Late last night I made a cherry blossom cake with BC, hand painted branches, and gumpaste/MMF flowers. It sat out overnight and in the course of about 6 hours, the flowers wilted/melted onto the BC and the painted branches bled. I mixed Wilton color with alcohol to paint, although I don't know if my proportion wasn't right, as I don't know how much alcohol to gel should be used.

FWIW, my BC didn't crust, so I had problems from the get-go with it (but it tasted awesome ). Was it my BC that caused the problem?

I would venture to say it was the BC - how did you paint on it if it didn't crust? (that would be hard to do!) Sorry it didn't work out right.

I had to stick the cake in the fridge and the freezer for a few minutes to harden the BC

Ahh, then my guess is that there may have been some condensation that formed which would cause the running. The extra moisture on the cake surface would cause the colors not to set up all the way and possibly run.

Was the bc supposed to crust?
It might b that as the cake came back to room temp, condensation formed, which will have made the paint run.
Also, it it wasn't a real crusting over - the crust was only due to refridgeation - then when it went back to uncrusted that could havre cause problems for the painting - and the flowers. If they are not 100% dry they will absorb mouisture mch more easily.
Like you say, at least it tasted great
xx

Thanks, ladies. Yes, it was supposed to crust, but I use meringue powder in it and I think I accidentally added too much and/or overbeat it.

Good point about the condensation. I hadn't even thought about that.

What was the recipe? Meringue powder or over beating shouldn't affect the crusting or not.

It was a modified Wilton BC--- 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup shortening, couple TBLS water, 1 TBLS meringue powder, 4 cups PS, flavoring

That recipe really should have crusted. Was your house really humid?

No. It usually is, but it hasn't been. I made two batche. The first batch I accidentally put in 3 TBSP of m. powder, so the second batch I didn't add any. But they were mixed with a beater after, so the only difference is the extra TBSP mp

Have you always used the half butter?

Crusting is based off the sugar to fat ratio. The more fat the slower it crust, the more sugar the faster. So if this recipe is being moody (I personally think the weather can affect it), use a little less fat or a little more sugar next time and see if that helps.

Meaning I should keep everything the same except either increase butter or decrease sugar, or do you mean use more butter as opposed to half butter/half shortening?

If it isn't crusting as much as you would like it too, reduce the fat (crisco/butter) or increase the sugar.

I'd subtract about 1/4 cup shortening or butter or add about a 1/2 cup to 1 cup powder sugar.

If you icing crusts after than you want it too, then I'd do the opposite.

Thanks You're so helpful!!

I try.

It could be something about the weather lately that has been effecting it, and it may go back to crusting just fine.

Okie dokie. I appreciate all your help.