Do Clients Really Like Crisco Buttercream?
Decorating By khs1030 Updated 23 Aug 2005 , 5:18am by Barbara76
I refrigerate mine just to be on the safe side. In the past I have left mine out over night and I didn't like the smell. Maybe I was smelling something else but I'm cautious like that! I'm sure it would be alright if left out for a very short time if it's set upon a display table. We certainly can't feed people out of the fridge! LOL!!!
Amy
Hi,
I've enjoyed reading all the posts and have learned so many new things. If you make buttercream with whipping cream or milk do you have to refrigerate your cakes after icing? Just checking ...
Someone told me recently to add coffee creamer (powdered kind) with water to the crisco based frosting.
No, you don't have to refrigerate with whip cream or milk. I got the whip cream recipe from Wilton and they say that you don't have to.
Someone said before something about the high ratio of sugar takes care of any bacteria development ....
Cakemommy and marialovescakes - just wanted to let you know I tried the whipping cream in my icing last weekend and it was very yummy! The first thing I noticed is that it seemed creamier.
It went on a white chocolate cake and everyone really liked it. Thanks again for the tip. 
The recipe I use is Crisco buttercream. I use it because it hold up better that butter. Especially if a lot of piping is done. I had one customer tell me he really liked my icing... Does it have cream cheese in it?.. No. Well it tastes as good a one that does. Alot of my customers rave about my icing. It is just a simple recipe. But I like it too..
"Also, Crisco has less saturated fat than butter, 3% for Crisco and 7% for regular butter so actually Crisco is better than butter in that respect... "
Saturated fat isn't the problem; it's the trans fats, which are found in any food that has partially hydrogenated oil (which is practically processed food at the regular grocery store). In my other life I'm a health writer; years ago, I interviewed Walter Willett, chair of the nutrition dept. at Harvard, and he was very clear about trans fats being much more heart-damaging than even sat fat. He told me that trans fats are the absolute worst food you can put in your body. Basically, if you have a choice between eating a tub of lard and a tub of Crisco, choose the lard.
I could go on and on--just ask my friends; they've heard my anti-trans diatribes till their eyes glaze over--but I'll just say I don't buy food with trans fats. Ever.
Well - It's not like you or me or anyone else is eating the whole dang cake or the whole bowl of frosting....every day or even once a month....at least let's hope not!!! lol 
And I guess to stay away from trans fats completely we'd all have to never go to any restaurant - fast food or casual or "fine" or "gourmet" dining. Or every restaurant in creation would have to go to no-trans fat ingredients, which would then obviously cause their prices to go up and up and up...resulting in the average public not being able to afford eating at their establishments...then they would have to close their doors & people would lose their jobs....should I continue?? lol I'm all for choosing to eat as healthfully as we can, but I also know that sometimes compromises have to be made in order to keep my sanity. I just live by the motto: "In everything - Moderation" - and sometimes when I'm eating something I know is not that good for me or even "bad" for me, I chant the mantra: "If one thing doesn't getcha, another one will!!" lol 
Just my twisted sense of humor, I guess.....
Yes, Ironbaker, 'fess up! What's the secret ingredient???
And I, too, take a little offense to that last statement by nlh about Crisco icings tasting "tacky". I agree that it's all a matter of personal choice. For example, most people here rave about the MMF and how tasty it is. Personally, I think it's okay, but I would much rather have buttercream. And as for sophistication...maybe sophisticated people don't like Crisco buttercream, but on the same token, there's a lot of "food" that so-called sophisticated people eat that I wouldn't touch if I were starving.
Oh are you sooooo correct, potatocakes!!! They eat things like the mushed up liver of ducks mixed with herbs and seasonings and give it a "classy" name like Foi Gras!!! Or calves BRAINS and they call it something nice like "Sweetbreads"!!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!! LOL I'd bet a ton of money that you give some of these "sophisticates" a very "classy" looking cake frosted in one of our buttercreams made with 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco and DON'T tell them and they'd never be able to tell you that there was shortening in it!!! lol As long as it's done correctly, a good buttercream made with shortening will never leave a greasy or lardy texture or taste!
And that's JMO!! 
JennT said:
As long as it's done correctly, a good buttercream made with shortening will never leave a greasy or lardy texture or taste!
I agree 100%.
aunt-judy said:
cakemommy/amy: sorry, i meant (and i assume others have meant) tacky as in plasticy-feeling in the mouth...as in the perception of greasy unmelted fat coating the roof of your mouth. not tacky as in poor flavour or as in cheap or in bad taste, but rather tacky as in texture...like slightly sticky latex paint that isn't dry yet. it is not meant as a put-down but merely to describe the plasticy feeling many of us experience when eating items made with shortening
I don't know what Crisco buttercream icing you have eaten but mine does not leave a plasticy feeling in my mouth... Just a YUM...sensation!
Hi everyone,
Oh my, when it comes to discussing buttercreams...it's just endless! I'm dying to see the " Everything you wanted to know about buttercreams".
Can I ask those that do make the 100% crisco or 1/2butter & 1/2 crisco whether the buttercream is a little grainy...or have I not beat it well enough?? 
I love the taste of Italian Meringue buttercream but I can't use this to sell my cakes because with the high humidity here, it just melts (unless the customer has a fridge nearby or the function is airconditioned). Or could it be that i'm comparing 100% crisco/1/2butter & 1/2 crisco texture to meringue BCs which are a lot more smoother?
