Hi guys,

So I am using Sugarshack's Buttercream for the first time. I'm making a tiered wedding cake for this weekend and made my icing today. This is the first time I've used this recipe and by the way love the taste. So I made the icing earlier. I did exactly what the recipe said and watched her video 100 times before starting. When I turned off the mixer the icing looked perfect. No air bubbles, the suctioning thing that happens had stopped and the icing was above the beater and filled the bowl just like she said. I then put a knife through the icing and it was like butter!! Beautiful and smooth! No bubbles! Here's where I'm guessing I may have screwed up... I only have one KA mixer and one mixing bowl that goes with it. So I had to transfer the icing the another container. Well actually 2 containers. I didn't have an airtight container big enough but had two. So I carefully spooned the icing into the containers and sealed them up. Then a few hours later after my cakes starting coming out of the oven and cooling, I started torting them and got ready to fill and crumbcoat. I opened the container of icing and CRAP!! AIR BUBBLES!! Its no longer smooth like butter. When I run a knife through it now its all hole-ly!! Anyone know of a way to save this? I can make it again I guess but really don't want to have to!! Plus I'm afraid maybe it would have happened anyway. Any help would be great. And especially if the Sugarshack lady is listening or anyone who has experience with this recipe could chime in, I'd appreciate it.

Julie

Just stir it manually with a big spoon, or slowly in a mixer with the paddle, and the bubbles will work themselves out. I don't do Sugarshack's exact recipe, but it always happens to me when I make hi-ratio frosting. It's beautiful and smooth right after I make it, but after it sits a few hours or overnight, it gets more holey than swiss cheese. A good slow stir with a wooden spoon will make it all better.

This problem is a huge mystery we have discussed here on CC before. Some folks have this problem and some do not. Some have the problem if they transfer the icing and some do not.

First of all, if you dump it all back in the mixer and re-mix, you should be able to get it smooth again.

We have never figured out exactly why it happens but here are a few things I have seen:

1) some brands of shortening are more prone to this. I personally find sweetex the least guilty of delayed air.

2) a bit more liquid during the making of the recipe might solve it

3) if the "vacuum" is not created in the bowl soon enough, air is being incorporated early on, and seems to reappear later. ( makes no logical sense I know.)

Also, the great thing about this icing is, even if it not totally airless, you can still get it perfectly smooth with the smoothing techniques (mine or what works for you.) It is a very forgiving icing that will work with you for a good period of time while you are smoothng it.

HTH!

Wow! Thanks so much. I private messaged you too so sorry if you read this about a million times. I didn't know how often you checked the forums!! I'm gonna re-beat and see what happens. Should I add more liquid now? Or is it too late for that?

Julie

How much liquid, total, did u use the first time.

And how soft/stiff was the icing after it cooled off?

Sharon, while I've got your attention. How much icing do you normally make say for a 4 tiered cake? (12, 10, 8, 6)? I'm thinking 2 batches will do it but maybe I'm really off... I used your 5 qt mixer recipe by the way.

you do not have enough liquid. my recipe calls for 16 TBS total. try that and see if that resolves it. I would make 3 batches, but I always have a good bit left over.

Hi

I wanted to put my two cents in on this. I also use Sharon's AMAZING BC. I too had soooooo many issues with air. Sharon worked with me very closely figuring out why. You know what my problem was......the amount of LIQUID. I had to increase my liquid to a total of 20 TBS. This is a cobination of the hot liquid and the flavoring.

This has made such a difference!!

HTH

Michael

I have had it happen occasionally when I make it the same every time. One of the things I've started doing is after the liquid and shortening are mixed and it's clinging to the sides of the bowl, it still looks like little balls of shortening aren't mixed in so I turn it up and let it mix a few more minutes. Then I add my PW, and so far, it has worked. I do make sure my liquid is really hot and let it mix until it looks as smooth as butter.

Hi all,
I too have experienced this air hole phenomenon! I use a different recipe but the story still sounds the same. If I were to use the icing immediately it would be perfect but most of the time I am making it in advance.

I make the buttercream and it is BEAUTIFUL, silky smooth, no air! I transfer to other containers sometimes but I do have extra bowls so sometimes I leave it....still have the air problems in both cases.

I would get so upset. I thought that it was just me!! I also probably over thought it all and chalked it up to something scientific like a certain ingredient fermenting and giving off gases....that is a cakers brain on over drive trying to analyze every problem!

