I made a practice cake for an upcoming wedding. It is square white cake layers with strawberry filling then wrapped with fabric ribbon.

I bake the cake, torted and filled, let set. Then frosted with BC (Sugarshacks) let crust and smooth. Then I put the cake in the freeze for 30 minutes to an hour so that the BC would be very firm to apply the ribbon. (Left out on counter overnight)

That all was finished last night, this morning all was well (at least it appeared so). I now transport 35 to 40 minutes and when I arrived at destination a hunk of icing had fallen off one side. I have never had this happen before.
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions as what could have caused this? TIA

Other than the icing being too stiff, IDK.

Did you use the "new" Crisco -- with 0 trans fats? That will do it. I helped a friend do a huge wedding cake order with 10 inch table cakes (LOTS of them) and she didn't realize there was a difference in the Crisco and every table cake suffered because of it. We had frosting peeling itself off cakes and everything. What a disaster. And my friend -- poor thing had a breakdown and got out of the biz.

@ Bobwonderbuns: I'm curious to know how the new Crisco with 0 transfats made the icing slide off? I've never heard of this and would like to make sure it doesn't happen to me. Thanks!

Trans fats "stick". That's what makes them bad for your heart and great for the buttercream. Removing the trans fats removes the shortening's and subsequently the frosting's "stickability" as it were. It's a very simplistic explanation of what is happening.

I use Sugarshacks buttercream too. I have not had a problem with the regular recipe.....knock on wood. However, that same thing happened to me when I made the chocolate buttercream.....every time! I use Sweetex (regular, not Z). I'm still trying to figure it out. Until I do, I will not do chocolate for anyone other than family!

OP...thanks for posting the question. I will be watching for answers!

Thanks for explaining it.

Inspired by mom, are you adding melted chocolate or cocoa powder to make your chocolate buttercream? I find when I add cocoa powder it really dries out the frosting. I'm wondering if that contributes to the issue.

I don't use Crisco in my frosting as it doesn't mix well with liquids. I find my colors separate. I have heard that you can use cream or full fat milk to help remedy this in butter creams. I personally would stick with Hi ratio or in Ca we have trans fat free Hi ratio. They call it decorators shortening. This is the chocolate butter cream recipe that I use and I have never had any problems. I have even used it for basket weave. I substitute cream for the liquer. 2 cups butter room temp 1/2 cup shortening, 3 lbs powdered sugar 1 cup dutch cocoa ( Droste) 3 T meringue powder 1 t salt 5 oz chocolate liquer (opptional) 2 T milk 1 T pure vanilla 2 cups refrigerated Ganache. http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1688863

sweettreat101, is your chocolate recipe a crusting chocolate BC?

I think the icing may have fallen off because it was put on too thick and by the icing coming to room temperature by sitting out all night, it was soft and to me, very vulnurable for travel.

I only travel with cold cakes. I deliver 2,3,4 tiered cakes all the time with never an incident. The roads here are horrible anyway. I would never, ever travel with a tiered cake that has sat out. That's the way I do it. (I also use a crisco/butter based butter cream)

sillywabbitz, I just found the booklet back and yes, it was cocoa. I have not made it since. It was sweetex, butter, vanilla, conf. sugar, hot creamer and cocoa. It had GREAT flavor but it would just fall off. I did three separate cakes with it and it happened every time. Maybe I'll send her an email to see what I'm doing wrong.

Tea42, if you try it again, let me know. I'm a little shy trying it again, at least for a customer.

my choc buttercream? i have never had that problem. in fact my choc is more crusty than my white BC cuz of the cocoa powder.

was it really stiff or really thin? was the cake "wet" when you iced it?

Hi sugarshack! Thank you for trying to help! I can not speak for the OP, but I tried it on both my white (which is very moist) and my chocolate (which is more dense). Neither one was wet. I have tried it on a sheet cake that was suppose to be "mud" so I didn't put pressure on it. Shortly after delivery (2 hours away) the icing on the mountain fell off the back. My husband did a tiered graveyard for our daughter and it fell off the next day at the party. Then we did an ice cream cake and the chocolate scoop stayed on for about 12 hours (we finished it on Sat., party on Sun) and then just started to fall off when we moved the cake from the counter to the table. When I used it on cupcakes, I would do a swirl and when the kids would remove the paper, the icing would just fall off the top. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Any tips? I have not had a problem with the regular, just the chocolate. It tastes great but I can't get it to stick. When I saw the original post, it sounded like the same thing that happened to me. I don't think that mine was stiff, I added creamer to it to get the consistency I needed. Oh, on the one cake, I even tried to crumb coat it with regular buttercream to help it "stick" but it still didn't help. Anyway, if you can give me some tips or suggestions, I am open. I would love to use it if I can get it to work. Thanks again!

I have to say i am stumped. I cannot think of a reason that only the chocolate would not stick. If you are pressing it hard enough onto the cake, and the cake sides are not damp....

the only thing I can think of is to add more liquid to make it less stiff.....

I just don't know!! sorry I am not more helpful on this one!

That's okay! I will keep trying. You are so good to share your tips, tricks and talents with all of us through CC and your DVD's. Somethings are just not the same in all areas. Maybe my air is too dry or not dry enough. Who knows. Keeps life interesting!

What do you think about streaming in some melted chocolate? I have 25lbs of Guittard on order. Will it crust if I use it?

Ps. I saw your preorder of your new DVD's.....they look great!

I think it would not hurt. Melted choc or choc syrup, and up to a point; it should still crust.

maybe also consider adding more butter

My thought is the icing is either too dry or lacking the trans=fat. I have made cho icing w/cocoa powder lots and can't remember a time it ever fell off. Back then I used the 'original' Crisco.
I'd try either adding 'fat' into the recipe as someone suggested by using cream or full fat milk &/or
add just a bit more shortening (whatever you usually use); lastly try adding a bit more liquid to the recipe - and here's where you can make it cream for more fat

Thank to all of you for the input; I have not gotten notices and wondered why my post was not getting any answers.

1. I did use Sweetex
2. I know it was not too stiff
3. It was reg Sugarshack BC from the DVD
4. The cake was not moist when iced

I torted and filled and let sit for several hours. Was this a blowout I hear about? It's just so strange as I have never had this happen before.

I sure can't think why icing would fall off unless its too thick.

I suggest maybe crumb coating the cake in a thinned icing to seal everything in...then chill...then ice again, but make sure the icing is nice and creamy.

Do you have a problem with icing coming back up off the cake while you are icing it? Like, when you pull the spatula away, does icing and crumbs come with it?

Sounds like the dreaded cake tumor. The gases that develop in a cake, especially when its in and out of cold then room temp can cause a bubble to form, and then the icing can really just peel off the cake. Just like skin from a sunburn....

Tea, the time in the freezer may have caused enough condensation under the surface of the icing to cause a huge blow out.... hunk fall off.

I would try again with no chilling.... HTH!