Making Smbc...

Baking By FromScratch Updated 7 Nov 2014 , 10:59am by cazza1

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FromScratch Posted 7 Aug 2008 , 2:22am
post #181 of 492

Blueberrycheesecake.. after reading your other threads I have a few comments.. first that boiled icing and SMBC are two VERY different icings.. boiled icing can be very good, but it doesn't hold up well and must be eaten quickly or it can get spongy. Royal icing is great for decorations, but I would never frost a cake or cupcake with it. Royal dries very hard and wouldn't be very palatable on a cupcake (I say cupcake because that was what you were looking to make right?).

SMBC holds up better than boiled icing for sure. The butter makes it very workable. I think if you give it a try you will get the results you are seeking.. a beautiful silky frosting that will hold its shape. You asked about the heat and I will say that I have personally had it out in temps in the low to mid 80's with no problems and since it's mainly butter buttter's melting point is 90-95 degrees. HTH's a little. icon_biggrin.gif

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FromScratch Posted 7 Aug 2008 , 2:23am
post #182 of 492

Sharon.. the line isn't really that fine.. so long as your mixer bowl is neutral to the touch you will be fine, and if it's too warm or too cold.. you know what to do.. so get on it woman!!! Or I'll never buy you another round again.. icon_wink.gif

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FromScratch Posted 7 Aug 2008 , 2:25am
post #183 of 492

Dcabrera.. if you add melted white chocolate to it that will make a nice white chocolate version. Do it bit by bit until you get the flavor you are going after. It can be a little softer if you are using it as only a filling.

I haven't been getting notified of replies.. so I am sorry if it took a while to get back to you all.

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sugarshack Posted 7 Aug 2008 , 3:07am
post #184 of 492
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

Sharon.. the line isn't really that fine.. so long as your mixer bowl is neutral to the touch you will be fine, and if it's too warm or too cold.. you know what to do.. so get on it woman!!! Or I'll never buy you another round again.. icon_wink.gif




tee hee hee!

I'm going! prob within this week! can't wait!

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MayWest Posted 9 Aug 2008 , 4:54pm
post #185 of 492

Jkalman...this might have been answered already, but I folded in some cream cheese and it tasted delicious but I would like the consistency to be a little firmer/stiffer. Any advice? It will be used for filling only.

By the way thank you for this great post! I only used SMBC under fondant and it is fantastic! I always get clean sharp edges.

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FromScratch Posted 9 Aug 2008 , 5:07pm
post #186 of 492

Hmmm.. when I put CC in it the texture was pretty firm (more firm than regualr SMBC actually).. maybe it was just too warm? Did you let it sit for a while after you mixed it up?

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lilthorner Posted 9 Aug 2008 , 9:24pm
post #187 of 492

i just made cc SMBC yesterday, I have only ever used it for a filling.. it was umm umm good in a rv cake!

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FromScratch Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 12:16am
post #188 of 492

The CC SMBC pipes great too. It was really firm and piped so nice.

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lilthorner Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 2:35am
post #189 of 492

umm I wish I had some left! LOL

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MayWest Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 1:32pm
post #190 of 492
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

Hmmm.. when I put CC in it the texture was pretty firm (more firm than regualr SMBC actually).. maybe it was just too warm? Did you let it sit for a while after you mixed it up?




Jkalman,

No I didn't let it sit for a while. Do you beat or smooth out the CC before you fold it in the SMBC? Maybe it's how I mix or how much of it I put in that makes it soft. What do you do and how much CC do you use (CC to SMBC ratio)? Thanks for answering all my ????'s

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SHogg Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 3:07pm
post #191 of 492

I like SMBC but the only time I have had success with it is when I have used it plain with no added flavors or purees and if I don't refrigerate it. I must not be reconstituting correctly or maybe adding too much puree. When I have filled cake with it it squishes right out the sides even with a dam. It must be too soft. Help!
SHogg
www.distinctivecakes.com

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AKA_cupcakeshoppe Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 3:20pm
post #192 of 492

jkalman, how much cream cheese would you add to a batch of SMBC? does it replace part of the butter? it sounds divine!

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fearlessbaker Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 3:47pm
post #193 of 492

I am so happy JKalman did this. I started using Rose Biranbaum's merigue recipes when The Cake Bible first came out. The SMBC and the IMBC is just so much better than anything with shortening in it. JKalman has just brought everyone up to a higher level and a higher standartd of baking. Shortening BC has it's place. But I bet it won't be used as much now after following JKalman's advice and recipe.

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FromScratch Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 5:48pm
post #194 of 492

WHen I add cream cheese I beat it in the mixer and fold in the SMBC. I do it to taste.. but you could add 8 oz to the 5 egg recipe easy. Make sure you use full fat CC and don't over mix it. The light CC's don't work and they tend to curdle easily and if you over beat it it curdles and you can't fix it.

I don't know the Cake bible recipe.. but if it's too soft then it's most likely too warm when you are using it. When you chill it and want to use it again you must allow it to come to room temp and if it curdles and separates it was too cold, but if you warm it up it will come back together. It looks awful when it was too cold.. like cottage cheese with water in it, but it will come back together.

If you were making the IMBC then it could have been that your sugar wasn't hot enough when you added it to the meringue.

