My Buttercream Won't Crust.....can't Viva It...help!
Decorating By laborrn2 Updated 3 Mar 2007 , 11:57pm by cathyscakes
Ok, Last weekend I had a beautiful cake to make for a ruby anniversary..bc with red roses. I had planned on smoothing with VIVA and then appying diamond impression mat. Well, my bc never crusted after an hour in a cold garage. So, I went with swiss dots at the last minute...turned out beautiful anyway. Here's the recipe, which I LOVE the taste of...
2c crisco, 1c butter, up to 2 lbs confectioner's sugar, meringue powder, almond/butter/vanilla extracts, milk to thin.
Can you help??
That seems like a high ratio of fat to sugar. Just a guess.
In the crusting BC recipe I use, there is less fat...I use 1 cup crisco and 1 cup butter (with the same other ingredients) to 2 lbs icing sugar...it crusts really well.
You are using another cup of fat than my recipe..I am pretty sure that is the reason why it doesn't crust...but yours sounds REALLY yummy!
HTH.
Jane
Instead of dropping that whole cup, I would try reducing it by smaller amounts. You maybe able to take away 1/2 cup and still have it crust. It might take longer than recipes that have 1 cup to 1lb sugar, but it might still work. If it doesn't then reduce it down another 1/4th of a cup.
I think the meringue power is what makes it crust. You could add a little more of it and see what happens.
This sounds similar to the house buttercream in the Whimsical Bakehouse book...too much fat. That recipe has 3.5 C fat to 1.5 pounds of powdered sugar and is very wet, no crust at all.
By the way, lots of BC recipes crust without any meringue powder. I think that's for stability or something else.
I think the meringue power is what makes it crust. You could add a little more of it and see what happens.
Crusting really depends on the sugar to fat ratio. You can have a recipe for crusting icing that does not call for MP.
You can always try to add it in, but I don't think it would really make a difference if you have a lot of fat in the recipe.
I agree. I have always used Meringue Powder in my icing because I had read over and over that if you want a crusting buttercream, you needed to add it. Well, the other day I read that it would crust without it. Soooo, I tried my regular buttercream recipe with NO Meringue Powder and guess what??? It crusted just the same as with the Meringue Powder. Live and learn, I guess.
If meringue powder doesn't crust, then what does it do for the frosting. Jsut wondering? I never put it in my frosting until Wilton 1 and I always make my frosting shortening, butter, vanilla, water and sugar with the meringue. Does it make it taste differently?? Everyone says my frosting makes the cake, so maybe its the meringue, not sure?
Does it make it taste differently??
Some will tell you it does, others will say they can't. For me I have never tasted it in the icing.
As far as what it does, Wilton says it adds stabilty and will help keep deep colors from bleeding as fast.
I personally think the MP makes it smoother. I won't use Wilton's MP anymore, b/c it gives it a funky sharp taste. I use Just whites. I will decrease the fats, though, and see if it helps. Thanks for continuing the thread!! You guys are great!
Hey there. You may already know this but just in case you don't, I emailed the company that makes the Just Whites and asked if the iced cake made with icing that I used Just Whites in would have to be refrigerated. I received a reply from someone in the company and was told that you have to treat the Just Whites (powdered or liquid form) exactly like you would fresh eggs. Therefore, any icing that is made with Just Whites needs refrigeration. Just thought I would pass that along. I was very disappointed because I wanted to be able to leave the cake out for a couple of days 
If doesn't crust, then what does it do for the frosting. Jsut wondering? I never put it in my frosting until Wilton 1 and I always make my frosting shortening, butter, vanilla, water and sugar with the meringue. Does it make it taste differently?? Everyone says my frosting makes the cake, so maybe its the meringue, not sure?
I always thought the meringue powder is what caused it to crust. Now I use the Crusting Buttercream Faux-Fondant Icing, which uses flour that causes it to crust.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1597-Crusting-ButterCream-Faux-Fondant-II.html
As a wilton instructor we have a recipe that is for the class to add the MP. I personally tell my students to try using the icing without the MP, it's expensive and sometimes has a different taste. I believe the reason for using the MP is to stablize the icing and to supposedly keep the colors from running. I never use MP and I never have a problem with my cake not crusting or colors bleeding. I have taught to over 300 students and only 1 (yes 1) has used MP in her BC. Also, the Wilton MP does not need to be refrigerated. A few years ago they said to keep it in the fridge but now they say it does not need to be.
just my two cents. My BC recipe doesnt use any meringue powder. i also only use about 1.5 cups butter/shortening per 2 lb.s confectiner sugar. it always crusts.
I guess I will just play with the ratio a little. My recipe is 3c fats: 2lb sugar. I will reduce to 2 c fats and see what happens. One reason that I (and everyone else that eats my bc) like the taste is b/c it is not sickeningly sweet. i think taking out too much of the fats will increase the sweet factor considerably.
I have found when I add MP to my buttercream icing it crusted quicker then my recipes without it. I have also added it to store bought buttercreams that would not crust and the MP helped it crust.
Your recipe sounds alot like my recipe, and it doesn't crust. It has a higher ratio of fat to sugar, so it makes a fluffier, not as sweet buttercream. I always just refrigerate the cake, let it harden, then use the paper towel to smooth.
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