This is my first time writing in the forum, so I hope I do this correctly. I am new to cake decorating and am enjoying the site and everyone's cakes! Such inspiration!

Anyway, this Saturday I am making a Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese icing for our church Christmas Banquet. Would I use the Cream Cheese Icing as the filling or another cream cheese filling? What exactly is a crusting cream cheese icing? When would you use crusting and regular cream cheese icing? Does the cream cheese icing do well with piping, borders, decorations?

I hope my questions are clear. Basically any advice on cream cheese icings are great! Thanks!!!

Another question... how do I follow a post topic in the forums? I have never done forums before. Thanks!

I have used the crusting cream cheese icing and it smooths beautifully. I use the viva paper towel to smooth, so a crusting icing is needed. It gets a "crust" on it so you can smooth it with another method other than being a skilled caker with the spatula!! I use this icing for filling and frosting. I have had good luck adapting any cream cheese icing by adjusting the sugar quantity to get it stiff enough to hold piping.

To follow your topic, you need to set that up in your profile (you can get email alerts when you get an answer). To follow someone else's thread, if you look at the bottom of the postings, you will see "watch this topic for replies", just click on that. Hope this helps!!

And, welcome to CC.

That was very helpful! Thanks!

The cream cheese crusting recipe does borders and flowers. I have flavored it and colored it. Since red velvet crumbs are always a problem for me, I freeze the cake and ice it frozen, I slather a ton of icing on it and then smooth, once it is iced I let it sit until it thaws and crusts well, then I do my final smoothing. This is the only cake I freeze, I just can't stand those red crumbs. If I get the cake smoothed well on the first icing I just go ahead and decorate it, it always does fine, even if it is still slightly frozen. Welcome to CC. Janice