Do you think fondant is over used? - Page 6

I guess it is a matter of preference. I prefer buttercream.  You can make just about any kind of border or flowers with buttercream.  Here is one below that does cala lillies.  I love all of her videos on how to make flowers with buttercream. I have nothing against fondant because I have seen beautiful cakes with fondant.  I have never tasted fondant but people that I know who have say they always take it off their slice of cake and never eat it because they do not like it. I guess that is why I never tried it yet.

http://seriouscakes.com/wordpress/?page_id=399

I would LOVE to do more buttercream only designs. Problem is, I find that most people want cakes that require fondant, and I am not one of those people who want to knock themselves out making it "almost the same" with buttercream. I use SMBC, so can't/won't color it darker than pastel shades, so that really limits what I do.

I do love getting all bc requests though.

I love both or different reasons. However, I do have a peeve with cupcakes decorated in all fondant. A cupcake just screams frosting/buttercream unless it is just a show piece.

Buttercream for decorating has always been an American thing in my mind and the thought of eating buttercream made with shortening of any sorts puts me off.  I do use buttercream on cupcakes and in layers but I make it with all butter.  We have always used fondant for special cakes in Australia and that is what most people expect.  Virtually everyone I know loves it and eats it but even though I am a sweet tooth I peel it off and throw it in the bin.

different strokes for different strokes, I don't do buttercream , if I have clients insist that they don't want fondant and want buttercream , I just say I am sorry I am not your decorator.   Usually it is young couples that have been on American sites or reading American magazines, as it is just not really all that common here in Oz , we tend to associate buttercream with "homemade" or yucky supermarket cakes. 

I think it's kinda weird that fondant has the reputation of looking good but tasting bad.

Why not just use fondant that tastes good??? And put a nice, slightly-salty italian meringue under it for balance?

Though making marshmallow fondant is a lot of work, ugh. Sometimes I just crave that awful bucket buttercream slathered on a cake and crusted overnight in the fridge. Good times.

Is there any place/book that I could read the history of cake decorating (similar to history of fashion, like each decade has a certain style)? I have googled many things, but there is nothing really good that explains when fondant became popular, etc. I know that Wilton, Lambeth, and Australian style cake decorating all were popular at some point, but I wish there was something that would explain the history of cake decorating because it is so interesting. Do different trends go in and out of style like fashion does?
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by planetsomsom 

I think it's kinda weird that fondant has the reputation of looking good but tasting bad...

i haven't tried wilton fondant in some time but it used to stink so bad--omg--you'd never eat it

one of those gums in there went south big time so the reputation was warranted in some cases

then trying to get america to get over the no-melt-in-your mouth thing at the same time

din go over too good huh