The Real Reason Everyone Hates Fondant
Fondant is one of the most polarizing items in the world of food. Ask a bunch of people to tell you how they feel about this type of icing and it's highly likely that you'll hear lots of divided opinions on the subject. In fact, there is a dedicated community on Reddit called r/Fondant Hate that has members who are pretty vocal about their feelings surrounding fondant. The group's description says it all. It reads, "A subreddit for the people fighting against the fad of beautiful cakes that taste awful." It further adds that there are far better alternatives to fondant such as buttercream, whipped cream frosting, marzipan, and more.
But what makes rolled fondant icing such a serious target? As explained by Food & Wine, this combination of water, sugar, oil, and stabilizers works well in desserts because it's sturdy and can be easier to work with compared to other kinds of icing. However, it doesn't taste good — at all. And it isn't even healthy. Which makes it understandable that for a lot of folks, fondant feels like a bad, sloppy alternative to a dessert filling far more delectable, such as buttercream.
Fondant is perceived to be a shortcut rather than a sweet treat
What made fondant popular in the first place? According to pastry chef LaDawn Stuben, who spoke with Vice, the trend is definitely linked to food shows and social media platforms. "I also think the cake decorators on Instagram have influenced consumer choices in the direction of over-the-top cakes," Stuben reflected. The problem is that this icing falters when it comes to flavor.
When a curious Redditor asked others to explain what fondant actually tastes like, commentators came up with some strong answers. A Reddit user wrote, "Commercial fondant is flavored with low-quality artificial vanilla, so it tastes like nothing except cheap vanilla and sugar, and the texture is like biting through a soft eraser or stiff modeling clay." Yikes. They further added that the texture is simply unpleasant in your mouth and is too overpowering. Many choose to remove fondant before eating cake in a bid to escape its nastiness. Ganache, anyone?