This weekend we are hosting a small birthday celebration for my DH's brother, mom, and dad who all have birthdays within 2 days of each other and his grandparents. As usual I planned to make the birthday cake and was trying to decide between a couple different designs, when DH said that his dad had told him he would rather me not do a fondant cake. I said "What! why, that's what I had been planning on doing." I don't think the fondant is worth the calories so I personally do not eat it, but there's still cake and buttercream. I don't make fondant covered cakes because they taste better but because of the design and looks I can achieve. He said "Do what you want, that's just what my dad said." But now if I were to make a fondant covered cake I've totally lost any enthusiasm I had and the spirit I would be making the cake in, since I was specifically told one birthday person said not to bother and they prefer buttercream. But to do buttercream, I feel right now like its totally not worth all the extra time to color icing, fill bags, pipe, clean up. I do this as a hobby, I only do what I feel inspired to do. If its not fun or creative or new its not worth it. And this just sort of ruined it for me. Maybe its an overreaction but that's how I feel, I'd be looking at the cake as a chore instead of a gift. So now I think they get a plain buttercream covered cake. It will taste just as good.

i'm sorry to hear that someone's comments turned your passion against you... i think that if he doesnt want fondant he can pick it off... i say do fondant anyways and just let him know that it is easily removable...

i hope you get your omph back into this cake

On one hand I say since you are making the cake for free, then you should do what you want. The fondant can always get picked off.

On the other hand, it is for someone's birthday, and I feel like the birthday boy or girl (no matter how old they are) should get the cake that the will enjoy the taste of/want. If it were my birthday I'd be bummed if it was a fondant covered cake, since I don't like fondant either.

I realize that this doesn't help you at all, just gives you two sides to look at.

How about doing buttercream with fondant decorations/accents?

You mentioned that your heart wouldn't be in a bc cake since you have to spend extra time coloring, filling bags, etc. You have to make the bc anyway for the fondant to go over. What about the extra time to make the fondant, color that, mold the pieces? I do both bc and fondant, and when you look at the prep work that goes into each, I can do bc cakes much faster. The way I'm interpreting this is that your passion is in the fondant sculpting and you really enjoy doing that, and you're disappointed that your art isn't being appreciated, so you're kind of getting down on the art of bc just because it isn't your preference. I admit I would probably feel the same way, so don't take that up wrong.

OK, so one person is anti-fondant. What about the rest of the crowd? This cake is for more than one person--don't let that one person get you down. You know, families can be terribly ungrateful, and they're the ones you pour your heart into a cake for. I say do what the majority will appreciate and have fun with it. Hope your week looks up!

You are taking this too personal.

I know they always talk about Menopause Women but it's only to divert your attention from the "Men".

His Dad, I'm sure has it in his head that it makes a difference in the taste of the cake and doesn't want it. If he is like most men nothing is going to make him think differently.

We all know that you can make the fondant cake and peel the fondant off but you have to ask yourself is it worth using brain cells thinking about it. Make what he wants but put your best work into it, you have a talent don't let it stand idle.

Good luck.

I totally understand how you feel! I would take it so personally if that was said to me because my decorating comes from my heart! However, knowing how much time goes into it...If it were me...I would have to take a step back and remember it's thier birthday, and even tho we decorators have a love for fondant because of what it can do for a cake's looks.... not everyone is fond of it. Especially older people....To them, thats not what a cake should taste like.
I'd do a fresh baked, fresh iced, GREAT filling, and no decorations. I bet they'd love it... You wouldn't work so hard.....It would be ALL about the taste, THEIR birthdays and not about your decorating skills that day! I'm just saying....that's what I'd do. You have plenty of other opportunities to work your butt off for free!

i know how you feel, my husband hates the taste of fondant and doesn't want it anywhere near a cake i do for him. so i don't do fondant for his cakes even though i prefer working with it.

i agree with the fondant accents idea =) can get the same kind of look but the cake is still covered in bc

I understand what you are saying as well. Fondant covered does give you a cleaner looking cake. My sister loves the cakes I create, but hates fondant and hates eating those type cakes, so I just make what she likes to please her. Her BD is only once a year, so what ever makes her happy. I can make the prettier cakes for someone else.

Hang in there and do not loose your passion over this.

Do what you want to do as long as you're willing to put up with the grumbling. And the reminiscing of how you didn't do what he wanted for the rest of your life. I'd do three separate smaller cakes if you want to do one just for him, or he'll feel singled out, not "special," for getting his own cake.

I hate German Chocolate cake, but it was my FIL's favorite, so guess what I made for his birthday every year Until I converted him to like my almond cake better!

I just wanted to thank everybody for their advice. I think I just needed to vent a little. I ended up making a buttercream cake with RI snowflakes. Everyone loved it and no grumbling about fondant. But next (nonbirthday) cake all bets are off