Fondant Over Buttercream

Decorating By gabival Updated 22 Jun 2014 , 6:53pm by abiwc1

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gabival Posted 24 Apr 2014 , 4:45pm
post #1 of 85

Hi,

 

I am making a Dr. Seuss cake and the mother is not crazy about fondant. However, the top of the cake would look better if we lay a large piece of fondant over it. So I thought about covering the cake in Swiss  buttercream and just lay over this red fondant on top. Will it work? Help! 

84 replies
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Litaliano Posted 24 Apr 2014 , 4:58pm
post #2 of 85

Hi gabival

 

The mother is probably referring to brands that taste metallic and the fondant is being rolled to thick. Try rolling the fondant to 1/8th inch and using a brand other than the top 2 you are most familiar with such as chocopan or massa.The swiss buttercream will definitely help.

 

I am the US sales Manager for Renshaw  rolled fondant and gum paste. Renshaw is a UK based ingredient manufacturer that has been around over 100 years and distributes in over 30 countries. We have recently entered the US with our rolled fondant and gum paste line and are getting phenomenal reviews from home bakers, hobbyist, cake designers and culinary institutions. Our product has been described as "Massa quality" but our pricing is much less expensive and our taste has been described as "heavenly".

If you would like to sample our product you can email me here or at [email protected]. You can also purchase it online at globalsugarart.com and bakedeco.com.

 

Good Luck

 

Larry Italiano

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gabival Posted 24 Apr 2014 , 7:09pm
post #3 of 85

This is what I'm making. I'm covering it in buttercream and the red part in fondant.

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AZCouture Posted 24 Apr 2014 , 11:54pm
post #4 of 85

AYes, lay a red piece of fondant over it and tell mommy to peel it off. Some fondant is gross, some fondant is delish, and [B]some[/B] people don't want to hear it. But what they [B]do[/B] need to hear is that some things just need to be done in fondant, just like the pretty little cake that they asked for. Peeeeel it off people, peeeel it off.

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costumeczar Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 12:32am
post #5 of 85

You could use modeling chocolate instead, or half fondant half modeling chocolate.

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AZCouture Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:26am
post #6 of 85

A

Original message sent by costumeczar

You could use modeling chocolate instead, or half fondant half modeling chocolate.

That too, I always forget about modeling chocolate cause I never use it. :(

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MBalaska Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 9:12am
post #7 of 85

why not?  (just curious)

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gabival Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 3:16pm
post #8 of 85

Thanks for all the tips!

 

I'm not very familiar on how to work with modeling chocolate. Actually, how to make the modeling chocolate. Any good tips?

 

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howsweet Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:19pm
post #9 of 85

AIn my opinion no matter what kind of fondant you use, how you make it or what you add to it, it's still never going to be delicious. It's never going to be something you'd add to the cake just because it tastes so good. That goes for modeling chocolate too. Chocolate is good until you add corn syrup to it. That's why when you buy a chocolate bar, they don't add that.

Often the same person who's saying - use our fondant - it's so good because we [fill in the blank] will, in the next breath, they tell you they roll it as thin as possible. Does that really make sense? If it's so good, why use as little as possible?

That said, almost all of my cakes are covered in fondant. The reasons to use fondant, as I see it are: 1) So customers aren't having to eat intensely colored icing 2) To keep the cake sealed and moist 3) To protect the cake from the elements. For example, sitting in a kitchen with people breathing on it during decoration 4) To allow decoration not otherwise possible

To the person who is going to post that I just haven't tried your fondant - well, I haven't, but I've tried pretty much every recipe out there. I get that some people like it - especially some people who have not been raised on traditional western diets.

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costumeczar Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:23pm
post #10 of 85

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabival 
 

Thanks for all the tips!

 

I'm not very familiar on how to work with modeling chocolate. Actually, how to make the modeling chocolate. Any good tips?

