I have a customer who requested IMBC for one of her 2 cakes.I have made it once before but didn't decorate a cake with it..I have a few questions...

Since it is made primarily with butter will it melt faster at room temp?.I have visions of this soupy mess while I am trying to ice the cakes..Will my hands heat affect the icing quickly when I pipe?

I know it hardens quite fast in the fridge as I literally had to pry the icing out after I left it for a few hours...butter content I suspect...

I am doing a 10 inch square with the Giant cupcake on top...Does it travel well? It won't melt on me in 30 minutes will it...It is not hot here...LOL


Thanks in Advance for your answers.


Laurel

Yes, it will melt faster at room temp, but if you keep things cool, you shouldn't have any problem. Keep 2 bags handy for piping so that as one softens from your hands, you can switch it out.

I also keep my cakes in the fridge the whole time when I am not working on them.

I did a wedding cake in July where the bride wanted IMBC. (both are in my pics; the summer one has yellow flowers, and the winter one has pink roses) I had done her sister's cake in Dec., and had no problems in the cold weather, but in July, I was nervous. I actually made a 6" cake and decorated it exactly like the final cake. I started my car cooling about 15 minutes before, took the cake out of the fridge, drove it around like I was driving to the venue, came home, walked around outside with it (in case I had to walk a long way when I got there), then took it upstairs to the hottest room in my house and let it sit for the same time it would be sitting at the wedding. Since it held up OK, I went ahead and did the cake in IMBC, following the same routine, and everything was fine. (incidentally, since it was SO hot and humid here, the windows fogged up from being so cold inside the car!)

Good luck with yours, but I say go with it; just keep everything cool.

I've done it. Carried a cake on my lap for a one-hour trip, iced with italian meringue buttercream, in the heat of summer. It's a pretty stable buttercream because of the hot sugar that's been beaten on it, and it can stand the heat, but keep it away from the sun! The ears on my mickey mouse cake that were exposed to the sun started drooping a little.

Thanks ladies..One last question...

Does it take Americolor gels well?I need to have bright colors...Does it airbrush well?

Yes, it does take Americolor gels very well. That's the only buttercream I make and Americolor is all I have. For very bright colors I have used that special set of gels, the electric colors? The bright cupcakes in my photos were done with IMBC and Americolor electric colors.

I don't know about airbrushing.

i recently had issues trying to get a small portion IMBC to color black. i used both Americolor super black and Chefmaster black powder and got it to a dark purple before i gave up. i've heard IMBC is harder to bring to dark colors. otherwise, i love using IMBC.

Thanks Everyone!!! I appreciate the input!

I have such hot hands that I have an ice pack covered with a paper towel on the table. When I switch between bags I lay them on the ice pack and it keeps them from getting soupy.