I just made a cake for my cousin and it turned out good. She was very happy with it. I used the recipe my Wilton class instructor gave me for buttercream which is a crusting buttercream for the whole cake. I was wondering though if doing trim would be better in none crusting? When i cut the cake the piping lines cracked and were brittle and i didnt like that. The baby's smash cake had also crusting and wasn't very messy and gooeywhen she dug in. The little girl picked the bits up and ate them but i think her mom was a little disappointed in the lack of icing mess.

Is there a way to have a lighter crusting for decorations that will still hold shape?

Crusting is a direct ratio of fat to sugar.....more fat, less crusting.

Ok...I'm a mom who would be THRILLED at less mess! I'm a grandmother, so I've been thru my share of "first birthdays". If you want a ooey-gooey messy baby, then use chocolate icing. It's the only way to guarantee those pictures that your child will hate when he/she grows up.

Ok so my teacher's 1/2 the crisco idea is what makes the icing crusty?

reduce the fat .... increase the crusting. Increase the fat, reduce the crusting. IT's an inverse ratio.

Crust/No Crust and Why:

http://tinyurl.com/ywtr3e
(From Sarah Phillips of baking911.com.)

How to make Tami's b/c NOT crust:

http://tinyurl.com/2hdzss
(From Sarah Phillips of baking911.com.)

HTH

Thanks for the links but I can't view recipes there without paying.

The topic of crusting was brought up - the link was a more scientific explantion of how/why this happens.

Tami's b/c was given as an example of how using cream instead of water could alter a b/c from crusting to NON-crusting.

(FREE) Icing recipes from Sarah Phillips Baking911.com:

http://tinyurl.com/ygug3u

Sarah Phillips does have step-by-step lessons for making various cakes, etc. for which there is a charge.

However, most of the site is free, although registration is now required to access some portions.

HTH