 

Here's the video I made showing how to make it. If you mix candy clay into fondant 1:1, or even less of the candy clay to fondant, it makes the fondant a little stiffer and more moldable, and it doesn't dry out as fast. Also tastes better...There are a couple of brands of fondant on the market now that have candy clay in them, but I've always just mixed the two together. One benefit of using the candy melts is that you can get them colored already so you don't have to deal with food coloring as much, too.


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howsweet Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:26pm
post #11 of 85

AIt bugs the hell out of me that fondant is used as leverage to get business - it starts with brides who have no clue and are buying their first cake and now everybody thinks it's supposed to be eaten. And on the other side, so many bakers are so afraid of their customers - heaven forbid they have a backbone to tell them the design they brought needs to be done in fondant.

I have to explain all this to every customer who says they don't want a fondant cake - it's so annoying/

And this business of trying to make buttercream look like fondant drives me crazy. What on earth is that for? You can do amazing things with buttercream not possible with fondant and vice versa. Use buttercream for buttercream cakes and fondant for fondant cakes.

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howsweet Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:30pm
post #12 of 85

ASorry, I could go on and on on this subject - I'll just try to be quiet now. I don't even have time to be posting. :D

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-K8memphis Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:32pm
post #13 of 85

Quote:

Originally Posted by howsweet 

It bugs the hell out of me that fondant is used as leverage to get business - it starts with brides ...

 

what do you mean fondant used as leverage to get business?

 

ruh roh i'm one of those that made buttercream look like fondant--reason being--most of us don't like fondant except for the look of it :lol: don't shoot me--

 

i mean if you hate coconut you don't buy coconut shrimp and toss the coating--yes?

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-K8memphis Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:34pm
post #14 of 85

oh, no worries if you're busy, hs, reply anytime--

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howsweet Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 4:48pm
post #15 of 85

A

Original message sent by -K8memphis

what do you mean fondant used as leverage to get business?

ruh roh i'm one of those that made buttercream look like fondant--reason being--most of us don't like fondant except for the look of it :lol:  don't shoot me--

i mean if you hate coconut you don't buy coconut shrimp and toss the coating--yes?

I mean that people used to know that fondant was supposed to be left on the plate. The competitive wedding industry has changed this by improving the fondant and saying use us, our fondant tastes so yummy. But it doesn't taste yummy enough. And I don't understand asking customers to "enjoy" a layer of marshmallows, "starburst" or ruined chocolate when the cake underneath is so delicious. In a million years you'd never think to put this stuff on the cake to make it taste better.

With shrimp, it's less important how it looks. Many, many people want a fondant look and don't like fondant.

I've done it, too and I don't like the look of buttercream with fondant accents. To me, they don't look finished. I'm not going to give in to a customer and make, what is my opinion, a sub par cake. My specialty is making cakes that look as perfect as I possibly can and trying to make buttercream look like fondant gets in the way of that. And If they don't like it, they can go to someone else. Usually, they are trying to save money and when they find out I charge the same either way, fondant suddenly becomes an acceptable choice.

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-K8memphis Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 5:19pm
post #16 of 85

Quote:

Originally Posted by howsweet 
I mean that people used to know that fondant was supposed to be left on the plate. The competitive wedding industry has changed this by improving the fondant and saying use us, our fondant tastes so yummy. But it doesn't taste yummy enough. And I don't understand asking customers to "enjoy" a layer of marshmallows, "starburst" or ruined chocolate when the cake underneath is so delicious. In a million years you'd never think to put this stuff on the cake to make it taste better.

With shrimp, it's less important how it looks. Many, many people want a fondant look and don't like fondant.

I've done it, too and I don't like the look of buttercream with fondant accents. To me, they don't look finished. I'm not going to give in to a customer and make, what is my opinion, a sub par cake. My specialty is making cakes that look as perfect as I possibly can and trying to make buttercream look like fondant gets in the way of that. And If they don't like it, they can go to someone else. Usually, they are trying to save money and when they find out I charge the same either way, fondant suddenly becomes an acceptable choice.

