Are you torn between buttercream and whipped frosting for your wedding cake?
Have you been worried about finding a cake that is not only lovely, but also tastes amazing?
Would you find it difficult to explain the difference between fondant and ganache?
If you need a better feel for wedding cake frostings, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find a brief description of some of the most commonly selected options, along with a run down of their pros and cons. Dig in.
Buttercream: Also known as American buttercream, this is a classic made from butter, powdered sugar, and milk or cream. It’s creamy, rich, and sweet.
Plusses:
-It's highly versatile. Buttercream works with the most elegant of cakes, but it's also a great fit for a barn wedding.
-Buttercream can handle your outdoor wedding and holds up well in a wide range of temperatures.
-It's an affordable option.
Downsides:
-Not everyone is a fan: some consider buttercream too rich or sweet.
Of course, American buttercream isn’t your only option. There also are French, Italian, and Swiss buttercreams.
“European buttercreams are lighter, richer, and much less sweet than their American counterpart; it is very likely that your favorite neighborhood bakery is using one,” Stef Pollack wrote for The Cupcake Project.
Instead of the powdered sugar used in American buttercream, European recipes use granulated sugar in considerably smaller quantities. Italian is the sweetest of the three options but is very similar in flavor and texture to Swiss buttercream.
French buttercream, the only of the European recipes made with egg yolks instead of egg whites, is the richest of the three and is yellow.
Another important consideration: the Italian and Swiss buttercreams do not hold up well to heat. They aren’t ideal choices for an outdoor summer wedding.
The European buttercreams are more expensive than their American counterpart, too.
Another option: American buttercream blended with cream cheese (think carrot cake frosting). This frosting is very tasty and affordable—and very rich.
Fondant: This is an artistic medium as much as food; it’s used to add artistic and sculpted elements to a wedding cake. Made with sugar, sugar water and corn syrup, along with gelatin or cornstarch, fondant is sweet and quite thick and firm.
While the term fondant is used as a general term, there are four types of this frosting: poured, rolled, sculpted, and gum paste.
Poured fondant, a liquid, is used to fill and cover cakes and other baked goods.
Rolled fondant, used to cover cakes and decorate them, has the appearance and density of pie dough. Even denser, and stiffer, is sculpted fondant, which as its name suggests, is used to create sculptures. Bakers use gum paste, which hardens after it dries, for edible elements like flowers.
Plusses
-If your idea of a perfect wedding cake includes ruffles, flowers, or a trendy, elaborate cake design fondant is an ideal frosting. It’s also what your baker will need if you want a groom’s cake in a special shape, like an animal or an airplane.
-Fondant can handle warm, outdoor temperatures.
Downsides
-Some find the fondant’s thickness and hard consistency less than appealing.
Ganache: This sweet, creamy spread is made with chocolate and cream.
Plusses:
-For a chocolate fan, it doesn’t get much better.
Cons:
-Ganache is fine for outdoor events, but temperature swings can be a problem.
-Prices vary.
Whipped cream frosting: This light, fluffy icing is made with whipped cream and powdered sugar. It’s sweet but doesn’t have the richness or the same creamy consistency of buttercream.
Plusses:
-Many people love the sweetness and lightness of whipped cream frosting.
-It is affordable.
Downsides:
-Its uses are limited: It only works as a smooth surface.
-Whipped cream frosting needs to be refrigerated and cannot remain out as long as buttercream frosting.
The Bell Tower on 34th is a unique wedding venue in Houston with Old World Charm, a waterwall, and a beautiful garden setting. Our venue is near The Woodlands, TX.
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