You mix, bake and release a cake and now you have to ice it. We have all stared at that cooling cake and felt a sense of mild panic.
Many decorators’ default option is to ice with fondant. This word is used quite often among cake decorators and a lot of beginners and enthusiasts aren’t familiar with the term.
Fondant is a dough-like substance made of sugar that is extremely maleable. Fondant is also very forgiving, as it is easy to smooth out and cover up minor mistakes. But at what cost?
Fondant is primarily used for wedding cakes, because it offers a flawless finish and makes for gorgeous decorations. However, it is also the element that makes wedding cakes so expensive. The average wedding cake costs $543 dollars according to the Bridal Association of America, and over $707 million worth of wedding cake and fondant was consumed in 2009! I knew there had to be something cheaper.
Wilton, a popular cake decorating supplier, sells fondant premixed on their website. However, it will run you about $24 per 5 pound (80 ounce) bag. This 5 pound bag typically covers two 8 inch cakes and just used as a base icing, excluding extras.
Also, you must account for the tools you have to buy in order to work with fondant: fondant roller ($20), fondant/gum paste tool set for detailing ($20) and various dyes and flavorings (5$ and up). It can get expensive fast.
I have two alternatives to fondant, one of which I briefly touched on in my last post:
1. Decorator Icing: Snag some of this tasty stuff at your local grocery store or straight from Wilton’s website. Decorator icing is harder and dries faster than buttercream, making it more moldable. It will cost you around $14 for a 4.5 pound container, or $3 for a 1 pound container. The icing comes in basic white, but you can purchase icing dyes for $1 a pot to change the color.
These supplies last me about 3 or 4 cakes (the dyes last longer), depending on the sizes. Just spread the icing on top of the cake with a palette knife of some sort, and smooth out by using a cheap fondant smoother or a paper towel. Just rub back and forth until you achieve the desired flatness for your cake. In order to get the desired result, make sure your cake is completely leveled before you start icing!
2. Gum Paste: The second product I use in place of fondant is gum paste, which contains more sugar than fondant and is typically used for flower decorations. I make my own using glucose and Gum Tex Karaya, both found on Wilton’s website. The ingredients combine to form an extremely maleable goo that makes for beautiful, delicate details. The Karaya can also double as a glue for sealing your elements to your cake.
Both products will cost you around $30 total, but come in resealable cans and can be mixed in portions. I still have the first can of Gum Tex I’ve ever bought!