Your Opinion On Fondant

Decorating By JLG Updated 20 Sep 2006 , 6:00pm by LaceyLou

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JLG Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 3:59am
post #1 of 18

ok, I'm new to the whole Fondant thing. I decorated a cake with it, sent it to my husbands work (like most of my cakes, so I don't eat it all). I haven't eaten a cake with fondant on it, but I did try a piece of fondant as I was making the cake, it was okay, not great!

The replies from his work was it was gummy. Most of them took it off and just ate the cake (which is what I told them they could do if they didn't like it)

Basically, is Fondant just something to make it look pretty and not so quite tasty or am I missing something?

Same thing with the Royal Icing flowers, more for show than for taste?

Thanks
JLG

17 replies
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BlakesCakes Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 4:02am
post #2 of 18

What kind of fondant did you use????

Rae

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TooMuchCake Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 4:09am
post #3 of 18

Fondant can be gummy, especially to someone who's never eaten anything but buttercream. I find that it's largely cultural, who likes it and who doesn't. Kids like it, people I know from the UK like it, but most local people I know peel it off and eat the cake out from under it. If a client is still willing to pay the $$ for a covering they are just going to throw away, okay then. icon_rolleyes.gif But kids seem to eat it up even though the texture is not what we're used to around here.

Wilton fondant is rubberier than pricier brands, so you could try Satin Ice or a home recipe.

Deanna

(edited for grammar, LOL)

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MSurina Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 4:14am
post #4 of 18

I have worked with fondant a few times now. I have never liked the taste of it. It is to sweet for my liking, and for me, it is to hard to work with. I even tried the easy marshmallow fondant today, and decorated a heart cake with it. It broke in a few places and my kids wouldn't even eat it because it was to sweet. After all of my fondant failures, I think I will just switch to buttercream icing. I prefer the taste and I can get it way smoother than with the fondant.

I think where I am getting mixed up is that I see sooo many awesome pieces of work in here that requires fondant for the final product. I am not that experienced yet, but to me the taste of the cake and icing is just as important as the looks of the cake.

Royal icing dries rock hard. I LOVE making flowers with buttercream icing. If you can decorate with royal icing, you can decorate with buttercream, and in my opinion, it is alot more enjoyable to eat.

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sweetviolent Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 4:19am
post #5 of 18

I am afraid I really love fondant but I have been converted to mmf and swear it is the only kind I will ever use again - most people I have mkade it for have really enjoyed it once I got them to taste it!! Wish I was more confident with my buttercream skills!!

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dolfin Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 4:31am
post #6 of 18

I know people make beautiful cakes with it, but I don't like the taste. I prefer buttercream. I've seen alot of cakes on this site that looked like they had been done in fondant and were done in buttercream, so I know it can be done. I just need to practice, practice, practice so I can do it to. I just hate to see people peel off the fondant to eat the cake. It is such a waste!

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Sugarflowers Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 4:33am
post #7 of 18

I love using fondant, but I make my own. I don't like the commercial brands, some I like less than others.

Many people do peel off the fondant and complain about the texture. You're right, it's more for looks than for taste.

Michele

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emmascakes Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 6:58am
post #8 of 18

I always use fondant to decorate cakes but I peel mine off before eating the cake, because I don't want to eat all the artifical colourings. I'm always vaguely horrified when I see people eating it as the amount of E numbers in it are incredible once it's coloured up! I've never seen anyone but me pick it off so I guess in the UK people like it!

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Cake4ever Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 8:29am
post #9 of 18

My Aussie classmate says that they eat it too and she loves it. I do not like it. A chewy cake is not my idea of a cake. But it's all what you grow up to and get accustomed to. I imagine that fondant makes the heavier cakes that they eat in Aus. and the UK moist and since you're chewing a fruitcake anyway, I bet it doesn't taste bad.

I'm getting used to working with it in class.

My only question is maybe I didn't thin the fondant out, like how thin is it supposed to be on a regular "American" boxed cake mix??

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bluehen92 Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 3:41pm
post #10 of 18

I just made MMF for the first time the other day, and I'm not so sure about it. My daughter (pickiest eater in the world) & I liked the taste of it by itself, but not on the cake. I think it made the whole thing too sweet, and that's not something I usually complain about! I love the look of the cakes people here create with it, but I don't want to take the time to make something we won't eat. I also agree with someone else (not on this thread) who said she didn't like to chew her frosting. I can see myself making some decorations out of MMF, but I don't think I'll use it to cover the cake with again. I do think I'll try MMF on cookies, just to see how that works. It also seems easier than icing them individually!

-Lisa

P.S. I did love how easy it was to make the MMF. I was expecting the worst and was thrilled with how easily I was able to do it thanks to all of the instructions and tips here thumbs_up.gif

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Chef_Stef Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 3:48pm
post #11 of 18

I love the look of it and the options it gives with decorating, but the one time I sliced myself a piece of cake with fondant on it, I basically didn't eat it either...

I don't think I know anyone who *does* eat it...hmm...! Must be an acquired taste.

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TexasSugar Posted 17 Sep 2006 , 11:53pm
post #12 of 18

My family hates the texture of fondant. It isn't even the taste that bothers them, but they don't like to 'chew' their icing. I use buttercream on the cakes, and fondant accents if I want or need them. Mostly the only time I cover a whole cake in fondant is when it is a dummy.

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ziggyiguana Posted 18 Sep 2006 , 12:13am
post #13 of 18

Is MMF easier to work with than fondant and does it taste different? thumbs_up.gif

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mbelgard Posted 18 Sep 2006 , 12:34am
post #14 of 18

I love the look of fondant and use it sometimes but I peel it off. The guys my husband works with are mixed on it, some eat it, others don't. I use MMF and have never tried anything else. My sister had some of my fondant at my other sister's wedding and liked it, my youngest likes it and my oldest hates it.

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kris2005 Posted 18 Sep 2006 , 12:41am
post #15 of 18

Before i started wilton classes I made a cake and covered it with mmf and my brothers loved it.For my clown cake in course 3 the instructor told us to get the Wilton fondant my brothers hated the taste,but I thought the texture was great.Great for decorating but not for taste at all.

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JLG Posted 18 Sep 2006 , 3:42am
post #16 of 18

Yes, I used the Wilton Fondant Prepackaged one. Maybe I'll try to MMF (this is the marshmallow one -right?). I'll be teaching soon working with fondant so I wanted to get some other opinions.

Thanks for sharing and being honest. I like the idea of just a buttercream cake with maybe Fondant Accents - flowers, designs, etc. Decorations that would be 'normally' peeled off. Then it doesn't look so bad

Janet

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Dustbunny Posted 18 Sep 2006 , 12:45pm
post #17 of 18

My kids & I like mmf but sh hates it. I have found that about 1/2 of the people peel it off and the other 1/2 eat it. I love working with it so if someone doesn't like it they better be ready to peel lol. My cakes are a hobby for now, if someone was paying me they of course would get what they want.

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LaceyLou Posted 20 Sep 2006 , 6:00pm
post #18 of 18

ive heard of making fondant out of one tub of store-bought frosting and a bag of powdered sugar. sounds good, esp. chocolate. i might try it, but i dont think i would use it for an order for someone i didnt know well. i would feel like i was cheating, but it sounds so easy.

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