I've posted on here before about making Indydeb's buttercreme...and how mine always looks crappy and dry. I do all the tricks everyone says they do with no luck.

Today I get excited because my frosting is not looking dry like usual, it looks and taste so creamy. So i crumb coat and tint the rest of my frosting green, wait a few, start frosting, wait a few more minutes and go to smooth and......it's not crusting....wait 10 more minutes, still not crusting. So I've added more powdered sugar and it's still not crusting. Usually my problem is it crust too much and looks dry and sandy.

But before that I tried to make cream cheese frosting....and it's runny and melts. Luckily all I was making this for was a class speech on cake decorating and wanted to bring in examples, but I am still just so aggravated. I want to continue doing cakes for family and friends, but what's the point if I can't get this right?

I have to say I have never tried Indydebi's recipe, but lots of people rave about it, so it's hard to say why you are experiencing problems with it. Perhaps today in your area it was particularly rainy or humid, and that's why your icing didn't crust? Hopefully someone else who does use the recipe will be able to help you further.
I use a recipe that is 200g butter, which I beat til it's really soft, 1/2 cup of milk (room temperature), and 1kg of sieved icing sugar, which I add in two batches. Flavour as necessary (for example I add 1tsp vanilla to this amount). It comes out super smooth and crusts nicely. But I do live in a dry climate.

don't forget there are plenty of great non-crusting recipes out there: SMBC, IMBC, ganache, etc. Each requires different techniques for decorating and would be good to practice. If you get tired of crusting BC, try something else for a change.

When I make IndyDebi's, I really beat the heck out of the shortening, till it's silky and smooth. Are you using gel or liquid food color? That can change the consistency as well. I like to add a tsp. at a time some powdered egg white if mine is not crusting like it should.

For Cream Cheese icing try Edna's.
http://www.designmeacake.com/recipes.html

HTH!

I use gel coloring. I do all the things everyone says to do....beat the heck out of the Crisco, heat the dream whip....everything. I ended up adding some meringue powder, which didn't seem to work, then more powdered sugar and guess what? The frosting got dry and crusty looking....so I'm just lost at what to do.

and metria, I just like crusting because it looks smoother. I tried to smooth the frosting that didn't crust and couldn't get it smooth.

JanessaJo - You heat the dreamwhip? The powdered Dreamwhip? I'm only asking because I've never heard of doing that before.

Yep, one of the tips to making the frosting good was to dissolve the Dream Whip in whatever liquid you use....doesn't do anything for me though =/

I had trouble getting a consistent color so I started using Edna De La Cruz's recipe @ designmeacake.com

However...I always sifted my PS and my Dream Whp together and just made sure when I whipped my shortening and milk that my milk was room temp. I think your problem may be your shortening. You see all these Veg shortenings have started going to less transfats..If you go to youtube Edna talks about it..on her how to make buttercream video. The best shortening is high ratio shortening..I can get it here but it's like $15-17..and I don't like to spend that much..so the only brand that I can find that doesn't do that (take th transfat out) is Winn Dixie Brand. Edna says if you use it the Criso brand to add fat back by using whole milk or even cream.

Hope that helps...And just so you know she also talks about how the humidity in your kitchen can change the consistency. I have never heard of using merguine powder that didn't crust...I am going to say this was a combo og errors. If this recipe doesn't work for you...Why are you using it? Try something else..I did this recipe I was talking about works for me...but maybe Sharon Zambito's recipe would work for you..it's on here on CC she calls herself sugar shack. Also her recipe is on youtube. Just keep trying til you find what works for you! Good Luck!

I had the same problem the first few times I made Indydebi's Buttercream. I switched to the store brand shortening which has some trans fat and it is much better. Also, I don't know if it makes a difference, but I use 1/2 and 1/2 and heat it to lukewarm before I add the dream whip. I don't know if you are heating it with the dream whip already added or not, but that might affect it. Who knows. Also, I found if I make it the day before I will be using it, place it in a bowl, cover the top of the frosting with plastic wrap so no air at all gets to it, then another layer of wrap on top of the bowl, the consistency is much better the next day. It's like it all comes together as it sits at room temp. And there are less air pockets that way too. I hate those air pockets, they are so annoying.

Hope that helps.

I used 2% milk this time, may try one more time and use whole milk. I guess I do need to try another recipe, I just don't understand why I can't get it to work when I do exactly what everyone else does. I was told once that it's probably dry b/c the fat/sugar ratio is off. I used 1 1/2 cups of shortening this time to see if it helped...I'm wondering if that made it not crust? I don't see why b/c it's not that big of a difference.

I like the recipe b/c it does taste good and holds up in heat. Im in NC so it's very humid in the summer.

Try 1/2 and 1/2. I did try whipping cream once, and that was too much fat. I couldn't even get it on the cake before it crusted, no matter how thin I made it.

IndyDebi's doesn't call for warming your liquid. Sugarshack's does. I've never added warm or room temp liquid to my icings. BTW, I only add liquids over and above my gel color or flavoring if the consistency isn't where I want it. Try backing off on the liquid, and don't warm it at all. I know how frustrating it is to have icings not turn out. I've come a long way, and can now tell early on if I'm going to have any crusting issues. I too, love crusting BC. Keep trying

I use designmeacake.com recipe and I live in Alabama! But I use all shortening...or you can use the half butter half shotening. THis just depends on the need...summer and wedding..when you need white white frosting..use all shortening in the cooler moths I switch back to half and half.

And if you added more shortening that probably is why it didn't crust! I love crusting buttercream....it is very versatile.

Are you icing your cakes at room tempurature or frozen/partially frozen? When I try to ice any cake with Indy's icing (I use her's exclusively) while it is semi or completely frozen it will not ever crust for me. The only way I can get her icing to crust is to ice a room temp. cake.

they were room temp...I'm gonna try one more time...but that's it