Buttercream Question

Baking By tator32 Updated 20 Nov 2009 , 12:25pm by Steelgoddess

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tator32 Posted 27 Oct 2009 , 1:36pm
post #1 of 11

What else can I use to thin my buttercream besides milk? Letting a cake with milk in the frosting sit out very long makes me nervous!

10 replies
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snocilla Posted 27 Oct 2009 , 1:54pm
post #2 of 11

I usually just use water... I just put in a few drops at a time until I get the right consistency.

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auntiecake Posted 27 Oct 2009 , 1:55pm
post #3 of 11

water

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indydebi Posted 27 Oct 2009 , 2:34pm
post #4 of 11

something should make you nervous based on facts, not just how you "feel". Sugar is a stablizer, reducing the water activity that causes spoiling. Scientifically, the sugar and milk stablize each other. This has nothing to do with how I "feel" about it ..... it's a scientific fact and this is how it works.

I use milk in my icing. I store my icing on the counter. It's fine.

You CAN use water to thin your icing. I personally dont' prefer that. Reminds me of my mom mixing water and powdered sugar (and that's ALL she mixed together) to make the crappiest tasting icing in the world.

our mothers and grandmothers had cakes sitting on the counter for days and it held up fine, even those covered with icing made with milk and butter. I often wonder how we went backwards in our thinking on some of this stuff. icon_confused.gif

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JanH Posted 27 Oct 2009 , 2:40pm
post #5 of 11

Sugar is hygroscopic (water absorbing) so it controls the water activity of liquid ingredients used in your American b/c recipe. (Will only work when amount of liquid is small and amount of sugar is large.)

Water activity & microbial growth:
(Prolonging Bakery Product Life.)

http://tinyurl.com/6fbkcz

WJ Scott in 1953 first established that it was water activity, not water content that correlated with bacterial growth:

http://tinyurl.com/bmsato

Formulating for increased shelf life:
(Decreasing water activity results in hostile environment for bacteria.)

http://tinyurl.com/csu2b9

HTH

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auntiecake Posted 28 Oct 2009 , 10:24pm
post #6 of 11

No one said that water was the only other ingredient used in the icing. My customers love my icing and I do use water instead of milk. I used to use milk, but like this recipe better. Everyone has there own way and opinions and that doesn't mean they are wrong if they don't do it the way you think they should. Milk has it place also. Thinning down icing works fine w/water. It takes such a small amount. I have been doing it for over 40 years and it seems to work fine, so I don't know.

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indydebi Posted 29 Oct 2009 , 12:12am
post #7 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by auntiecake

No one said that water was the only other ingredient used in the icing.


You're right and I didnt' either. I just said it REMINDED me of how my MOM used to make it ..... you know how you get a bad image/taste from your youth and it scars you for life? This is one of them for me. icon_lol.gif

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rozdei Posted 15 Nov 2009 , 4:10am
post #8 of 11

Does anyone know how long BCD can be kept in the fridge?

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3GCakes Posted 15 Nov 2009 , 4:54am
post #9 of 11

You can use corn syrup also.

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suzied Posted 16 Nov 2009 , 4:05am
post #10 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by rozdei

Does anyone know how long BCD can be kept in the fridge?


Are you referring to Butter Cream Icing? If so 2 weeks recommended. I have used it even after 3 weeks

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Steelgoddess Posted 20 Nov 2009 , 12:25pm
post #11 of 11

This is a useful post as I too was a bit concerned about using milk especially for young children as I thought it might go off, i didnt know that about the sugar etc...

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