If you've ever walked into a cake shop and found yourself deciding between a buttercream cake and a fondant cake, you're probably wondering which one is the best choice for your special occasion. At Bob the Baker Boy, we understand that both have their unique appeal and offer different textures, tastes, and visual styles. But what exactly sets them apart? In this article, we’ll explain the differences between buttercream and fondant cakes, and why we at Bob the Baker Boy prefer using buttercream for our cakes.
Whether you’re ordering a birthday cake for a loved one or a customised cake for a wedding, knowing the distinctions between these two types of cake finishes will help you choose the right one for your needs.
A buttercream cake is a cake that is covered in buttercream frosting, which is typically made from butter, sugar, and sometimes milk or cream to create a smooth, spreadable texture. The beauty of buttercream lies in its versatility. The frosting can be piped, swirled, or spread in any design you can imagine. Buttercream is often paired with additional decorations like chocolates, sprinkles, fondant toppers, wafer decorations, and more.
Key features of a buttercream cake:
Soft and smooth texture.
Less sweet compared to fondant.
The cake underneath can be soft or dense, depending on the recipe.
Versatile decoration styles, from whimsical to rustic, Korean buttercream, and more.
Can be paired with a variety of edible toppings for extra creativity.
A fondant cake is covered with a smooth layer of fondant, a sugar dough that is rolled out and draped over the cake to create a sleek, polished finish. Fondant can be shaped and moulded into various decorations like flowers, bows, and figurines, giving the cake a clean, refined appearance. This finish is often chosen for elegant or realistic cakes, such as wedding cakes or highly detailed themed cakes.
Key features of a fondant cake:
A smooth, flawless finish that gives a cleaner appearance.
The decorations and the covering are all made from fondant.
Extremely sweet, due to the sugar content in the fondant.
The underlying cake is usually denser to support the fondant's weight.
Often used for wedding cakes, realistic cakes, and cute or detailed designs.
Now that we know what each type of cake is, let’s break down the major differences between them.
Fondant: Fondant gives the cake a smooth, firm texture that is much sweeter than buttercream. While fondant looks great, it can often be chewy and quite heavy, and many people find it overly sweet. Fondant is perfect for highly detailed and structured designs but isn’t the best when it comes to a satisfying, soft texture that many cake lovers crave.
Buttercream: Buttercream, on the other hand, has a softer, more creamy texture. It’s less sweet than fondant and allows the natural flavours of the cake to shine through. Buttercream is generally preferred by those who want a cake that is both delicious and easy to eat. The rich, buttery flavour complements a variety of cakes, from chocolate cakes to vanilla cakes and more.
Fondant: Since fondant is a sugar dough, it requires careful storage. In Singapore’s humid climate, fondant cakes should always be kept in air-conditioned environments. If they are left in the heat or humidity, fondant can sweat, compromising its appearance. For the best results, fondant cakes need to be stored at a consistent, cool temperature to maintain their pristine look.
Buttercream: Buttercream cakes are more forgiving when it comes to storage. They can be stored at room temperature for several hours, though they should still be kept in a cool, dry place to prevent the frosting from softening or melting. At Bob the Baker Boy, we ensure that our buttercream cakes are designed to retain their moisture and stay soft even after being refrigerated. The boxes are carefully designed to absorb moisture as the cake defrosts, so when you take it out of the fridge, it's perfect for eating.
Fondant: Fondant gives a cleaner, smoother finish and is ideal for cakes that require highly detailed decoration or a polished look. If you're looking for a wedding cake or a customised cake with intricate designs, fondant is usually the best choice. It's often used for 3D shapes, figurines, and realistic designs.
Buttercream: While buttercream is a bit more rustic and less smooth than fondant, it offers a lot more versatility in terms of design. You can create anything from whimsical, cute, and rustic cakes, to trending styles like Korean buttercream cakes. The soft texture allows for piping and swirling that can create beautiful, artistic designs, making buttercream cakes incredibly popular for birthdays, baby showers, and other celebrations.
Fondant: Fondant requires a denser cake to support the weight and structure of the sugar dough. This is because fondant is heavy and needs a firm base to stay in place and maintain its shape. As a result, fondant cakes tend to have a more dense crumb and are less moist than buttercream cakes.
Buttercream: Buttercream cakes can afford to be a bit softer and more moist, and they can still hold up well to decorative designs. At Bob the Baker Boy, we use a special method to create cakes that are moist yet structurally sound, so they hold their shape without being too dense. Our buttercream cakes are designed to be soft, tender, and perfect for an enjoyable bite.
At Bob the Baker Boy, we believe that a cake should not only look amazing but taste great too. That’s why we focus on making buttercream cakes that are the softest, moistest, and most delicious cakes you’ll ever try. Buttercream offers the perfect balance of sweetness, and its versatility allows us to create a wide variety of designs, from cute birthday cakes to elegant wedding cakes.
Our cakes are made with real, natural ingredients, and we take care to ensure they are lower in sugar (some flavours contain only 12g of sugar per serving), making them suitable for everyone, including kids and those with dietary restrictions. We’ve been baking cakes that make people feel special and cherished for over eight years, and it’s this passion for quality that drives us to deliver the best cakes possible.
Whether you’re ordering a customised cake for a special event or a simple birthday cake, we’ve got you covered with express cake delivery and a customer service team that’s ready to help you every step of the way.
Keywords: Cake, Customised Cakes, Cake Delivery Singapore, Order Cakes Online
Meta Title: Buttercream Cake vs Fondant Cake | Best Customised Cakes in Singapore
Description: Discover the key differences between buttercream and fondant cakes, and why Bob the Baker Boy uses buttercream to create the most delicious, soft, and moist cakes for every occasion.
