70s and 80s buttercream -- does anybody still like a little foo-foo?
I am curious if there are some out there who still like some of the "foo-foo" type piping of buttercream such as you might find in Wilton books of the 70s-80s. I have some of these books and magazines and I think some of them were pretty. Others I think -- OK, that really is too much icing.
I also like wedding dresses that aren't the plain and minimalist styles -- which I think (the minimalist ones) have somewhat peaked and newer gowns are beginning to have more feminine touches -- a little more lace, etc.
For a long time I didn't like the simple, minimalist fondant-covered or smooth-iced wedding cakes either, though now I can appreciate them and the modern fondant cake look -- but I will always have the fondness for the old foo-foo cakes and gowns too!
What are others' thoughts?
I also like wedding dresses that aren't the plain and minimalist styles -- which I think (the minimalist ones) have somewhat peaked and newer gowns are beginning to have more feminine touches -- a little more lace, etc.
For a long time I didn't like the simple, minimalist fondant-covered or smooth-iced wedding cakes either, though now I can appreciate them and the modern fondant cake look -- but I will always have the fondness for the old foo-foo cakes and gowns too!
What are others' thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by jeri c on
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My own wedding cake was the typical 70's plastic pillars and plates... tons of buttercream and at the time I thought it was the most beautiful thing on earth... as for now... I guess my favorite is usually whatever cake I am working on at the time. I rarely ever do an all buttercream cake. Will do them if the person really wants it but I truly love working with fondant. As for the foo foo... it's just changed Cakes are still very decorated... just not with as much buttercream accents.
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Permalink Reply by Bunny Flowers on
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I'm glad that I like both now -- I'm just beginning -- took the 4 Wilton classes since last November, right before they re-did the formats.
I've heard some people say that because fondant is more expensive sometimes they do the same contemporary cake design in buttercream to fit a bride's budget.
Fondant is fun -- I hope to get more experience with it soon. Also gumpaste.
I'd forgotten about the plastic foo-foo -- I'm not really crazy about that. I'd like to try and make any cakes I decorate from some form of sugar art rather than plastic -- insofar as that's practical.
It'll just be interesting to see if the foo-foo someday makes a comeback -- in some form or another. Don't know if those really poofy overpiped borders will, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of it does... who knows!
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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on
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I do love the buttercream piping but I akso like the fondant and gumpaste too. I think buttercream piping is becoming a lost art...seems like fondant is a little easier to work with and getting the smooth finish is much easier than getting smooth buttercream. When I went to school I took the cake decorating class and all we did for 8 weeks was buttercream buttercream buttercream! I got a real appreciation for getting it smooth and getting those mitre sharp corners. Plus my piping skills really took off. Fondant vs buttercream...each one is so different...I would love to see more people grab a pastry bag and get back to some really good basics.
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Permalink Reply by Theresa Happe on
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While I don't miss the plastic pillars and cheesy wedding cake toppers, I do love the Lambeth method of piping. You don't see much of this any more in the states.
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That type of decorating is so beautiful and no, you dont see that too much...it is still popular in the UK, Australia and South Africa. A woman named Toba Garrett teaches this type of stringwork. She is the director of baking studies at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, She has a few books which are well worth getting. I got mine on half.com. Her book "Professional Cake Decorating"was our textbook in school.
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Permalink Reply by Jeanne on
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No... I don't miss the frou frou at all. I can appreciate the effort it takes to pipe all of that, but it's not my style at all. I much prefer the more concise, less is more approach to decorating. Too much over-piping reminds me of grocery store cakes.
I like bridge and extension work though... it's meticulous yet very delicate looking.
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Permalink Reply by Edna De la Cruz on
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I think more than likin it amazes me. The work can be so intricate. It's more difficult than
just adding fondant pieces to a cake. And it has it's own beauty!
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I have seen some very intricate stringwork and some is over the top but if done right like Edna said it is gorgeous and amazes me too. Here is a link to some really nice royal icing work by Toba Garrett http://www.tobagarrett.com/cakes.html
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Her stuff is CRAZY expensive... but that's what you get when you are a world class decorator. Something to aspire too! *wink*
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Karen Marie said:I have seen some very intricate stringwork and some is over the top but if done right like Edna said it is gorgeous and amazes me too. Here is a link to some really nice royal icing work by Toba Garrett http://www.tobagarrett.com/cakes.html
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No kidding! If she does a cake a month, it's more than a lot of people earn.
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It is Jeanne...and yes it is something to aspire to....so much to look forward to when I grow up :D
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The Australian and those like Toba Garrett's are truly amazing, but I'm a newbie and would find it too nerve-wracking to try and do it for real on a cake for someone. Although to play at it when relaxed, as practice, would no doubt be good exercise for developing a steady hand and accuracy.
Regarding the foo-foo cakes of yore with piped buttercream borders and so on -- I hadn't thought about the resemblance to a grocery-store cake -- although the grocery-store cakes use such ginormous piping tips so they can make a fat poofy border really quickly that it does look kind of tacky. But I still wonder if something more delicate and skilled in that line may one day make a comeback.
I'm still working on getting the smooth edges and sharp corners too at this point! And I want to do more fondant practice too. I want to be versatile, I guess is what I'm getting at. :)
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