I might be a BC convert! I hated it, couldn't smooth it, looked sloppy. I got Sugar Shack's DVDs for my birthday in June, of course looked at them right away, but didn't do anything with them...until yesterday. I finally whipped up a batch of my fav BC and really took the time to follow her directions and ice a cake dummy I had sitting around. Success! It's not perfect, especially after I stuck my finger in the side, but it is waaaay better than the last time I tried to ice a cake in BC and I wouldn't be embarrassed to put my name on it. Of course I'll still use my fondant on cookies and for decorations, but I think I might break into the world of BC iced cakes. 
Michelle, I am there with you.
I have JUST now started to use bc as a base on my cakes. I am in love with Serious_Cakes bc recipe. It is the best tasting, not so sweet (but it is sweet, it is BC!) icing. It's texture is great!
I am still and will continue using fondant for decorations and cookies ( I use Jennifer Dontz's and Michelle Foster's recipes. They are both hits with everyone) I also have used, but it is greasy, rolled BC.
Oh, and thanks to Serious, yet again, candy clay is fab for decorations. It is a little easier to mold with because it holds shape better. I think that I will start using it for all of my 3d figures. I had read before that it was hard to color (that is why I hadn't tried it before) but, I have colored the white chocolate much easier than fondant. Wahoo, I love this form of art! 
You know, I've stayed away from lots of the really cool cakes, because of the figures. So candy clay is better huh??
What is it? What's the dif?? Tell!!!! Tell!!! I want to make a "holiday" cake with penguins... but I have NO interest in even trying fondant because I think it's yucky.
I was glancing through these books I got last night and what struck me is how real the flowers look. Its not just about the bud or bloom... it's about the whole flower, stem, leaf... everything.
Leftover buttercream will thaw on the counter tonight... samples will begin tomorrow!!
Candy clay is candy melts or chocolate that's been melted, then you sitr in some corn syrup. You allow it to cool and harden then you can knead it. Here's a video of me making it:
I also made some butterflies last night with the candy clay. Nothing too crazy, it's for a 6 yr olds bday and her mom told me she liked pink and purple. I brushed them with some pearl dust and they turned out pretty good.
Not that I am an expert by any means, but I love making figures. I am used to working with a gumpaste/fondant mixture. I don't see many people walking around chomping on a cake topper or decoration, so I don't worry so much about the taste! (Now, kids cakes are the exception. They will eat anything that has sugar in it) But, I like the ability to add a personality of your own to each character. I can do just about any animal and lots of babies, but adults (their clothing really gets me) are another story.
Just this week I have discovered candy clay. I followed the recipe on Serious_Cakes' you tube video. I used Wilton's candy melts and decreased the corn syrup by two tsp. As for the candy clay as compared, the taste is great! And, after it is kneaded (kind of a pain), it is easy to mold with. I think that you should try the penguins. You could even pick up some black candy melts right now, out with the halloween goodies. That would even save you a step from coloring the clay. Try it, you will fall in love with it. My hope is to one day be as good at modeling as Aine2.
vstar_pilot-lol, I'm the same way!! See it, need it, gotta have it! It has lessened over the last year, now I tend to obsess about the things I can't find-like the purple scraper I use in my videos. I bought the original at Target and haven't been able to find it since. I found the company's website imprinted into scraper so I sent them a message. They only ship those by bulk-in quantities of 500 
I know there's other scrapers out there but this one was PERFECT!! 
Is the purple scraper plastic? What is it that you liked about it? What are the notches for?
Maybe I can help you find a source where you could buy less than 500...like maybe two!
Ah that would be awesome! Here's the actual product:
http://lidcoproducts.com/Big_Blade_Removal_Tool.cfm
It is a hard plastic scraper. Looks kind of like a razor that you'd put in an old fashioned razor holder. One reason I like it is because it's so light, I have a heavy hand when it comes to smoothing and need the lighter plastic to keep from squishing the frosting. The other reason is that gives me a perfect 90 degree angle with the side of the cake and the board because it's shaped like a rectangle. Does that make sense? I never realized until I watched my videos but I tend to tilt my scrapers so I would have more frosting around the bottom of the cake than around the top. With that purple scraper all I have to do it slide it around the cake with the bottom of the razor completely flush with the board and I get perfectly straight sides on my cake.
I think I found it! Yay me! $3.95 each
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Happy Friday!
It's *almost* the same, the one I have is rigid plastic, it looks like the one in that picture is flexible. I wonder if they have both kinds? I'll check it out, thank you so much Kim!!
Duh, I just read their description, it says strong plastic. I'm going to send them a message anyway just to make sure 
I have just finished reading all 25 pages for the forum everything you need to know about buttercream but I am not finding an answer for my problems. Help I am having alot of problems with my buttercream. First of all I am in a high humidity environment. Second of all I can only purchase Crisco from my local store. I know that I can purchase hi-ratio online but the cost of shipping it would be way too much. With that does anybody have any suggestions of what to do since Crisco changed it's formula? Also the crusting buttercream that I use seems gummy/sticky. I have tried adding more water but it just doesn't work right! Can anybody help me please Sorry I had a cake to do today and I am really frustrated.TIA
Hey Cakeandpartygirl - you sound like I did a few weeks back. I have tried a few really good bc recipes, and a TON of really bad ones. It sounds like you need a new recipe.
