slide down ????


Hi All!

I have had many of my cakes where the top edge of the icing would droop down or slide off completely. Not the entire circumference of the cake would do this, just part of it. When it droops, you can actually see the top edge of the icing that I iced on the surface of the cake.

Hope this makes sense. Any idea of what is going on. I asked this similar question awhile ago, I was hoping for some additional input.....=)


Thanks

Bump

im sorry, i cant help. Ive no experience with this sort of thing. though, i have seen similar posts before, so some one should be able to help

I noticed that you are in Atlanta. I think humidity might be a factor. I had the same problem a few years ago when it was over 100 degrees, and the humidity was about 80%.

I posted pics in a forum on here, and someone suggested adding meringue powder. I scraped everything off the cake and tried again with frosting that had a few Tbsp. meringue powder added, and that made the difference.

Someone else on the same thread suggested that it was the shortening. After that cake I switched to Target brand, and that seems to help as well.

I have heard other people on here say that the meringue powder makes no difference, but I will never go without it in hot/humid weather again!

Up to a half cup of cornstarch or flour is sometimes added to powdered sugar buttercream for a stable high humidity icing.

Applying the icing too thick will also cause this.

I use Hi-Ratio shortening. I thought that Hi-Ratio was supposed to stand up to warm weather and high humidity?? Maybe I am mistaken??


Thanks,
=)

Sounds like there is too much moisture in the recipe.
Why don't you post the recipe you use so we can suggest what the problem can be.

Yes, as someone else mentioned it can be the humidity in your area. Again, knowing exactly the recipe you use we can make better suggestions to help.

I use Sugarshack's receipe. It is posted in the receipe section. I am not at home at this time, I don't have it in front of me. But, if memory serves me right.....

5 quart KA mixer...

5 POUNDS of Powdered Sugar
5 Cups of Hi-Raio
11-12 TBL of HOT COFFEE CREAMER
4 TSP of my choice of flavoring (Clear Vanilla)


Thanks,

this happened to me a couple of times also. i thought it might be that the coating that forms around the cake from the greased and floured pan. so i started brushing it off with a pastry brush and i haven't had a problem with that since.

Hi ratio shortening is still a fat and is subject to heat and humidity altho does hold a bit longer. Do like the OP's suggested and add a bit of cornstarch.

Your recipe is 1 cup fat to 1 cup p.sugar and my understand is that when using hi-ratio, you use LESS than when using regular shortening. That sounds high to me. I will conceed to the experts on the ratio of hi-ratio shortening to sugar, but whenever I see 1-cup-to-1-cup-ratio, but first thought is "No WONDER it's sliding off of the cake! "

My recipe, when using regular crisco, is 1-1/3 cups to 2 lbs p.sugar.

No indy - she has one POUND of sugar to one CUP of shortning, that should be fine.....are you just leaving too much icing on the cake? I know I put a lot on to begin with, but I scrape a LOT off to get it smooth. If there is too much frosting on there, it is gonna slide off.

Loucinda .... typo!!! I knew what I meant but typed it wrong. I meant to say 1-cup-fat-to-one-pound-sugar. Thanks for catching that!!

I don't think the ratio of my fat and sugar is incorrect. Sharon Zambito receipe is amazing, and all of her cakes are beautiful. I think my issue was that my cakes are to WET from freezing and thawing incorrectly. I am going to try some different things on my next cake. Sharon Zambito was able to pin point a few of my mistakes.


Thank you for the assistance...