 

gotcha--we used fondant ribbon borders on the buttercream faux fondant--i think the color difference worked with ribbon especially if it's pearlized-- but it does look off putting with fondant lace pieces or something--other than that we usually piped the accents for a matchy matchy look--

 

good on you to charge the same for bc and fondant alike--that nips that one too--

 

but most charge more for fondant--and then from the client's perspective you're getting charged more while being advised to toss it and it's counter intuitive when you don't even like it in the first place--it's the gelatine--it just doesn't work in our american palate-doesn't dissolve--

 

pass the shrimp please

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costumeczar Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 5:40pm
post #17 of 85

I think that a lot of bakers in my area tell brides that they have to have fondant regardless of the design, because when they come to me they're usually happy that they don't. I've never heard of anyone using it as a selling point, other than saying that they don't need it and they can use buttercream instead:-D

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AZCouture Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 5:48pm
post #18 of 85

AYou on a roll girlfriend...lol! Actually I say both of those things: mine tastes delicious and I roll it thin. It [B]is[/B] delicious, and you won't get a huge thick bite of it either. Regardless, some people have their minds made up and won't be convinced it tastes good. [B]And some people just don't want to chew their icing, I get it.[/B] And I get tired of having that talk about the necessity of it for certain designs too. Oh well.. ain't gonna change, I fear.

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AZCouture Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 5:50pm
post #19 of 85

AI definitely do not charge any less either if I get fondant free order. I'll be working harder on that. I have three orders this weekend without fondant covering...so darn happy for that, I love putting together gorgeous sleek bc cakes!

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AZCouture Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 5:52pm
post #20 of 85

Ahowsweet, we [B]need[/B] to have coffee sometime. How far away are you? :D

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-K8memphis Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 6:23pm
post #21 of 85
howsweet is in texas--closer than atlanta but...
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MBalaska Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 6:30pm
post #22 of 85

This has been an interesting conversation on BC vs Fondant......Howsweet you may go on, please and thank you.  It really is these types of conversations that bring forth such good knowledge. ;-D;-D

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howsweet Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:15pm
post #23 of 85

AHaha, thanks! Well, these are just my opinions. This is not my first time with this. I vent my issues on this subject and 20 people come on to say they love fondant and would eat it for breakfast and then I shut up about it for another six months.

Original message sent by -K8memphis

Quote:

Originally Posted by [B]howsweet[/B] [URL=/t/774016/fondant-over-buttercream#post_7507889][IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG][/URL]

I mean that people used to know that fondant was supposed to be left on the plate. The competitive wedding industry has changed this by improving the fondant and saying use us, our fondant tastes so yummy. But it doesn't taste yummy enough. And I don't understand asking customers to "enjoy" a layer of marshmallows, "starburst" or ruined chocolate when the cake underneath is so delicious. In a million years you'd never think to put this stuff on the cake to make it taste better.

With shrimp, it's less important how it looks. Many, many people want a fondant look and don't like fondant.

I've done it, too and I don't like the look of buttercream with fondant accents. To me, they don't look finished. I'm not going to give in to a customer and make, what is my opinion, a sub par cake. My specialty is making cakes that look as perfect as I possibly can and trying to make buttercream look like fondant gets in the way of that. And If they don't like it, they can go to someone else. Usually, they are trying to save money and when they find out I charge the same either way, fondant suddenly becomes an acceptable choice.

gotcha--we used fondant ribbon borders on the buttercream faux fondant--i think the color difference worked with ribbon especially if it's pearlized-- but it does look off putting with fondant lace pieces or something--other than that we usually piped the accents for a matchy matchy look--

good on you to charge the same for bc and fondant alike--that nips that one too--

but most charge more for fondant--[B]and then from the client's perspective you're getting charged more while being advised to toss it and it's counter intuitive when you don't even like it in the first place-[/B]-it's the gelatine--it just doesn't work in our american palate-doesn't dissolve--

pass the shrimp please

Right, so they don't have the guts to say don't eat it or explain what it's for. There is way too much lack of guts in this industry. Then there's the issue that some people (like AZ) like it, so they don't want to insult anyone.