I will definitely keep my eye on this post to see if there is a confirmed reason for this.

Hello, I'm another victim of the air hole weirdness! I will be adding more liquid on for my next batch. Thanks for the tip.

I only got the air holes when using other shortnings than the sweetex. Once I started using sweetex exclusively, the air holes dissappeared and I have never had them come back.

I LOVE this recipe - so forgiving and easy to work with! Thank you for sharing it with all of us Sharon!!

I'm in Canada and can't get sweetex here, but I'm going to be in the U.S. on the weekend. Is there a particular store that I can buy the sweetex at?

I added some more liquid to the recipe last night and it solved it... for a while. When I was finished using it, I left it in the bowl and sealed it up with some press and seal till this morning when I went back to making this crazy cake and again, the icing bubbly and really, it looked like marshmallow fluff!! Thick and airy. So I added a little more liquid again and mixed again. This time it didn't come out but I just used what was left to fill my layers and crumb coat the remaining cakes. I hope it's ok to use bubbly icing for that... Anyway, so I'm off to make my second batch to see if it is right. Hopefully it will be, I gotta ice these cakes tonight! And I'm not giving up on this recipe, it tastes like heaven and is beautiful (when it doesn't look like marshmallow fluff!)!!

Julie,
Just curious...do you use Sweetex? Just wondering if that one thing is a big part of this problem as I just got Sweetex today and I am looking forward to holeless buttercream tomorrow!! I have never used Sweetex but I have used CKs high ratio shortening along with Wal-Marts. No offense to Wal-Mart but I think their brand makes the icing taste "fishy" especially after it has sat for a day or so...YUCK. I thought I was imaging it but I taste tested it and everyone agreed.
Can't wait to whip up a batch tomorrow which I then will set aside for a day or so just to see what happens.
Suzi

the Alpine should work pretty well. I have had a bit of air bubbling after sitting with Alpine, but nothing too severe.

As long as the air is not extreme, it can be smoothed out with smoothing techniques on the cake.

In fact, I have done several demos know where I have had to fly the icing in my luggage, and when it gets there it is utterly rittled with air from the altitude and temp changes of flying. I hand mix it as best I can, and just do my demo. Each time I get a perfeclty smooth cake. So while I still do think airless icing makes things easier, it is not 100% imperative for a smooth cake. Try to get it as airless as you can, and then see if the smoothing does its trick.

Can anyone tell me where I can get sweetex please?

Sweetex can be found at local food wholesalers or online:

www.j e s t e r s.com
global sugar art
the bakers kitchen

Thanks Sharon!

I've also made this icing many times and LOVE it. But, a couple of times, it did develop airholes after sitting. Just as Sharon said, though, it smoothed out wonderfully with a hot bench scraper/Viva. No worries most of the time.

I've also found that when I'm smoothing my cake, if I put the scraped off icing into a separate bowl, rather than putting it back into the original icing, my icing will stay pretty much airless. I use that icing as crumbcoat or filling so it doesn't go to waste.

It's worth the trial and error that it may require to get this icing perfect, cuz when it's good, it's GOOD!

Here in Ohio I get sweetex at GFS (Gordon Food Service) they are in several states. I do have to pre-order it though.

Well I'm screwed. And why I'm writing on here instead of working on it I don't know! I have made 5 batches of icing in the last 10 hours. None of them have been quite right. Each one I think is perfect but then when I try to spread it it is so pasty that I can't spread it. The more I put on, the more comes back off on my spatula. I'm admitting defeat. I'm crying my stupid little eyes out as i write this. I'm going to have to pay someone a lot of money tomorrow to made me a wedding cake by Saturday morning. This wedding is my sister by the way, I'm not a professional, but have made several smaller wedding cakes for family and friends. I feel like a pile of crap.

Julie, it breaks my heart to hear this. When you say pasty, do you mean stiff? If if it is coming off the cake, it sounds like it needs more liquid. How much liquid did you use in the last few batches?

PLease dont take offense, But I suspect something is off with the measuring of your ingredients. 22 TBS of liquid to 5 cups of shortening and 5 pounds of PS would be very very thin for me.

can you list for me evry ingredient you are using, the brand, the exact amounts and the process you are using to mix it?

also, u said you watched my video, do you mean the one on youtube?