Buttercream, Royal or Fondant? Answers To All Your Icing Questions!

When it comes to icing, there are so many options! How do you know which one to use?

The answer boils down to two things: application and personal preference. Here’s our icing breakdown.

Buttercream

Best for: cakes, cupcakes, macarons, sandwich cookies

Rich, creamy and a favorite with eaters and decorators alike, buttercream is a traditional classic. The main difference between buttercream and either royal or fondant is the inclusion of fat (usually butter and sometimes milk, but for a bright white you can also use shortening.) The main consideration with buttercream is given the inclusion of fat, it more or less stays soft and needs refrigeration. When decorating with buttercream, it’s best to pipe your designs directly onto the cake the day it will be served. However, you can also pipe flowers and the like onto flower squares or wax paper and freeze ahead.

Royal Icing

Best for: icing flowers, cut-out cookies and any decoration that needs a shelf life

Royal icing is pretty simple to make and includes only 3 ingredients (not including any coloring). Confectioners sugar, water and egg whites (or meringue powder for a longer shelf life) are simply whipped together. It creates a smooth surface for confections like cut-out cookies and is perfect for icing flowers and other decorations because you can make them ahead of time. They will harden and stay good in the freezer for months. The one drawback is that it does harden quite quickly; if you’re taking a break from icing, be sure to cover your pipe tips so they don’t dry out and clog!

Fondant

Best for: Wedding cakes, specialty sculpted designs (like if you want to make a cake that looks like an Air Jordan)

Fondant isn’t really an icing at all, but a type of candy, not unlike an unwhipped and pliable marshmallow. It’s loved by bakers and decorators for creating that seamless look on a cake. It’s also incredibly versatile when it comes to dying and shaping; when you see the elaborate cakes that look like things that aren’t cake on TV, fondant is typically involved. There are a couple of cons. Fondant has a bit of a chewy texture and a flavor that not everyone cares for. Fondant also doesn’t stick to cake by itself. You need to ice your cake with buttercream first, which adds an extra step. However, the buttercream layer smooths the surface out so the fondant can be free of bumps and drivers. It’s also nice to have it underneath the fondant to appease the people that prefer the buttercream flavor; they can simply eat around it. It’s also a process to make but you can buy it premade.

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for tips and tricks on all things icing! Here is a little example of how to make succulents from buttercream!