Can you smooth a crusting cream cheese icing as well as you can buttercream?

I wouldn't see why not...I hear Earlene's is a good one.

Edited to add...It's late, I'm tired and I have no experience with crusting cc so I really shouldn't have responded. Sorry!

I would love to hear responses to this.

I am to the point of not icing cakes with CC icing. (Only use as filling)

I have used so many recipes and can't really get a smooth finish.

So I am all ears! (Or eyes lol)

I'm interested in the feedback to this question too!

I use a crusting cream cheese with meringue powder in it. The recipe I use is listed here. I then smooth it with the melvira method.

Here are a few examples:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1123023

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1123083

You have to have a firm cream cheese icing for this.

Dee in AZ

Dee,

I can't believe you didn't give them the link...lol I bless the day that I found your recipe, and sing it's praises at every opportunity! It's the best cream cheese frosting every created for decorators!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-6817-Wedding---Crusting-Cream-Cheese-Frosting.html

Thank YOU!
Pat B.

It's 1:00 am and I couldn't sleep due to "cake on the brain", and here's the perfect thread for that cake! My standby CC icing calls for 1# butter, 1# PS and 1 pkg. CC. Can't for the life of me remember if it crusts, especially since it's always on a carrot cake that has a cover on it. Question for those who've used Dee's recipe: does this one have a good, recognizable cream cheese flavor? Does it work with all butter in stead of shortening? (ok, that's two questions) TIA

i found cream cheese is much more easier to smooth, than buttercream (i used all butter BC).

I too use all butter buttercream and find cream cheese buttercream very easy to smooth. I use white chocolate cream cheese buttercream and it works great

To me, it smooths just as easy as my regular BC. I just sub out some of the crisco with cream cheese. It crusts fine. I can still Melvira it.

mclaren & momma,

would you be willing to share your recipes?

and debi, how much to do sub for your recipe?

Thanks!
Amy

I like the Decorator's Cream Cheese Icing recipe here on CC:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-4153-Decorators-Cream-Cheese-Frosting.html

It tastes good and can defintely be smoothed well. I did this cake with it and smoothed with the paint roller method.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1163420

- Mindy

I don't know why, but it just seems "sticky" to me. I can't get it on smooth enough to even viva.

My regular bc is silky smooth and viva's great. Any tips?

TX!

Amy

I'm with you Amy.....I had a terrible time smoothing with cc icing. It was definitely sticky, and crusted fairly fast too, so smoothing well was out of the question for me. I'm surprised to see how many actually think it's easier than bc since a few weeks ago when I posted something about having so much trouble with cc icing, practically everyone agreed! The recipe I used did have butter in it and the taste was awesome, but I won't be using that one again for decorating with!

I use a butter/cream cheese buttercream recipe and I find it very easy to smooth. It is 1 stick butter 4oz. cream cheese 2 cups shortening 2lbs. powder sugar. This is what I always use and I love it.

Pat B,

Thanks for your kind words. I love that recipe for Crusting Cream Cheese....I originally used it for a wedding cake, but its requested all the time.

So yum, yummy.
dee