Not a major catastrophe, but I just had a hard time with icing my cake tonight. Really, I have been doing cakes for almost 2 years now and icing a cake still causes me such frustration. I hated how my icing looked and so I decided I had to remove it and start over. My top layer of my cake cracked and so I ended up baking a whole new layer. UGH! I will finish the cake tomorrow morning now. I was hoping to have it done by now.

My wonderful husband went out to the store for me at 10 p.m. and bought me some ingredients since I was out. Thank goodness for him!

I don't know what I can do to get better at icing a cake. I can never seem to get it smooth. I even use the Viva method but often my icing cracks and looks bad when it dries. Maybe I am using too much icing, I often put a lot on. I even watch tutorials on-line and it is never that easy for me.

Anyhow, just needed to vent.

I can sympathize with you....

Have you ever thought of ordering Sugarshack's perfecting the art of buttercream video? It might help you out.....

Also, I've read somewhere here before that some people use a small amount of vinegar in there icing to help with the cracking (I haven't used it myself yet but I though I'd mention it to you).

i feel your pain. I can get icing smooth, but it takes me a while. I've spent upwards of 45 mins getting everything smooth, only to smack the side of the cake with something and start over, which is what I did tonight. I wanted to have my double drop string border done tonight, but I havent even colored the icing for it yet. Oh well, time to sleep, Christmas shopping to do in the morning.

Icing the cake is my LEAST favorite part of decorating. But it is something that has to be done! (picutre a cake with no icing except for decorations!) I will find any trick I can to make this part as painless as possible. I actually found that using the very large wilton tip (it's flat on one side serated on the other)can't tell you the number as my neighbour has it right now.... Anyway.... I use a large bage and with the serated side against the cake I go to town. It's so fast and will be mostly uniform in thickness. then i use my handy dandy drywall spreader (technical term ) And I get great results with less fussiness. HTH

Are you using butter in your recipe? It helps with soothing it more than just crisco. Make sure its thin enough or if will be hard to work with.
God luck

I so feel your pain. I suffer from this every time I do a cake. I'll get one side very nice and then move on to the other and mess up the side I was just pleased with or I can't get my top edging right. Just wanted to say, feel your pain... I haven't tried the roller method yet, just because every time I get a roller my friend steals it to paint with. Oh well.... Better luck coming your way (and mine) I hope....

It sounds like your icing may be to thick...... try thinning it a little.....

Thanks everyone. I think I am going to buy Sugarshack's DVD. I have heard so many people say it is wonderful.

I will also thin my icing more next time. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

I do a 50/50 butter and crisco buttercream, and I noticed that the new no-trans fat crisco was cracking a lot more than the old formula. People on CC had suggested using the store-brand shortening that still has trans fat in it, so I started buying that instead, and the problem went away. Maybe that would help. I don't think it matters what brand you use, as long as it has trans fat in it.

You can also get a high density foam roller from home depot to smooth out your cake. After using the dry wall spreader then you go over it with the roller after the icing as set for about 15 minutes. (boy do you have to do a lot of waiting in cake decorating!! LOL)
Jen...

yes.. it's the transfat in the crisco. I buy the wal-mart Great value brand that still has the bad fat. LOL I mean seriously.. they're eating an inch of buttercream in every bite.. do they really need to be concerned about the transfat?

yes.. it's the lack of transfat in the crisco. I buy the wal-mart Great value brand that still has the bad fat. LOL I mean seriously.. they're eating an inch of buttercream in every bite.. do they really need to be concerned about the transfat?

I agree that it sounds like your icing is too thick. And I never even noticed a formula change in the Crisco when it went to trans-fat.

I wish I had this cracking problem, mine is the oposite. Mine never seems to crust. Could it be my recipe? I use a crisco/margarine mix that I was taught at my cake class by the local bakery. Also I was taught to smooth the cakes, I need to boil water and keep dipping my cake knike into it,whipe it off and smooth the icing , but after refridgerating it I get discoloration or tiny moisture marks no mater how dry my knife is when I do it. Could this be a resault of the heat from the knife does any one know?

static, crusting is a result of the fat/sugar ratio. How much butter/crisco and how much sugar are you using?

Try some high ratio shortening...Another thing is, make sure your board is sturdy, cause a soft board will make the icing crack..
Edna

Sorry it was rough for you! Sometimes you just have one of those days...Hope it gets better!

I use 3 cups crisco or kovo (covo )not sure how to spell it, and 1 cup margarine. I am certainly willint to try a new recipe though. Any I deas of which version of buttercream is best?

it sounds liek you might need more fat in your recipe. if it is excessivwly dry and cracky. If you can get hi ratioo I recommend it. I also am not sure how margarine will affect things as it has a high water content, possibly affecting the crusting?