Ever since people have started ordering customized cakes, it’s evident that fondants have become an important part of the cake. It’s safe to say that fondant gained popularity in the last ten years, and the cake artists actually spend hours making the perfect fondant and sculpting it. This is because fondant is the blank canvas that can be painted on, and some fun characters and facades can be made as well. However, why does fondant taste so bad? It’s one question that every cake-eater asks and we are here with some details!
Why Does Fondant Taste So Bad?
Understanding Fondant & Reason Behind Bad Taste Of Fondant
To understand the reason behind bad flavor and taste, it’s important to understand what is added to the fondant. There are actually different types of fondants, including rolled fondant that has a smooth drape appearance which is applied over the cakes for covering it, poured fondant with a fluid-like and creamy texture that’s used as filling. In addition, there is sculpting fondant which is used for making sculptures and has a tough consistency.
Coming back to our main point, the fondant tastes so bad because it’s made with the addition of glycerin and gelatin. These ingredients result in a weird flavor which everyone just hates. In fact, the store-bought fondants taste the worst because of the different preservatives used in it, but homemade fondant tastes a bit better because people use melted marshmallows. That being said, ingredients are the only reason behind bad taste. So, let’s see how you can improve the flavor!
1. Essence Or Extracts
If you are looking for a quick way of flavoring your fondant, you can simply add a few drops of essence or extracts. For this purpose, you have to add essence or extracts while kneading the fondant. However, make sure that you start with less flavor to ensure you don’t overpower the fondant. Also, you can opt for some taste tests to ensure the fondant actually tastes amazing. On the other hand, you must not use flavoring because it adds a chemical-like flavor.
2. Vanilla Bean
It’s evident that vanilla is a widely used flavor, and using vanilla bean paste is the right way of adding flavor to the fondant. Adding this paste will create a subtle and creamy flavor, while small flecks of vanilla will create a gourmet appearance.
3. Flavored Sugar
When it comes down to making fondant, we all know that powdered sugar is used. So, when you are trying to add a pleasant flavor to fondant, you need to opt for flavored sugar. The flavored sugar is readily available online, and you can even make your own (just search for some DIY techniques).
4. Buttercream
With this tip, we are simply saying that you have to let go of the traditional fondant and use rolled buttercream to cover the cake. It has an amazing flavor, and you can even add some cocktail and alcohol to spruce up the flavor.
5. Fruit Powder
This is another tried and tested method of flavoring the fondant and ensuring that it tastes well. The powder-based fruit powders are readily available at baking supply stores, and you can even purchase them online. In the majority of cases, you will be able to find this powder in passion fruit, lemon, raspberry, cherry, and strawberry flavors. So, just get your hands on these fruit powders and create delicious fondant.
6. Unsalted Butter
If you are making your own fondant at home, you can simply change some ingredients to enjoy the best flavors. For the most part, people use vegetable shortening, but it won’t taste well. So, you can simply ditch this shortening and opt for unsalted butter.
7. Marzipan
Just like using the rolled buttercream, you can also use marzipan to create a better-flavored covering for the cake. For those who don’t know, marzipan is an almond paste that has a fondant-like texture and is widely used as icing. So, get some marzipan from the grocery store and bake that cake!
To summarize, these ingredients are some options to improve the flavor of your fondant. We suggest that you make fondant at home rather than opting for store-bought fondants. Also, adding some spices, such as nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon, will also add flavor. So, best of luck!