I tried making the Crusting Buttercream recipe for a cake on Friday and it was a disaster! 
It was so thick it wouldn't spread on the cake at all! I ended up heating it in the microwave in short bursts until it was soft enough to pipe stars all over the cake instead of the nice smooth surface I was looking for. People liked it, but I have another cake I'm making in a few weeks and want a smooth look.
The recipe calls for 2lbs. of sugar, do people find that they use less? I followed the recipe to a T and am dissapointed it was flop. Any suggestions?
If your icing is too thick, the best thing to do is add more liquid (milk or water), until it is spreading consistancy. If you want to make flowers, leave some of the icing at the thicker consistancy. The added liquid won't hamper the crusting of the icing. Just add a little (teaspoons) at a time.
Cindy
It's defeinately your icing consistency! Too thick. Add water (or milk) to your icing to reach the right consistency. When you think it's right - take your spactula and form a peak with your icing by putting your spatual into the icing and pulling the spatula straight up- if the peak flops over easily - it's thin enough. If the peak bends over slowly or not at all - it's still too thick to ice your cake. Mind you - you don't want it soupy but it should be easy to spread. If you add too much water (or milk) add more sugar to thicken it up. Also - key point - always sift your sugar before you measure it. Most of the recipes don't tell you this but 1 cup of non-sifted sugar is a whole lot more than a cup of sifted. Try it if you have a scale to see what I mean. Hope this helps. 
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