I, too, use the regular old Crisco and live in a highly humid area (hello poofy hair 
)
These are the ones that I think that you should try... (they are all here on CC, and you might not even need a trip to the store 
)
Serious_Cakes buttercream (she has a you tube video with the recipe and how she makes it - search for seriouscakes and you will find her)
This recipe is fabulous tasting and has a great texture. Don't know how it holds up outside yet, but I will soon find out.!
Indydebi's Crisco bc - have used it, tastes good (very sweet), holds up great in humidity and crusts beautifully. I don't think that it was quite as smooth as serious' recipe, but a close call!
Sugarshack's BC - only made it once, but it was good and crusts great. She uses hi-ratio, but I subbed crisco. I just was searching for the PERFECT icing for me, not quite it. But, other CC member SWEAR by this recipe.
We have some very talented members, and lots of great recipes. Just keep trying until you find one that suits your needs. As for the cake to do today, go for Serious' recipe. It uses things you usually have on hand and it is delicious! Then experiment with others.
HTH - Happy Baking!!
All of the above and one more thing, adding liquid will not make the frosting less sticky, it will only add to the problem. Try adding less liquid, particularly for my recipe at the end you'll probably need less if it's hot and humid out.
As for Crisco, they changed their formula back in January 2007 so I'd be surprised if anyone even has the old formula anymore. I personally have been using the new Crisco ever since I started caking and the only times I have a problem is when I add too much liquid.
Hope this helps
Sorry I didn't reply sooner, I'm caking too today
I'd say it probably won't mess with the crusting, just keep an eye on your consistency once all the sugar is in, you might not need any more liquid. And flavored creamer is sweetened right? Might need a pinch of salt too
Cakeandpartygirl... I'm going to recommend trying the recipe that Serious Cakes has on her youtube video. I don't have it in front of me, but search youtube for Serious Cakes and you'll find it.
I live on Guam, we have SERIOUS humidity issues and this icing works excellent for me. It crusts literally in no time! And best of all, it tastes delicious! I haven't tried it outside, but I suspect it would stand up pretty well. It also does not seem to have any issues with the "new" Crisco.
Thanks Seriouscakes and Mandifrye for the suggestions. I am going to be giving it a try next week.
Oh one more thing. How can you get the square cakes corners more perfect? I have such a hard time with them. I am thinking about not offering it anymore.
I prefer square cakes because I think they're easier!
Here's a thread with 4 step by step pics on how I do corners:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-5396443-.html#5396443
Thank You Thank you Thank you. I will give it another try!!!!!
I also have a video showing how I do it:
It's a technique I learned on here
Serious_Cakes.. Great video! Whats that smoother you used with the notches in each end and in the middle ? I think it was purple ? And where do you get it ? Thanks !
lol-if you scroll up we were just talking about it! I bought it at a local Target but now I cannot find it anywhere (we have about 4 Targets in our area, you'd think one of them would have it!). I have contacted the company that makes them and they say you can only buy them in bulk units of 500. Kim_in_CajunCountry was able to find another place that sold them (thanks again Kim!!) and I've contacted them to see if it's the same thing, still waiting for a reply. I'll let you guys know when they do write back
Okay - it is official, I had a terrible bc weekend! First, I decided to use Serious_Cakes' recipe but made some adaptions (we talked about it earlier in this post)! The icing DIDN'T crust! So, I couldn't use the Viva method, and I suck at the hot spatula trick. The color seperated and it was just a mess! It was also too late for me to do anything with it. Luckily, it was a cake that had lots of decorations to attempt to hide the horrible icing job. Candy clay and fondant decorations adorned this ugly cake, but it turned out cute even with the yucky icing. However, I forgot to take a picture before I gave it to the birthday girl!
Then, I was working on a purse cake (also discussed previously) and I apparently did something wrong and it collapsed! It got a spatula stuck into the middle of it, instead of an attempted repair. I was very upset! 
Finally, my dad's beer cake, well, it was half completed. The cake inside was a mudslide cake (with Vodka and Kaluha) and was delish, but the outside was just choc buttercream. I ran out of time before I finished the bucket. I put the ice on the top and over the cake board, and off we went.
Never again, will attempt three cakes due on the same day. There is just not enough of me for that! Oh well, we learn from our mistakes.
Sorry so long, just needed to vent! 
mandifrye-Wow! I'm sorry it was such a rough weekend for you! I've had caking times like that, and when it rains it pours, one thing after another will go wrong. I have 2 cakes I did back in July that almost made me cry. I don't have them posted on here because I was so disgusted but maybe this will help.....
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