Hi everyone...I am a newbie with lots of questions. But let me start off with the one I have most recently encountered. I put a BC crumb coat on my cake then put it in the fridge for an hour. Took the cake out, put the next layer of icing on and back in the fridge the cake went. I pulled it out two hours later to add some BC pumpkins and vines. As I am doing this, I notice that the layer of icing started getting soft and shiny. The cake was under my kitchen light...but I have a small table with little room to work. Any ideas or tips to keep my BC layer from doing this? TIA

It sounds to me like is condensation from taking it out of the fridge. Depending on your buttercream, it probably doesnt need to be refriderated and that might help. Buttercream can me different consistencies, depend on how much liquid it has in it. It could be that you have a medium consistency or a thin instead of a firm frosting. No matter what consistency it is, when you put it in the fridge it will become firmer because the butter and shortening are hardening. If your house is around 70 degrees the frosting should not melt, but it will begin to soften to the same consistency as when you iced the cake.

It sounds to me like is condensation from taking it out of the fridge. Depending on your buttercream, it probably doesnt need to be refriderated and that might help. Buttercream can me different consistencies, depend on how much liquid it has in it. It could be that you have a medium consistency or a thin instead of a firm frosting. No matter what consistency it is, when you put it in the fridge it will become firmer because the butter and shortening are hardening. If your house is around 70 degrees the frosting should not melt, but it will begin to soften to the same consistency as when you iced the cake.

Please clarify what is going on with your cake. Your subject line said "melting", which had me envisioning icing running off the cake and plopping onto the floor. your post said it was getting "soft and shiny", which is kinda normal after you take a cake out of the 'frig.

I use a crisco-only recipe and I dont' refrigerate at all. That recipe can set out on the counter for days.

"Newbie with a capital "N"" - hahahahaha!!!!

anything that 'hardens' while in the 'frig or freezer will go thru somewhat of a melting process when it's removed. (Which is why I don't freeze my BC rose and let them air-dry instead. Frozen roses melt .... air dried roses stay firm.)

I would suggest next time to allow time for it to come to room temperature....this will give it time to "stablize" temp-wise and might make it easier to work with.