Okay, I iced my second cake last night and it was very much improved over #1, for which I'm very pleased. My consistency was a billion times better, I used a cake icer and a hot spatula to smooth, followed by viva and a fondant smoother and I was impressed with how much more smooth it got compared to last time.

However, there were a couple things I'm stumped on as to how to fix/improve and I'm hoping you all would have some suggestions for me.

1)By BC was gritty. I used this recipe (found it on here but did not make a note as to it's author sorry!!! ::::::::::6C confectioners sugar, 3/4C Crisco, 1/2C water, 1/3C Non Dairy powdered coffee creamer, 1tsp Butter Flavor, 1tsp vanilla extract , 1/2tsp salt::::::Mix and beat for about 5 minutes. Tastes great and is white. Won't crust thick. Holds good. Tastes buttery, and does not need refrigeration

2)I am only making teeney 2 layer cakes right now because I'm just trying to make my mistakes now but my top layer keeps sliding around (yes I iced between the layers) when I smooth the sides. I seem to not notice until I've let the BC crust and then I don't want to just start over So I'm left with a a pretty funny looking cake. How do I stop this slipping/sliding????

3)I'm not sure if this is related to my sliding top layer but no matter how smooth I've been able to get it, my icing sort of pools around the bottom of the cake in a funky slope downwards. It looks pretty sad lol. Could this be me not holding my spatula perpendicular to the turntable?

I'm sorry I don't have a pic of my atrocity lol but I'm hoping y'all have heard of these problems before so many times that you know excactly what I'm talking about w/o one!!! Any tips????

Your icing might be too thin if your layers are sliding and the icing is pooling. Sugarshacks recipe is the perfect consistency for icing cakes. Other recipes I find I have to play with the consistency.
It's just trial and error - what works for one doesn't always work for someone else.

Sometimes icing teeny cakes is more difficult than 8" cakes, maybe you should try a larger cake, and icing shouldn't be gritty. I sift my P.sugar and use good quality shortening.
I have never tried sugarshack's icing something about an all shortening icing just sounds too greasy maybe I'm wrong perhaps I should give it a try!

I've been using wilton buttercream recipe and I find the consistency perfect for icing, piping etc.

1/2 cup water sounds like too much to me...perhaps try 4 Tablespoons water, 1 c. shortning, and whip a little longer?

for 6 c. powdered sugar, I use 1T. butter extract, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. almond extract, 1 1/2 c. shortening, and 3/4 tsp salt dissolved in 3 T water.

For the crumb coat, I take out a bit of the BC and add water to it to thin it out. (2 tsp water to 1 cup frosting)

Re grittyness...If using a hand mixer, you may need to mix longer than with a stand mixer. If still a problem. make in advance and let it sit overnight before using it, the powdered suger will be more absorbed.

Hope this helps...
Deb