Water Vs. Milk/cream?
People say using milk/cream there is a creamier taste and that some do not suggest keeping the milk/cream one out too long and better refridgerate, are there any other differences? Do both hold up piping well?
Thank you!
Hi Crouton,
As far as the BC being grainy, I don't run into that at all. You may need to cream the butter and shortening a bit longer? Maybe sifting your sugar (if you don't already) will help also.
I've yet to make the italian meringue BC so I can't compare but my BC is always smooth and fluffy and I get complimented on it.
I used cream in place of water for the first time and I didn't have any issues as far as piping. Also, the amount of milk/cream is so small that refrigeration really isn't necessary unless your filling requires it.
This is all, of course, just from my own experience.
Crouton, I have always used 100% Crisco in my icing and have NEVER experienced a grainy texture nor have I ever sifted my powd sugar. I will definately try sifting it and will probably like that texture even better but as is now, not sifting have presented me with no problems. I whip the crud out of my Crisco before I add anything to it. I whip it for a good five minutes. Then I add my liquid with the salt dissolved in it and then my sugar and my flavorings. I then whip for at least five minutes on high in my KA that is about a 6-8!!
I wonder if humidity does have a big difference in the texture of the icing. I know my royal icing doesn't do well in humidity that's for sure!
Good luck with coming up with a technique to your icing that works for your needs!!!
Just reread your post and I love using whipping cream in my icing but for me it's better to either use as a filling or to just ice with. It doesn't hold up well for decorations at all unless I add more powder sugar to make it stiffer. It does have a fabulous taste and the only flavs I add to it are clear Mexican vanilla and butter flavoring. YUM YUM!!!
Amy
Thanks for the tips Ironbaker & Cakemommy!
I shall try those hints and hopefully that'll do the trick! 
crouton
Yes, the pwd sugar frosting has a grainy texture compared to meringue bc. I sift the pwd sugar and make sure to mix the frosting for a looong time. It looks mixed and fluffy right away. Don't be fooled. It still needs to mix another 5min or the texture will be down right gritty. You can add a lil milk or heavy cream to help make the frosting smoother. You're just adding a little bit of milk to a lot of crisco so I don't think you have to worry about it spoiling.
hth
I've never used anything (so far) except the crisco recipe for frosting, and everyone raves about the cakes and takes seconds. I only sift my sugar when I'm making royal icing or it's a container that was pre-opened and sat in the fridge. The fresh sealed bags have never given me any trouble w/clumping or getting gritty. At least, not that I've noticed...
Someone asked about substituting between shortening and butter.
I've been told that as long as you are using volume measure you can substitute cup for cup and Tablespoon for Tablespoon between butter, Crisco, and hi-ratio. My Crisco label, however, says 1 cup Crisco plus 6 teaspoons of water equals 1 cup of butter or margerine. I've never added or subtracted the water. What about the rest of you? If you do, does it seem to make a big difference?
I weigh everything cuz I hate washing emsuring cups. In that case, butter is 14 grams per Tablespoon, Crisco is 12, and hi-ratio (at least the one I use) is only 10. Hi-ratio is expensive but goes a lot further, so maybe it evens out. If I ever get a price matrix going, I'll have to pay attention.
I just made cake for 100 this weekend, and I used the Wilton BC recipe but i substituted butter for half the Crisco in a 1:1 ratio. It turned out great! My preference is Italian meringue buttercream, but it just isn't practical when making such a large cake with only a KitchenAid. I was quite pleased. I used flavorings that someone (Ironbaker?) here recommended--almond, butter, and creme bouquet--and the flavors was delicious.
Also--I used only straw supports, no dowels!! It was three stacked tiers, and they were fine. I'm on vacation now; I'll post photos when i return next week.
It was an outdoor event, the 25th anniversary of a nonprofit that serves local families--the place where i met all my stay-at-home mom friends. I did it for the cost of ingredients...that place has been so good to me, and of course, it's good marketing. Chicago is in the midst of a summer from hell, but sunday was delightful--in the 70s and kind of cloudy. perfect for a cake.
Thanks for your help, Ironbaker. i was pretty sure they were your flavorings, but of course my printout of your email is at home. I got a number of compliments on the icing flavor, and i loved it myself--sticking to weight watchers was mighty hard last week!!
I've heard a lot of people say they don't like the taste of icings made with Crisco, and don't like the "greasy" film it leaves in their mouth. I have to agree with that. I use a combination of butter and margarine, and with every cake I've done people have told me it was the best tasting they have had. But I only use one brand of margarine - "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter". You can use half butter and half margarine or for a more stabilized icing use more margarine than butter. If you want the true white color icing, just use some icing whitner (Wilton's is good). And I always use a lot of vanilla extract.
I prefer an all-butter buttercream (I use the powdered sugar version, not cooked meringue types), but it is difficult to smooth. I've recently started using 2/3's butter and 1/3 shortening. That makes it easier to work with. For piping, I use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening because I have hot hands and my all-butter recipe melts horribly as I decorate.
I'd like to try Italian Meringue soon.
I'm also interested in trying the flavoring combos some of you have mentioned--I've always used just vanilla, but adding more complex flavor sounds interesting!
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