. I just find it easier and to more people's liking to use bc underneath.

I've only used almond extract in my mf. Wonder if any other flavors of extract would be better or just as good???

 

[cryssi]

I made MMF the other day with lemon extract...omg!

you have to use a lot, like 1 t. or so...

 

[U2_rocks!]

How about royal icing? It is far less sickly than fondant - traditionally in UK we use royal icing for Christmas cakes or occasion cakes such as weddings, but then the cake itself would be rich fruit cake. (Thr royal icing usually has a thin layer of marzipan underneath).

Exactly how we do our wedding and Christmas cakes here in Barbados! I believe flowers, leaves etc. are often made out of coloured fondant, but the main icing and lots of beautiful details are made from royal. Roayl is yummy too, especially with the marzipan underneath!

 

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

I actually think it's pretty bold (rude?) of her to even mention to you that she doesn't like fondant.

I think this is a little harsh. It didn't seem from the OP that the MIL was being demanding but just stating an opinion. Be careful with those assumptions. Not all MIL's are evil. I'm about to get an incredible one. Maybe her MIL was simply warning her about fondant because it is gross because as Imzadi so nicely puts it.

It's basically a dry, pasty layer of a sugar coating akin to plastic wrap.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Royal icing dries very hard - I don't think it's a "tasty" alternative. It is usually used to make decorations like small flowers and other embellishments.

Royal icing can be very tasty (though sweet), and although it dries hard, it's not so hard that it can't be cut! I have had many, many cakes with royal icing, and although I prefer a buttercream on ordinary cakes, for a special cake that needs to stand up for a long time without refrigeration, royal is a great alternative. I'm not a baker, so I'm not sure if there are ways to soften royal icing slightly. Also, I suppose the success of the icing depends on the cake underneath - royal on top of a dense, rich alcoholic fruit cake works beautifully - on top of a light cake might be overwhelming.

 

[singingpixie]

Wow, thanks for all the thoughts and opinions! For those who questioned why I'm weighing FMIL's opinion so heavily, it's because she's the one who's doing most of the assembly, so I don't want her to have to work with something she hates working with. The more research I've done, I've seen a lot of buttercream cakes that look as pretty (or almost) as fondant, and since we will be cutting it ourselves (well, family members at least) it will be easier not to have to remove the fondant as we serve. Don't want to add any unnecessary steps to an already busy day!

 

[Imzadi]

However marshmallow fondant is very good. It tastes very similar to circus peanuts!

Ack! I accidently misread your post.
I thought you said, "It tastes very similar to styrofoam peanuts!"

I guess I was thinking: fluffy white marshmallows ---> puffy styrofoam peanuts.

 

[LisaNJ25]

Okay. I got married six weeks ago. And my advice ...

If all goes well, you're not going to get a chance to sit and eat the cake, because you're going to be out there dancing your crinoline off , meeting/greeting guests, throwing a bouquet, peeing after six hours of holiding it, or doing something similarly busy. I had one bite of our cake. John had none. I informally polled six of my friends - I came across one who had even a morsel of her cake. You're going to have an east coast wedding and I would put $10 on you having the same experience.

Therefore, my advice: don't worry about what you like, taste-wise. Go with what looks good. Personally, I think a layer of buttercream covered with fondant slugs the ball out of the park. My friend Anne is a cake genius. Check out her examples at www.pinkcakebox.com.

Such a small world.. I came across Anne's site a month ago. I have it bookmarked lol. I live close to her shop and I am thinking about having an anniversary cake made in May. Just have to bring my budget self to do it. I just want a single layer round cake and i think her cakes start at $150

 

[scarlett873]

Another decorator here!

I highly recommend a product called Choco-Pan. One of my instructors is actually the creator for it and it is yummy!! It's basically fondant, but it's made from chocolate. I use it on my cakes! The only time I use Wilton fondant is when it's for a part of the cake that is not meant to be eaten...like a decoration of some kind.

I also use Bettercreme, which is the stuff that the grocery stores use for their whippy icings. It's non-dairy...but it gets difficult to work with as it warms up.

I use a buttercream recipe that is awesome! Doesn't taste like that nasty stuff the grocery stores slather onto their cakes.

I would suggest asking what kind of icings the cake decorator uses and go from there!

 

[wic0721]

For my wedding a few years ago, we had two cakes. One was your traditional white cake with white frosting, all decorated. The other cake was a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, but the top of it was covered in tuxedo strawberries. Basically chocolate covered strawberries with white chocolate tuxedo's on them! It was awesome, and that cake went faster than the white cake did!

Maybe that can be an option to look into????