I made a 10" round, 2 layer cake today. Simple shell border.
I drove it, while my husband held it in his hands in the passenger seat. He's typically very careful, so I don't think that he did anything to it. Anyway, withing the 10 minuted that it took to reach my destination the entire cake shifted. When we looked closer once we took the cake inside, we saw how greasy/oily the bottom layer looked. As if the BC seperated. It looked as if I squirted oil over this layer, hence the tope layer sliding around. The only thing I did differently this go round was freeze my BC (for the very first time). I have read about people freezing BC all the time. Why did this happen? BTW, the BC looked and felt great when it was in the container and it thawed on the counter for over 24 hours.

Second, this morning I made a double a batch of BC. It looked grainy...seperated. When I colored it blue, it looked speckled and wet. The only thing I did differently this time was possibly overbeat it. I was working on something else and left the mixer going. Could the spotty, seprerated texture be the result of this and can I save it? I already tried mixing it again. I mixed the blue. It came together for a second and seperated again when I stopped mixing.

Help...

sounds like the crisco nightmare that some have been having.

if you use 1/2 butter and 1/2 crisco ...it sounds like your butter was too soft. sometimes it happens to me too when my butter is too soft, it doesnt help either if the day is hot.

Crisco=any brand of shortening or have you been having a particular problem with "Crisco" brand of shortening?

I'm familiar with what you are speaking of 'cause I've experienced this when making IMBC, but I use the Best Buttercream recipe from this site. All shortening.

Sounds like 0 trans-fat Crisco. Mine was getting little puddles of oil around bottom of cake. I have since switched to IndyDebi's BC

i used all of the same ingredients i normally used.

Where do you find IndyDebi's recipe? I just had the Crisco problem too. My cake was shining and looked real oily.

Here's the recipe:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-491583-0.html

I just wanted to add that I dont' think there is such a thing as overbeating icing. The longer I beat it, the smoother and more silky it gets.

When I was making icing this week, I did my taste test and thought it tasted a bit grainy. I flipped the KA back on and just let it run for another 3-4 minutes. Nice and smooth ... no graininess.

When you beat it, you are "smashing" those particles of crisco (or whatever fat you are using) into teeny tiny particles. The longer you beat it, the finer those particles get. The finer the particles, the smoother the icing.

Thanks, Indydebi, I kinda figured that...but was reaching and trying to point out anything that I did differently this time. I still have it (I stuck it in the fridge hoping it would firm up a bit...had already done enough w/powdered sugar) and may try to beat it a little more. Oh well...

I agree, it sounds COMPLETELY like you're using "New Crisco"...

Too bad you aren't closer, I'd offer to sell you some of my "Crisco Classic" I've got stocked up for a while (my Dad kinda overbought)...