Can anyone offer some advice as to how I can keep my icing from cracking after I put it on my cakes? I decorate in the evening, use the VIVA method to smooth my cakes, and often the next morning my icing will have small hairline cracks in it. By the time my cake it picked up, there are more cracks that weren't there before. Seems as the icing dries, it cracks.

I use -
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 stick of salted
2 lbs. of 10X sugar
vanilla
heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup of crisco

Any idea why this happens, or is cracking something that just can't be helped? My house is air conditioned, if that makes a difference.

I've noticed this happening too, especially since they changed the crisco formula to non-trans fat. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but it might. It also happens only to the cakes that I have that sit out at room temperature, the ones that are in the fridge don't get the cracks. Last week I had some that developed long cracks that went vertically up and down the sides of one tier. It was weird, I'd never seen that happen before.

I think that it does have something to do with the air in the house, since it doesn't happen to the refrigerated cakes.

Try adding a little more shortening (use about 1/2 cup to 3/4) to the frosting.

You might consider a non-crusting buttercream (such as a meringue-based), but bear in mind you won't be able to use the paper towel method to smooth it, of course.

I agree that more shortening is probably what is needed. I will try using more. Thanks everyone, for your help!

If that doesn't work, try a shortening WITH trans-fat and see how that works.

Another thing might be...is the board under your cake sturdy? I get cracks in my icing if the board isn't sturdy enough.