To Crust Or Not To Crust...that Is A Big Question!

Decorating By CakeRN Updated 11 May 2007 , 11:34pm by TexasSugar

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CakeRN Posted 11 May 2007 , 9:59pm
post #1 of 10

I am doing my daughters wedding cake in 3 weeks ( 5 tiers) and want the best icing. The last icing I made I used hi ratio shortening and it crusted too much. It started cracking when I lifted the cake board ( I think I added meringue powder to it too as well as the buttercream whip base). Does anyone know if the buttercream dream recipe crusts? .
What makes the difference( ingredient wise) in the recipe as to whether it crusts or doesn't crust? The cake won't be able to be refrigerated because it will be traveling and sitting overnight. Anyone... help?

9 replies
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sweetlybaked Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:14pm
post #2 of 10

BC Dream does indeed crust. Meringue Powder also makes a crust, that could be why your last batch crusted too much! HTH.

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debbed Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:15pm
post #3 of 10

I have used the buttercream dream icing and it does crust. Good luck with your cake.

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CakeRN Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:17pm
post #4 of 10

Thanks....so what makes it not crust...

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lilthorner Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:18pm
post #5 of 10

what determines if a recipe crusts is the ratio of powdered sugar to fat.. whether u use butter or crisco.

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CakeRN Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:22pm
post #6 of 10

So if you use butter then it doesn't crust or if you use part butter and part shortening (crisco) then won't crust much? I am confused...a crust has formed over my brain...

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leily Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:42pm
post #7 of 10

The recipe I use crust also I use the 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco.

If you cake didn't crack until you went to move it and you picked up the board, my guess is that your board was not sturdy enough. You need more strength under the cake to keep it from shifting.

HTH

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HollyPJ Posted 11 May 2007 , 10:57pm
post #8 of 10

Crusting has to do with the ratio of sugar to fat, not butter vs. shortening.

I make an all-butter powdered sugar buttercream, and it does crust. It doesn't get as firm as a shortening buttercream, but it still crusts.

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AmyBeth Posted 11 May 2007 , 11:05pm
post #9 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by leily

The recipe I use crust also I use the 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco.

If you cake didn't crack until you went to move it and you picked up the board, my guess is that your board was not sturdy enough. You need more strength under the cake to keep it from shifting.

HTH




I was thinking the same thing! It might not be your icing at all. It is probably your board. You would definitely need a very sturdy board for a 5 tiered cake.

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TexasSugar Posted 11 May 2007 , 11:34pm
post #10 of 10

My first thought is the cake board as well. If your icing is fine before you move our board it is a sign that your board is not as strong as you need it to be and there was some give in it when you moved it.

Also as was said, the crusting is the sugar to fat ratio. Fat being either butter, crisco or both.

Wilton's recipe is a good example of a crusting icing. 1lb powder sugar to 1 cup 'fat'. You can do 2lbs of sugar to 1 cup 'fat' and have a super fast crusting recipe. You can do 1lb sugar to 1.5 or 2 cups 'fat' and have an icing that crusts more slowly.

The more sugar you have the faster it will crust. The more fat you have the slower it will crust and in some cases it will not crust or will take forever to do it.

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