Hi, Thanks for looking... Curiosity, What is it that crust the Buttercream, Butter or Shortening? Thanks for your post. Have a Good one

Actually, the crust is formed due to the powdered sugar.

So, If you don't want a crust. What do you add to your Buttercream mix. I'm still learning.. Thank you...

I believe the "crusting" is from the egg whites or meringue powder. There are a number of recipes which don't have these ingredients in them.

bettinashoe, the egg whites/meringue powder does not cause the crusting, the powdered sugar/fat (butter, shortening or both) recipe will always crust.

miasuzzette, for a non-crusting buttercream, you need to make Italian Meringue Buttercream, Swiss Meringue Buttercream, French Buttercream, or German Buttercream.

Prterrell < I want to say Thank you for your information and time.

I saw where you indicated that in your post, prterrell and that makes sense. But...the meringue powder always seems to make a crust form. If you underbeat the icing or don't add enough meringue, it doesn't crust so that's what I always though the crust secret was.

Well, the Wilton icing has always crusted and they only recently started having the meringue powder in the recipe.

I think you're both right. The crusting is due to the ratio of sugar to fat. Usually, with a non-crusting "american" buttercream, you can add meringue powder, which will cause it to crust. Even though most American buttercream recipes are pretty much the same ingredients (PS, butter/shortening, water/milk, flavour), it depends on the ratio of sugar to fat. IThe higher the sugar content, the more likely your recipe will crust. If you want a non-crusting buttercream, add more butter/shortening.

mmmmm crusting icing, yummy!

I had to explain "crusting butter cream " to a non-caker the other day and you would of thought I told them the secret ingrediant was spit, they looked mortified to hear the words icing and crusted in reference to cake..lol

It definitely is the ratio of fat to sugar (sugar to fat?) NOT the meringue/egg whites
Wilton is in the business of *selling* so they want you to think that's what makes it crust.
The reason the Wilton recipe always crusts is because of the perfect ration of fat to sugar. Use more fat (be it shortening, butter, margarine or even lard) to keep it from crusting.
A great recipe is 2 cups butter; 2 pounds sugar; 2 Tablespoons flavoring will give you a nice, tasty, NON crusting b'cream.
Cut down by as little as 1/2c on the butter and it will crust slightly.
Try it for yourself and see.

Hi and Thanks for the posting. I like to hear the difference of opinion. My other question to kakeladi. Besides the flavoring, do you add milk or water? Or just as you wrote it down, I would like to try your recipe and thank you for posting.

Thank you

Indydebi is the queen of crusting buttercream! The Wilton recipe never crusted for me, meringue powder or not...maybe because of the humidity here. Anyhow, I never knew what crusting WAS until I tried Indydebi's recipe

Interesting and thanks for the correction. I never really tried a buttercream, crusting or non crusting. before I began decorating (I know it sounds silly but I'm not an icing person). If I made icing, it was the 7 minute boiled icing. When I took my first Wilton class I remember being told the meringue powder made the icing stiff so that's what I've always thought. I'm qiot using the meringue powder recipe a few months back and use an Italian buttercream now which doesn't crust but is so light and smooth that even I can eat it (which is unfortunate because it has one pound of butter in it). Maybe I should go back to meringue powder!