Buttercream or fondant?

Buttercream is soft, creamy and easy to eat. It takes piping beautifully, holds fresh-look flowers and suits most birthday and anniversary cakes. Its weakness is heat: on a warm afternoon outdoors it softens within an hour.

Fondant is a smooth sugar paste rolled thin and laid over a cake. It gives clean edges, bright colours and a surface we can model figures and patterns on. It also protects the cake underneath in warm rooms. Many people peel it off and eat the cake below, which is fine.

We often combine the two: buttercream inside and under the fondant for flavour, fondant outside for shape. For children’s theme cakes and tall wedding tiers, that is usually the best choice.

If your party is outdoors in April or May, tell us. We will suggest a ganache base, which stays firm far longer than buttercream, and plan delivery for the last possible moment.