INDEBI CAN YOU HELP US?

yes i always think weather has some role in messing with both my buttercream and fondant.
so i going to try my next batch with crisco and see what happens.
i am soooo determined to fix this problem. hopefully we can help each other.

We'll either figure it out or the weather will finally turn and we'll all be good again!

OP and nancyg..... can you please tell:

1) what shortening did you use?
2) what liquid did you use?
3) what kind of board was under your cake
4) was cake fridged at any point?
5) what kind of environment was cake in overnight when it cracked?

lets see if we can figure this out!

I use a sturdy cakeboard and add white vinegar to my buttercream and it does not crack. I have intentionally left the white vinegar out to see what happens and the icing will have cracks but when I add the white vinegar it doesn't crack.

lizzycakes & aundrea - The walmart shortening for me breaks down as:
total fat - 13g
saturated fat - 3g
trans fat - 3g
poly fat - 1.5 g
mono fat - 4.5 (And yes, I realize that only adds up to 12 g - just listing what they have on the container)

The Crisco breaks down as:
total fat - 12g
sat fat - 3g
trans fat - 0g
poly fat - 6
mono fat - 2.5 (which really totals 11.5 according my math, no?!?!)

I used Sugarshack's recipe for the first time today & I love it! I smoothed it with the foam roller like another cc'er suggested & it went on beautifully.
What is the recipe from Whimsical bakehouse called I didn't see it.

Try cutting back on your 10x sugar. Take out about 1/2 cup for every 2lb batch you make. The ratio of shortening to sugar is off.

Sugarshack, can I get your help too?!?! Maybe we can all find the common denominator here with more answers to your questions???

1) what shortening did you use? Walmart w/3g trans fat
2) what liquid did you use? Hot water with wedding bouquet
3) what kind of board was under your cake Cake drum on a masonite board - but the cracking happened before moving the cake much later the next day
4) was cake fridged at any point? No
5) what kind of environment was cake in overnight when it cracked? On my dining room table. It was cool with little to no humidity here in NY

Thank you!

I use Sugarshack's recipe for buttercream and also have occasional cracking in my cake . . . but it only happens sometimes.

This has happened to me once and at the time I was using 3 different kinds of cake with three different kinds of frosting, so I'm thinking if they all did it it must not be the frosting but something with the weather. I've never had it happen since. Really strange.

im soooo happy we are keeping this thread going.
so what can be the culprit?
the shortening? when i make another batch i will go with crisco and see what happens.
how many of you use hi-ratio shortening? does this ever happen when you use that? and what receipe do you use with hi-ratio?

When I had it happen I had only one of the three frosting that used Crisco. One was a straight butter cream and the other was a cream cheese frosting, but all three cracked.

so adding more crisco (shortening) will help prevent this?
will it make the buttercream more greasy tasting?

I do not use Crisco nor recommend it for my icing because of it not having trans fats. I know it works for Indydebi's recipe, but not mine ( in most cases.) So I really can't say.

I use a generous 5.5 cups of hi ratio to 5 pounds of PS in my recipe and it is not greasy at all.

There are many variables that can affect the cracking:

board
liquid used
ratio of fat to liquid
type of shortening
environment

sharon i have many of your dvd's and LOVE them!!
but when i make your buttercream and used either crisco or walmart brand the buttercream did not work for me.
so i do know that yours works best with hi-ratio.
but for me being a hobby caker-i cant afford hi-ratio.
wish it was available local and in smaller quantities.
then i would definatley use it.
so back to the cracking problem......hmmmm

Aundrea, mine should work with the trans fats store brand. Maybe the wal mart brand you are using is trans fat free, as they have both versions....

try it with a store brand that HAS trans fats...... and maybe sub a tiny bit of shortening with butter....

At the beginning of this on page 1, someone mentioned the whimisical bakehouse buttercream recipe and stated it's in the recipes..I can't find it..anyone help me find this recipe to try also??? Thanks!

Jenifer

thanks sharon ill try with a bit of butter. yes the walmart brand does have trans fat maybe just not enough.
thanks for helping me/us tackle this problem.

when u made it with the walmart, what was wrong with it?

it was fine in the mixer and went on soooo smooth. but then i noticed the cracks appearing. just enough to ruin the look of the cake.
the taste and everything else was perfect!! i even purchased a larger kitchen aid to accomodate the quanity of ingredients.
i also use the viva and high density roller method to help cover the cracks but that doesnt work. just makes it worse.
oh and i use the hot knife technique too.
i think tomorrow ill re-watch your art of buttercream video and try again.
it seems to be happening more now to me then before.
so somethings not quite right.
this happens when i either use your receipe or indydebi's.
ugh....maybe its just me!!!

Did u use my recipe exactly? hot creamer liquid? etccc?? ( just trying to figure it out)

yup!!! like i said its perfect: in taste, consistancy, texture.
its not until after the buttercream has been on cake (cake has not even been moved-plus i use sturdy boards for transporting) that these little cracks appear.
not all over the cake just enough to ruin the appearance.
it just reminds me of a cake thats been sitting on a store shelf way past the sell by date.
it taste fine when we eat it.
and of course my family could care less! they probably dont notice it, but as a caker it drives me insane.

ok, let me ask one more thing:

1) how much shortening
2) how much sugar
3) TOTAL amount of liquids

I hope I am not insulting you by asking this again, but in th epast I have found it could be one tiny little deiscrepnacy that is the culprit, and I want you to have success!!

sharon- no way in heck are you insulting me!! I feel honored to have you guide me through this.
i dont have your reciepe in front of me now. (im at work) and there is no way i can remember what the measurements i use.
if you dont mind i will check my cake log when i get out, and i can either pm you or we can continue here (so others can benefit too!)
i really appreciate you taking the time to help me/us. it means alot to me.
i also want to re-watch your video again. its been awhile. like i said i have 4 of your dvd's. and ive learned so much from them.
let me know what works best for you!

post it here when you get time, then others can chime in too!

Thanks for the nice words!

ok- will do! im working the late- late-shift tonight will probably sleep most of the day tomorrow but, ill definately continue this tomorrow.
thanks again.....seriously it means so much.
have a wonderful evening everyone.

My wrinkly cracks happened all with sams club buttercream, but not always..maybe someone over there doesnt always make it quite right??? I am trying indebis today, and then sharons later because i dont have any high ratio right now... Lets figure this out!