its a mystery to me! i dont understand why my buttercream (i use indydebi recipe) seems to have cracks in it?
does this happen to anyone else and what if anything can you do to fix it.
it makes the cake look old and not too appealing.
TIA

Most crusting buttercreams will "craze" much like you see in old china and such. Whenever you move the cake, it tweaks the board just a bit, thereby shifting the cake a bit and causing the cracks.

Double up on your board for the base and it will help with the problem. I've never been able to eliminate it completly. And because Murphey lives at my house the crack is normally right in the middle of the cake!

Use sturdier boards. I use foamcore for all of mine, and heavy cakes, bigger than a 10" round two layer, get two thicknesses of foamcore.

thanks for the replies. but im getting cracks without moving the cake.
after i frosted the cake and it sitting there they will start getting cracks.
i use very sturdy foam core -doubled and tripled if needed.
and its in random places. it drives me crazy. because it looks so smooth then these cracks appear.

Below is a link to an article on icing problems that addresses multiple reasons for cracks in icing. Hope it is helpful.

http://thesugarlane.com/cracks-in-your-icing/

I am sorry that yours is cracking, but mine does not. I have used indydebi's and had no problem. I have used buttercream dream(wonderful taste) and that doesn,t crack. I also have used wilton with the butter, shortening and i use whipping cream with that , and have no cracking issues. I hope that you get to the bottom of your problem. I also have used sugarshacks(sharon zambito)(wonderful taste) and no problem.

It could also be the frosting/icing recipe you're using. I use the Wilton butter cream for everything. Be sure to use the store brand shortening that HAS transfats in it...none of that trans fat free stuff. That's what helps keep it all together. I was told this by a Wilton instructor. You can find their buttercream recipe on their site. Super easy to make. Hope this helps.

i use indydebi receipe and walmart veg shortening. i gave up on crisco once i realize there is not transfat in it.
it goes on smoothly and i can smooth it really nice.
but once it sits it starts to these little cracks. and it just looks old and nasty. like the cake itself is old.
i guess ill have to keep playing around with it.
its just frustrating when you have a perfeclty smooth cake then it start to look old.
omg - its reminding me of my skin......once smooth now old with crack-ing lines.! hahahah oh god i must be tired because i find that funny and its really not.

Part of the popularity of my icing is that it works with zero trans fat crisco. I never even noticed when crisco changed their formula. So the "never use zero trans fat" advice strictly depends on the recipe you're using. Because it works fine with my recipe.

I would think your icing is too dry and it's over-crusting because I don't have cracking issues from a cake that just sits there. Try adding more milk or more crisco (more fat = less crusting). I'd try the milk, first.

so indydebi- should i go back to using crisco? i do add milk. i love the cosistancy and everything about your receipe. the taste is to die for! i literally can eat it from my mixing bowl.
i 'assumed' that crusting bc needed to have transfat so i switchd to walmart brand. but if you use crisco and dont have the cracking problems then i will definately try it.
and its not like the entire cake gets crack its in come areas. it doesnt affect any part of the cake other than it looks like an old cake. that you would see in a supermarket that has passed its sell by date if you know what i mean.

You're very welcome!

Thanks Khoudek -- that's a great link!!

so im feeling a test coming up. i have left over from this past weekend of cakes made with walmart brand shortening.
im gonna get crisco shortening and make it with that and see what happens.
like i said i absolutely love indydebi receipe just hating the cracks.
i hope it can get it to look indydebi cakes......that would be like stricking gold for me!![/img]