I'm not sure and would like to know too. I've always used meringue powder in my regular buttercream icing, but have used a recipe with cream cheese and no meringue and it crusts before I can get the entire cake covered. I have to work really really fast and smooth it immediately. I used the same crisco, sugar and everything else, just different amounts and the cream cheese.
I think it's the ratio of sugar to fat.
Yes it is for the most part! When an icing has a really high fat to sugar ratio, it doesn't crust. For example the Whimsical Bakehouse Buttercream recipe.
hugs Squirrelly Cakes
I thought it might be the meringue pwder but saw a recp. for cream cheese crusting that didnt have meringue in it
thanks
As was said, it's the sugar to fat ratio.
Meringue powder will help add stabiltiy to your icing as well as helping to keep your colors from fading/bleeding on to each other.
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