By far, I think the most popular icing is "Buttercream". Made with real butter and a mixture of powdered sugar, and vanilla or lemon extract, it is just as it name suggests -buttery, creamy and sweet. Another variation of Buttercream substitutes vegetable shortening for the butter, and adds milk. This variation produces pure bright white icing where if you use butter, it will be a little darker in white coloring but not extremely noticeable unless you put something snow white by the cake. It is a matter of taste which choice of buttercream you choose and the venue in which you are going to serve your cake. Butter has a low melt point and if your cake is going to be served at an outside affair on a hot day, elaborate decor won't hold up.
Another type of icing is "Cream Cheese". Made with butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar, it too can be flavored with extracts and juices and is a very popular and quite flavorful icing. This icing has considerations for the venue and the weather too, but for a cake that is going to be served cold, Cream Cheese Icing has a loyal following of fans. Cream Cheese Icing can also be crafted into lovely decor as the roses on this cake demonstrate.
Fondant is also a choice for covering cakes. Fondant is made from marshmallows and powdered sugar. This type of icing/covering provides for a very smooth surface and provides a lovely decorating medium to create any shape of cake as pictured below. In order for the fondant to adhere to the cake there is always a layer of buttercream below. Fondant is an acquired taste to some and isn't usually eaten by "licking the bowl" as the other choices are, but it is palatable. This cake baker prefers other icing choices but I do like the finished look of a fondant covered cake.
Other types of icing include chocolate - which can be added to all of the choices above but to give a nice smooth finish to a chocolate cake - ganache is a wonderful choice. Something is noticeably different and extra special when ganache is present.
What is your favorite type of icing?
Contact me: Sharon @770-314-5932 or via e-mail: akakeryatl@gmail.com
