Can you use buttercream to frost the whole cake? That might be a crazy question, but in are Wilton class we just used store bought icing. Then decorated with BC. We were told never frost with BC because it will crack. If you can use BC, is there something you do to it before using it? Thin it out???

Yes.............all of my cakes are iced in all BC, as well as a huge percentage of people on this site..........use a good crusting BC recipe (there are many on this site)..........that's strange that an instructor told you to never ice with BC..............

I exclusively use BC to ice ALL of my cakes.

That's got to be the dumbest advice I ever heard! I'm a 100% BC decorator and I've iced cakes in my homemade BC for 25 years.

They are obviously trying to sell you more of their product or the instructor you had didn't know how to work with BC very well.

Never ice with BC? Now, that's a 1st! I've never heard of BC cracking, either.

Yes, you CAN ice the entire cake with BC! The Wilton canned icing is okay for practice, but to me it's way too sweet and definately not as good as homemade BC.

I too use BC exclusively for icing my cakes. I think that's a very strange remark coming from an instructor. The only thing I use fondant and royal icing for are imbelishments and haven't been using fondant for very long.

Count me as one who uses BC exclusively. Haven't yet tried fondant....but will be this weekend.

What a strange comment! But I've never taken classes either.

Toni Ann

Ice the cake with a thin consistency Buttercream. You want it to crust over after you have iced the cake so you can smooth it.

what would be a good crusting buttercream receipe if the cake is in the heat???

Ridiculous. Like everyone else, buttercream is the base of every decorated cake I do.

Yummy!

2 lb p. sugar
1-1/3 cups crisco
2-3 Tbsp clear vanilla
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk, for desired consistency
3 tbsp powdered dream whip

I've used this recipe for 20+ years. My cakes have sat outside for 5 hours in 90+ degree heat with super high humidity (the thunderstorm broke 15 minutes after I had left for the night, after the cake had been cut and everything). No melting.

remove dupl post

I, too, am a BC user...completely.

I've heard of the BC "cracking" because it's happened to me. My BC use to "crack" after the crusting process, I would left up the cake to move it and would see lines that looked like crackes on the cake. I was reading on another site...notice others having the very some problem.. the solution.. to put 1-2 drops of white vingar in the BC while mixing.. and guess what..IT WORKED! It doesn't change the flavor because you are using very little vingar.

Awesome tip with the vinegar...

I am jaw dropped at this instructor! Find someone else to take the class from and quick!

I took a Wilton class and the instructor made us make buttercream for every class. We used the recipes found in the Course I book.

Just wanted to ad that the support plate for the cake is very important to prevent cracking. Make sure you have a strong support for the cake, or when you pick the cake up it will flex and you will get cracks.

awww poor novice instructor who doesn't yet know of cc. it's funny how everyone is gawlled by her advice, don't get me wrong i'm with everyone on this one i use buttercream on my cakes (cream cheese bc, chocolate, flavored) it's my frosting of choice. maybe she should be enlightened by the wonders of cake central. oh well just take all of everyone's advice, yes you can frost in bc and homemade is better than store bought.

indydebi- what is powdered dream whip? and where can i get it?

and would i have to use the crisco that has trans fat in it?

wow good to know. thank you for that information! =)

but dont' add the milk and turn it into whipped cream before you add it into the icing. Just 3 tbsps of the powder form.

I almost wonder if she meant never to frost with RI? (Royal Icing)...I could see only decorating with that....

When I first started decorating I would tend to have hairline cracks on my cakes after the icing crusted. My instructor (a good Wilton one!) told me to put some corn syrup in the icing for elasticity. Now I just put a "glug" into mine and I never have that problem.

Thanks everyone for the good advice! I will use all BC from now on! I also wanted to add that the instructor was very nice and I learned alot about decorating cakes. We brought our cakes already frosted to class and she focused on teaching us decorating techniques. I can make great roses, borders, etc. The other stuff, I'm learning from CC! Thanks again and I'm so glad I found this site!!!!!

The crack happens when you don't have enough support under your cakes..........double boards, foamcore, Tuff boards.........whatever your choice.........if the cake flexes underneath the icing from lack of support, it will crack the icing...........

I have experienced cracking before with BC. But it only happens after I take a cake out of the refridgerator and immediately go outside in the heat with it, without letting it sit at room temperature for a while.

From where can I find powdered Dream whip??

Walmart.
Aisle 8.
Next to the Jello and above the marshmellows.
Top shelf.
Blue and white box.

(I am in this store WAY too much! )