The Cake-Decorating Staple Duff Goldman Loves To Hate

If you could choose anyone to bake a cake for your wedding, your next milestone birthday, or your retirement party, a strong contender would likely be Duff Goldman. After all, they don't call him the "Ace of Cakes" for nothing. Not only does he boast a cake repertoire that includes an Artemis 1 rocket ship, a pirate ship, and a '64 Impala, but he was even asked to create the cake for former President Barack Obama's Commander-in-Chief ball. 

Despite this impressive list of accomplishments, it is important to remember that Duff Goldman is still an ordinary guy. And, just like the public that adores him, he has some distinctive dislikes. Here are a few things you probably don't know about Duff Goldman. For instance, he's not a fan of cupcakes. Yes, you read that right. The master of all things "cake," harbors a resentment towards the confection's smallest relation. According to Eater, Goldman once shared on "Ace of Cakes" that the thing that irks him most about these diminutive baked goods is "that most of the people that bake cupcakes think they can actually bake." 

That's not all. He's also got a hate for bell peppers. In a 2019 tweet, Goldman complained, "Bell peppers ruin everything they touch. Everything. Ruined. Everything." Those are some strong words of contempt. In a PopSugar Food video, he also mentioned that he came across deep fried butter at the CNE in Toronto and it is "disgusting." These aren't his only dislikes, though.   

While Goldman enjoys the versatility and polished end product that fondant provides, he is not a fan of the taste. In a Good Food podcast entitled "The Ace of Cakes Talks Fondant," he shared that fondant makes "really pretty blemishless cakes" and that it also "seals all the moisture inside," but he won't eat it. Instead, he peels it all off and digs into the baked good beneath. Yes, he came right out and said, "I hate fondant." 

And he's not alone. Food & Wine's Senior Food Editor, Mary-Frances Heck, admits that it is great for turning cakes into works of art, but says "It tastes bad" and that it's bad for your health as well. Shauna Sever, a cookbook author who once said that, "Fondant is rolled-out circus peanut," shared with The Washington Post that part of the problem with fondant is its very nature. It is made to be plucked off and thrown away, making it a prime example of "excess." And the Reddit community r/FondantHate boasts 235,000 members. That's a lot of haters. 

Kimberly Brock Brown, a corporate chef, told The Washington Post that fondant fans need not worry, however. There will always be women who want cakes shaped like "high-heeled shoes and purses," and men who want "Corvettes and fish." And quite frankly, the world of cakes would be far less interesting without this baker's version of plasticine — even if its taste does leave much to be desired.