okay... so for thanksgiving i am baking a cake for my sister. its her b-day and i will be traveling for about an 1 hour in a car. my questions is. i am terrified of icing. but the one i have found that is more stable is snow white icing, and that has shortning, meringue powder, sugar, and vanilla i think, but... i'm scared bc i have not been able to master it and have it so smooth that for me it is easier to make fondant. can anyone give me tips, its cheaper if i make icing, but i need encoragement on how to make it smooth and even and pretty. this is my one and only chance to impress my family, and since this cake is a present i want to wow everyone. i have also made white fondant roses, and put luster on them and i want to use it for the top tier ( i am making 2 tiers). please.... i am very frustrated for the reason that i have never had real lessons, and everyone is questioning why i am doing this. i want to wow everyone, but.... its hard. tips anyone? 
Hi,
I'm sure you will get alot of info on your question. I wanted to be the first because so many have helped me here 
Is your icing "crusting" icing? Put it on fairly thick, wait 10-15 minutes and get you a Viva paper towel and smooth the icing with your hand/fingers until you get the results you want. I sometimes get the little wooden roller and go over it again - usually on cream cheese icing though.
Good Luck and I'm sure it will be fun!
NVP - like you, I have a hard time getting my icing to be smooth, but the one thing that helps me a great deal is the icing tip by Wilton - I forgot the tip # but it is a very large tip that using a 16" decorator bag - it really is great and helps a great deal with getting it smoothly on the cake. You just fill up the bag and pipe in a spiral motion on top of the cake allowing the last spiral drop over the side of the cake and then you pipe around the side of the cake until the whole cake is covered and then use start using the spatula to smooth out the icing and take off extra icing. I am not sure if I am explaining it correctly, but all Wilton cake books have the exact directions on how to do it. Another method - though I haven't tried this - is the Upside Down method -- the are instructions on this website
As for smoothing your icing and getting it even and silky this is the best method I've ever tried. Here is the linkhttp://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-49423.html
Deff use a "crusting" icing with this and it should do ok on the car ride as long as it is not in direct heat and is kept stable on car ride, not slipping around bumping into things. Hope I was some what helpful. 
Also the icing tip is #789 and it is a God send for sure!
thank you guys. i'm just nervous, i am not very confident of my baking yet, i know i love it, but.... to my family... they think its a lame hobby and i want to shut them up! for once i want good compliments on something i dont want to get put down, but if it comes out somewhat decent i will post pictures! thank you for all the support!
thank you guys. i'm just nervous, i am not very confident of my baking yet, i know i love it, but.... to my family... they think its a lame hobby and i want to shut them up! for once i want good compliments on something i dont want to get put down, but if it comes out somewhat decent i will post pictures! thank you for all the support!
I have learned the hard way to please myself first and formost with this hobby. It's mine, for me. So if anyone else doesn't appreciate it, then to hooey with them. Do your best and make yourself proud and the rest will follow along! 
Best part is you get to eat CAKE!!!!
Here is a tip in case you don't get your icing as smooth as you would like it to be (which I am sure you will), do a cornelli lace on the tiers - it looks so pretty, elegant and definitely wows people! I am sure you will do terrific. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities!
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