Does anyone know what my problem could be. Lately, all my icing looks nice at first, but after an hour or so it cracks. Not a great first impression!! I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Also, I have a wedding to do at the end of July and I have to travel almost 2 hours to deliver it, are there any suggestions on keeping the icing from not melting???
Thanks -
Michelle

Hi Michelle,

I'm not sure why your icing cracks but I'm recommending a great BC that's wonderful for high humidity and tastes heavenly as well. I normally replace the milk with flavored liquid creamer. Here's the recipe: http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-4123-High-Humidity-Buttercream.html

HTH

My Wilton instructor told us that adding 1 teaspoon vinegar to icing keeps it from cracking. She said you wouldn't be able to taste it.

If you are using half butter/half Crisco that has 0 trans fat, a lot of people are having problems with it. Check out this thread I posted today about a new recipe I have come across that helps with the new crisco and butter icing.

Also, I have travelled 4 hours with 5 layers of wedding cake and it did just fine. I had my cakes in the refrigerator up until the moment I had to leave, then I put them in cake boxes and then in the air conditioned car. They were still cool when I arrived.

Good luck!

Gourmetcakes - yes....added to a 3-cup recipe.

Is this the kind of cracking you are talking about that is toward the bottom? I have started adding cornstarch to my butter/Crisco icing and it works great, but I still have these hairline cracks. Will the vinegar solve that problem?

This happened while it was in the refrigerator.

To be honest, I'm not sure. She just told us that adding vinegar would prevent cracking. I haven't tried it yet since all I've been making lately is fondant covered cakes. I am making a buttercream cake tomorrow and I'll try it. I am finished with the class now (Fondant & Gumpaste). Otherwise, I'd print your photo to show her.

try a little bit more fat in your recipe and I also think high ratio shortening helps with this problem.

the only time I seem to get these kinds of cracks now, using sweetex, is when I color the icing.... go figure....

Try experimenting with a store brand shortening. Check the label first for transfat. I have started using the Piggly Wiggly Brand shortening and love it. It is like the old Crisco.

I would love to try the hi-ratio shortening but my local Sysco says they don't carry it. I don't do enough paid volume to justify the cost and shipping, especially when Piggly Wiggly's is $2.87 for a 3 pound can.

Thanks.

I have heard others say that the wlamart brand shortening ( royal blue can) works great; people are switching from crisco to that. HTH

Thanks SugarShack...I am actually going to head to Walmart this weekend and use it for my cakes next week. I just need to find something that is going to make me happy again.....it is just so frustrating to have perfected your icing and smoothness and then you feel like you are starting all over again. I just hope that the store brands don't jump on the band wagon and go 0 trans fat as well......cakes are NOT supposed to be healthy....LOL!

Ok here is a highly experimental idea...I haven't tried it.

I know that using cream of tartar in meringue will keep the egg whites from "weeping" and helps them hold together better. Do you think it would help with the new Crisco problem?

I have used the hi ration shortening for my icing but they say you don't need to use as much. I found that my icing was cracking too so I might use more of the hi ratio and more liquid to it too since I thought it was way too dry.
See if you have any Gordon Food Service stores near you. I think they can order it for you.

On traveling with your cake, but ice packs around the cake box inside a plastic tub, works great.

Thanks for all the information. I will try the vinager and the Wal-Mart brand of shortening. The cracking is happening on the tops and edges. Sometimes even the icing starts to look transparent. That could be a whole other problem!!! Any ideas on that???

Thanks Everyone!

what kind of cake baords are u using under your cakes? if they bend even just a tad under the weight of the cake, the icing will crack.

For just sheet cakes, I use a double boards. I learned early to make sure the boards were stong enough. I ended up wearing a cake because of that. The cracking is happening before the cake even gets moved.