Beautiful cake.

Our cake is going on a fall theme. This isn't it, but the closest I could find at work:
http://www.amazingcakesbyjoanne.com/...er_smaller.jpg

Just a simple cake with sugar maple leaves to follow on our subtle theme. Maple leaves have been in our save-the-dates, invites, and table numbers.

I've heard black icing tastes gross. Any thoughts/opinions out there on this? I'd really like a black damask pattern on a white cake but not if I have to sacrifice taste for it!

Also, opinions on buttercream vs fondant?

A word of caution on black icing - it will turn tongues and teeth black. Not a pretty sight, let me tell you!

I refused to use fondant icing on my cake. I have found that it can dry out and taste "gummy" (I think that is the best word for it). Consider what time the cake will be delivered to the venue, and how long after that it will be eaten. I know personally, the cake will be delivered by about 3 pm, but won't be eaten until 8:30 pm that night. Being out that long, in my case, would have dried out the fondant.

My fondant was absolutely delicious, but my baker worked long and hard to perfect her recipe and she was only able to do it because she takes on a limited number of weddings. I think mass-producing yummy fondant would be tricky, and every other cake I've eaten with fondant sucked.

I would imagine you'll do a cake tasting before you pick your cake -- you can test the fondant and buttercream and make your decision from there.

My cake decorating instructor told us that when we need to make black icing, to make it chocolate. Then you don't need as much black coloring to get it dark and it tastes yummy. See if your baker will do that.

I HATE Fondant too !!!!!!! and told my bakers that when I did tasting. But I'm having a cake where they can't do the decoration I want with buttercream... :(

Hm, depends on what you're looking for.

Fondant holds up a lot better than buttercream in warm weather. It allows you to do some of the fancier designs, and it looks "smooth" and finished. But, the taste can be questionable at times. Some people put a thin layer of butter cream or custard or preserves underneath their fondant to offset it.

Buttercream is *almost* universally tasty, but it can limit the type of decorations you can do, and it won't look as smooth. Some people will use buttercream as the base, and then do the decorations in gumpaste or fondant. Buuttt, buttercream can melt in really warm/sticky weather.

I thought you were supposed to peel off the fondant before you served the cake?

Some places do that as a courtesy, but I don't think it's universal.

Our venue suggested buttercream and said for 90% of what people want the chef can do it in buttercream and then it will taste better for your guests.

Fondant tastes worse than Play Doh to me. ugh. Frosting should taste like frosting. It's ok for a cake to look like a cake instead of "fake advertising food" (the stuff the ad agencies make with shellac over it to look like real tasty food that isn't even food at all).
Most fondant is like semi-hard Elmer's glue.

See, as much as I like the look of fondant, I really like tasty cake and I wouldn't serve something to my guests that I wouldn't eat myself. Because of that, I'm leaning towards buttercream.

I also really want a black damask-like pattern on a white cake but I'm afraid we can't make it happen - I don't want black mouths or nasty frosting. Though, I did see a thin black vine-like pattern on a white buttercream cake that looked really pretty and thus would have a lot less black icing on it... Perhaps just having a black ribbon around the bottom of the tiers would incorporate the black without turning everyone's mouths black...?? Any ideas?

I think the black ribbon would be nice- and then no black mouths to worry about.

As for fondant, I have a recipe for marshmallow fondant that I make. It looks just like regular fondant but tastes much better- plus I can flavor it with different things. My favorite is a cherry almond cake that I ice with almond-flavored whipped cream and then top with the almond-marshmallow fondant. Yummy.

This thread just makes me want to eat cake, which I really don't need to eat a lot of.

I've had some amazing cakes covered with marzipan instead of fondant, and the marzipan has had designs imprinted into it. If I were to be married, this is the way I'd want to go, plus Swedish princess Cake is just something I like, A LOT. LucyKKG knows what I mean.

This bakery has an example, it was one I would consider if I were to be married back at home (if I were to be married at all, haha!) http://www.legateauelegant.com/Our_Cakes.html