Original message sent by AZCouture

You on a roll girlfriend...lol! Actually I say both of those things: mine tastes delicious and I roll it thin. It [B]is[/B] delicious, and you won't get a huge thick bite of it either. Regardless, some people have their minds made up and won't be convinced it tastes good. [B]And some people just don't want to chew their icing, I get it.[/B] And I get tired of having that talk about the necessity of it for certain designs too. Oh well.. ain't gonna change, I fear.

Yes, the texture is a big issue. To me when you look at the ingredients of fondant, it's a contrived food-like substance as compared to what goes into cake and icing and most fillings. I don't take issue with rolling it thin - what I was talking about when I've heard people talk about how their fondant is so good and how they roll it so thin you almost don't know it's there.

Original message sent by AZCouture

howsweet, we [B]need[/B] to have coffee sometime. How far away are you? :D

I wish we could! :D

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howsweet Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:20pm
post #24 of 85

AI like some things most people don't, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread fried in butter like a grilled cheese sandwich or a nestles crunch bar with cheetos.

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icer101 Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:44pm
post #25 of 85

I love to work with modeling chocolate. I met mari senago 10 years ago at ices convention. She is the greatest!! I take her demos at ices anytime she does them. I love lauren kitchens. I take her demos also at convention.She has a great tutorial on youtube about it all. I love Mike Mccarey. Did my grandsons truck cake using his instructions. Love working with modeling chocolate. Taste good, if you use the right chocolate, etc. Cut right thru it, No peeling back. !!

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icer101 Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:44pm
post #26 of 85

I love to work with modeling chocolate. I met mari senago 10 years ago at ices convention. She is the greatest!! I take her demos at ices anytime she does them. I love lauren kitchens. I take her demos also at convention.She has a great tutorial on youtube about it all. I love Mike Mccarey. Did my grandsons truck cake using his instructions. Love working with modeling chocolate. Taste good, if you use the right chocolate, etc. Cut right thru it, No peeling back. !!

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icer101 Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:45pm
post #27 of 85

I love to work with modeling chocolate. I met mari senago 10 years ago at ices convention. She is the greatest!! I take her demos at ices anytime she does them. I love lauren kitchens. I take her demos also at convention.She has a great tutorial on youtube about it all. I love Mike Mccarey. Did my grandsons truck cake using his instructions. Love working with modeling chocolate. Taste good, if you use the right chocolate, etc. Cut right thru it, No peeling back. !!

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icer101 Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:45pm
post #28 of 85

I love to work with modeling chocolate. I met mari senago 10 years ago at ices convention. She is the greatest!! I take her demos at ices anytime she does them. I love lauren kitchens. I take her demos also at convention.She has a great tutorial on youtube about it all. I love Mike Mccarey. Did my grandsons truck cake using his instructions. Love working with modeling chocolate. Taste good, if you use the right chocolate, etc. Cut right thru it, No peeling back. !!

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icer101 Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:45pm
post #29 of 85

I love to work with modeling chocolate. I met mari senago 10 years ago at ices convention. She is the greatest!! I take her demos at ices anytime she does them. I love lauren kitchens. I take her demos also at convention.She has a great tutorial on youtube about it all. I love Mike Mccarey. Did my grandsons truck cake using his instructions. Love working with modeling chocolate. Taste good, if you use the right chocolate, etc. Cut right thru it, No peeling back. !!

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icer101 Posted 25 Apr 2014 , 8:46pm
post #30 of 85

I love to work with modeling chocolate. I met mari senago 10 years ago at ices convention. She is the greatest!! I take her demos at ices anytime she does them. I love lauren kitchens. I take her demos also at convention.She has a great tutorial on youtube about it all. I love Mike Mccarey. Did my grandsons truck cake using his instructions. Love working with modeling chocolate. Taste good, if you use the right chocolate, etc. Cut right thru it, No peeling back. !!

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