When I pipe icing my icing always seems to melt, and then looks shiny and sloppy. I have tried to refridgerate it before I use it but then it is to hard and wont come out of the piping bag well. (I always use buttercream)I love cake decorating but I am usually never happy with my work. My family loves the cakes and that what is most important to me, but now I have a request for a Graduation cake for a friend and I want it to be great looking and tasty too. If any one can give me any advice I greatly appreiciate it. Thank You!

Hi there, Im sorry for the trouble your having with your icing. Can i ask what recipe your using? Maybe its something in the recipe. Or it could also be the climate, buttercream is not suitable for all place, like warm, humid areas.. let me know

Jenn

My icing is the same way. I use real buttercream as well (no powdered sugar) I find that the imbc that I've been using works a little better. I do put mine in the fridge, but only for a few minutes. The recipe I'm currently using is a moussline buttercream (the cake bible). It still melts if it is out too long (but once it's in the cake it's good), I also have been using a cold paper towel between my hot hands and my bag.

Hope that helps!

Are you using real butter in your buttercream? For me, the butter tends to warm up a whole lot faster than if you used only shortening. Even the shortening will warm up from the heat in your hands, but it will last a little longer. Try using all shortening and add a butter extract, at least for the icing you are piping with. But still use your buttercream to ice the whole cake.

I have not yet used real buttercream, but I watched a couple of showes were they specifically talked about it.

a few things to remember.

1. Work in a cool place no warm drafts.

2. Have a bowl of iced water next to you so you can dip your hands in it, then dry and pick up your bag again. Your hands warm up so fast. As I watched this lady work, she would do about 1/4 - 1/3 of the piping on the border and she would cool her hands and continue.
She even said that is a down side to Real ButterCream

3. Keep your icing cool, either in the fridge or over a bowl or ice. (I have found for cooling stuff that the blue packs of ice that you can hold are best. They are used in the medical industry and stay cold a long time. I have several of them. (I make chocolates.)

Anyhow, those are the tips I got from this show it was on PBS a few weeks ago in our area.

Here is a web site I found so you know what I mean:
http://www.massagewarehouse.com/category~menu~104203301~cat~104203301.asp

I have some of the flexgels and they work great. I have another brand also but could not find them.
There are also the sheets of mini packs of ice you get from Linnen's and things or Bed Bath and Beyond.

Good Luck.

Start by preparing two bags of frosting.

When the 1st get too hot, put it in the fridge for a while and switch to the 2nd bag. Repeat alternating bags as necessary.

Having "hot hands" is not an uncommon problem.

Being critical of our own decorating seems to be universal. However, the recipients are usually very happy with the results of our labor and never seem to see the mistakes.

Who are we to disagree.