I'm about to make my first teared/stacked cake for my Mom and Dad's 50th anniversary, they want me to do it in butter cream, so I need a good recipe that will crust over good for the viva smoothing, I just made a practice one and my icing is too sticky I was able to get it to crust over took an hour but I think I used too much water, here is the recipe I used

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

2 tsp vanilla

8or 10 Tablespoons water can't remember for sure... lol made it yesterday

a 2lb bag of powdered sugar

I have used the recipe often with less water and also used milk, but had it too thick and not stick to the cake and pick up a lot of crumbs, so I was trying to thin it some, would corn syrup be better, and how much? just can't seem to get it just right

I'm going to make one more cake practice batch later this week.


Also going to be pipeing with this so I need to know what to do with it for that too...

Just add some more powdered sugar to that one. If it makes it too sweet then add some lemon juice. Just a little. I never add that much water to mine. Usually 4-5 tbs of milk or water. 

I use the Wilton Buttercream recipe and it works great with Viva Smoothing: 

http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing

Yeah, that sounds like a lot of liquid! Have you tried applying your icing with an icing tip, then gently spreading it with your spatula? That way, your butter cream can be thicker and not pick up all the crumbs because you're not having to smear it around so much.
 

SO ADDING BUTTER WILL MAKE THE ICING AN OFF WHITE COLOR?

I like the taste better then Crisco with butter flavoring, here is a picture of what I did earlier to me the white is white enough...

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL297/2096122/9256859/407126009.jpg

this is the wilton recipe just doubled I think I just used too much water, I don't have any big tips for putting it on to the cake I thought about cutting a decorating bag and trying it that way, I think I'm going to try using some corn syrup instead of water or milk..

Any butter in the recipe will make it less white than an ALL SHORTENING recipe.  But if there isn't anything to compare it to you won't notice.  I prefer using way less liquid in the beginning (2 tbsp milk or heavy cream) and then I use light corn syrup to get it to the spreading consistency I want.  The more liquid, the slower the crusting time.

It is nice to hear that you really try a lot to have a good dish for the occasion. The dish can be made tasty if you could add some Nestle cream to it. I swear, you are going to love it!

ive been wondering if i should try that butter flavor crisco...

do u think the butter flav crisco,, plus the butter in the recipe would be too much?

JM is right, adding creamer makes is sooooo much better. Happy Tiers...it isn't too much at all. I love the flavor. I have even put butter flavor in it. 

IVE NEVER HEARD OF USING HEAVY CREAM.. WOW THATS A FIRST.. I MUST TRY....TONIGHT!!!  TY

Ai add heavy cream and butter, crisco or sweetex and vanilla and butter flavoring and almond extract and it turns out beautiful white and taste is amazing!!!!! i have tried coffee creamer and it tastes good too. if you need it to be more white wilton has a white color you can add to your icing it works great in making it really white or toning down a color. just dont add too much.

Athe heavy cream makes it so fluffy and smooth with such an amazing creamy yummy overall great icing..

How much of the coffee creamer and powdered or liquid??
 

I know this is a little off the subject, but I have a wedding cake to do for tomorrow afternoon and it is 3 tier, buttercream frosting with fondant lace and gumpaste roses. Being in Florida, I have always put my decorated cakes in the refrigerator for a few hours before transporting. I want to frost and decorate this one tonight because I have 2 more to do for Sunday. My question is whether I have to wrap or box my cake  to put it in the refrigerator, it is a cake only refrigerator, so no odors from other food is near it. Will it be okay to decorate and just put it in the frige? Thanks,

I always use heavy whipping cream instead of water or milk to my american buttercream recipes. I use butter also. Tastes really great and mine always crusts so i can use the viva paper towel method. hth