The royal icing vs buttercream debate, we are looking for an answer to

If you are baking cakes or cookies, the one pertinent question that stands in front of you is royal icing vs buttercream for the decoration? While some of you have fixed choices of the decoration agent, others, and specially those who are starting new, might be left a little confused in their choice. So, here’s giving a clear idea of the royal icing vs buttercream debate to make your choice slightly easier.

Choosing between royal icing vs buttercream, here’s when to use what

Ideally, if you are into baking or have thought of trying your hands in baking this winter, keep both handy. Royal icing vs buttercream is a decision which largely depends on what you are making and what kind of decoration you want on it.

To begin with, royal icing is hard, smooth, and the perfect choice for intricate designs. It is more on the dry side and does not cause a mess in the kitchen. Moreover, since it gets hard very quickly, the turnout time is less and it doesn’t smudge off easily. However, if you are making cakes, the non-creamy texture of royal icing may not be the best choice. It is hard and even though it doesn’t smudge, there might be visible cracks which can dilute the aesthetics of the cake. Moreover, it can be slightly plain in taste which might not be very favourable for a cake. Thus, royal icing is usually used in cookies, stenciling, edible cake decorating agents, gingerbread house details and more.

Buttercream, on the other hand is very rich and creamy in texture. It is easy to spread and piping bags are needed to do so. If you want to layer cakes, or cupcakes, then buttercream will do the trick. Moreover, it is soft but strong enough to hold floral textures and thus, it is a preferred choice for floral cake decorations. However, buttercreams are a delicate mixture and need a particular temperature to thrive. It may soften and smudge if the temperature rises up. Also, the mixture never really completely dries up, so it doesn’t harden. If you are planning to ship any baked goodies then try to avoid ones which have buttercream. It is ideally used to decorate cakes and cupcakes, keeping in mind the additional and desirable sweetness that it lends.

Therefore, while the royal icing vs buttercream debate can go on forever, one needs to understand that each have their own purpose and is equally important to the world of baking. Royal icing is is structure and detailing while buttercream is all about the flavour!

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