Buttercream 911

Decorating By MandaBrizown Updated 23 Mar 2009 , 2:28pm by tlc345

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MandaBrizown Posted 12 Mar 2009 , 4:04am
post #1 of 10

Alrighty CC'ers I need some help. I have many problems with my buttercream and I seriously don't know what I am doing wrong. A great example of this a cake recently did for a crawfish boil.

I frosted it and took it to the venue the night before. On the way there I hit a pretty big hole and I knew the cake shifted. When I got it there the icing was already super crusty and looked all cracked as you can see in the picture. However when I touched the cake to sort put it back in place my hand was covered in crisco.
Why is my buttercream crusting so much?

Why does it crust up before I can use a decorating comb on it?

Also if I pipe with black icing does it bleed onto the white cake?

I NEED HELP! icon_cry.gif Thanks for all the love!

9 replies
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sadsmile Posted 12 Mar 2009 , 10:29pm
post #2 of 10

sounds like humidity and heat may be the culprit here. Try finding stabilizer for bc. Usually a powder you can add in with your ps and it helps keep things together. Meringue powder also works. Kitchen Kraft sells both. If you can't do anything else... you can always buy one can of wilton's deco white and add it into your bc and it has stabilizer in it and should help in a pinch.

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tlc345 Posted 17 Mar 2009 , 4:10pm
post #3 of 10

It sounds like too much shortening... I live on the Texas Gulf Coast and have never had a problem with my buttercream recipe, however, since I don't know your recipe, maybe you can try this instead. You can find it on makeacakehouston.com:

Grandma Schwartz's Flour Icing is great for our hot Texas summers as it holds up very well in the heat.

6 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook flour and water over medium to low heat until it starts to become transparent. Cool the mixture for two hours. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add flour mixture and vanilla. Beat until white and fluffy.

Hope this helps.

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butterscotch8654 Posted 18 Mar 2009 , 5:50pm
post #4 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlc345


Grandma Schwartz's Flour Icing is great for our hot Texas summers as it holds up very well in the heat.

6 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook flour and water over medium to low heat until it starts to become transparent. Cool the mixture for two hours. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add flour mixture and vanilla. Beat until white and fluffy.

How does this icing taste?

Hope this helps.


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tlc345 Posted 18 Mar 2009 , 5:57pm
post #5 of 10

Like buttercream really, without the grease. A little stiffer consistency, so you may need to add 1/2 tsp of water or cream or milk (anything wet) until you get the consistency you desire. Really, no flour taste, it just acts as a stabilizer.

If you want white icing, be sure to use butter without dyes and clear vanilla extract. You can also use almond extract as well.

TLC

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butterscotch8654 Posted 18 Mar 2009 , 6:03pm
post #6 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlc345

Like buttercream really, without the grease. A little stiffer consistency, so you may need to add 1/2 tsp of water or cream or milk (anything wet) until you get the consistency you desire. Really, no flour taste, it just acts as a stabilizer.

If you want white icing, be sure to use butter without dyes and clear vanilla extract. You can also use almond extract as well.

TLC




Thanks- that is what I was wondering how the flour played out in this. thumbs_up.gif

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JenniferMI Posted 22 Mar 2009 , 12:47pm
post #7 of 10

If you are using the new no-transfat crisco, it could be that. People have had lots of issues with the new crisco. I use a combination of crisco and sweetex which seems to be working great for me. If you want to try a new recipe, e-mail me, I'm happy to share it.

Jen icon_smile.gif

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Chiara Posted 22 Mar 2009 , 1:00pm
post #8 of 10

Yes, black will eventually bleed into white. All strong colours will bleed. No one has come up with a solution for that yet in butter cream.
Good luck

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ChristaPaloma Posted 22 Mar 2009 , 1:12pm
post #9 of 10
Quote:
Quote:

Grandma Schwartz's Flour Icing is great for our hot Texas summers as it holds up very well in the heat.

6 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook flour and water over medium to low heat until it starts to become transparent. Cool the mixture for two hours. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add flour mixture and vanilla. Beat until white and fluffy.




That's granulated white sugar, right?
(Not icing sugar?)

Thanks in advance of reply, -cp

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tlc345 Posted 23 Mar 2009 , 2:28pm
post #10 of 10

Yes, granulated. Sorry it was not obvious. Good luck.

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