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Pebbles1727 Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 6:37pm
post #195 of 492

Ok now, please don't laugh at me--I took only one decorating Wilton class (and I mean one class of the Course I), but I know that I absolutely hate class BC. So, planning on trying this recipe. I've been baking for our church for a few years and did basic decorating, but never ventured out on actual cake decorating. All pretty cakes I ever tasted, honestly tasted pretty average or below. So, I decided that there have to be a way to combine great look with great taste. Then I found this site and then this thread, but of course as a newby I have some questions. My son's birthday is next week and he asked for a Scoobie Cake made by mama. So, it's going to be a sheet cake with scoobie image on it. I plan on using just a round and a star tips to get this done. (you see I told you I'm a newbie). Now to questions:
1. Will my plan work with this icing? Or will decorations smudge together?
2. What is the best way to transport cake with this icing as it relates to temp? In Alabama, it gets hotter than 90 quite often.
3. Would you recommend trying this recipe for class cake decorating or just stick with basic horribly tasting stuff?
4. If cake is kept in the fridge, can it be eaten straight out of it, or does cake and icing need to come to room temp for best taste?

Sorry for so many questions. Your help and advice are greatly appreciated.
Pebbles

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FromScratch Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 6:59pm
post #196 of 492

FOr class I'd stick to the wilton BC since it's cheaper to make and will be the same consistency.

If you chill it it must come to room temp befrore you mix it up. If it's too cold it will separate, but if it does it will come back together if you warm it up. Straight from the fridge it will be hard like a stick of butter.

The icing will work for you scooby cake.. it doesn't crust though so the icing stays nice and soft and fingers can easily smear it. When you are piping with it keep an ice pack on hand so you can rest the bag in it when it gets soft. If you have hot hands (like me) this is more of an issue. I usually will have a few bags going at the same time so I can let one rest and come back down in temp. When it gets warm it gets really soft.

To transport I would stick it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before you head out and place it in an airconditioned car. It can sit out at temps in the 80's with no problem and it will not fall off the cake unless it's 100 degrees and I wouldn't recommend any cake with any frosting being out at those temps anyway.

HTH's a bit and if you have any more questions please dont hesitate to ask. icon_smile.gif

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Pebbles1727 Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 7:10pm
post #197 of 492

Oh wow!!! Thank you for such a quick response. And thank you for being so thorough, I got more questions now:
1. Do you find it harder to work with than BC when piping or just the matter of getting used to?
2. What is the best way to color this icing? I have Wilton's gel set for Scooby (yellow, teal, black, and brown). Will they work?
3. Since most of my piping will be black and brown, I assume I'll start with chocolate frosting. Will consistency change and will be harder to work with after I add melted chocolate?

Thanks again. I cannot wait to give all of this a try.
Pebbles

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ceshell Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 11:18pm
post #198 of 492

For those with questions about how SMBC/IMBC holds up when piping decorations, here are some cupcakes I just did for my DD's bd. Nevermind the sloppy piping job, the air bubbles (I used leftover, frozen IMBC and I accidentally whipped air into it) or the plastic toppers...wait, why am I showing you these??!! LOL. Seriously, this is not to show off my poor piping skills, but just to show you how firm the icing can be. If I'd taken an ounce of time on these the flowers could have looked really great; as it is you can see the icing holds up well for making the little petals. Any areas of saggy icing were solely due to user error. These had nice peaks on top too, before I smashed 'em down with deco's.

BTW I froze the cupcakes after icing them, and then packed them in a small ice chest to bring on our trip. Ate them +24 hrs later. Icing never slid off, didn't even budge when the cooler was tipped for a while. Yay IMBC! I used the Cake Bible recipe.

p.s. I'm not getting notifications either! icon_mad.gif
LL

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fearlessbaker Posted 10 Aug 2008 , 11:35pm
post #199 of 492

I don't think anyone here would laugh at you at all. I only took the first class at Wilton. But my advice is this: IMBC is really lovely and it does take more time to make than the shortening buttercream-- well maybe not more time but a little more finesse. So if I were taking a cake to a Wilton class I wouldn't take one with IMBC simply because I think perhaps the cakes in the class get handled by a lot of hands. At least in my class they did and there weren't sinks nearby. So I would use the IMBC on a cake that I knew would be totally edible and spotless. Does this make sense?

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FromScratch Posted 11 Aug 2008 , 1:04am
post #200 of 492

The gel colors will work, but candy colors work better. it's like oil and water.. the gel colors can look a little grainy as they are water based and the candy colors are oil based and they blend in perfectly. But I have used gel colors plenty of times so don't worry.

When you add the chocolate make sure that it is cool but still pourable and then let it sit for a while so it can cool off before you use it. Then it will be fine.

It's not really harder to use, but it does take some getting used to. It has a different way about it and the biggest problem is when it gets warm it gets really soft.. and it gets warm quickly. Wilton class BC will get soft too, but it takes much longer to get really soft.

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playingwithsugar Posted 11 Aug 2008 , 12:38pm
post #201 of 492

Thanks, Jeanne -

What brand of candy colors do you recommend? My local vendor sells a couple of different brands.

Theresa icon_smile.gif

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fearlessbaker Posted 11 Aug 2008 , 5:03pm
post #202 of 492

Ceshell, I use The Cakle Bible also. Did you use the Mouselline on those beautiful cuppys. The recipient must have been so happyh. What beautiful colors to. Have you ever gone to Roses's site Real Baking with Rose?

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FromScratch Posted 11 Aug 2008 , 7:28pm
post #203 of 492

I just use the Americolor candy colors. They work great. CK brand is good too, but my local place only sells Americolor so that's what I use. When you use a lot of them to make a dark color they can change the flavor of your icing.. it's not gross, but it's noticible.

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ceshell Posted 12 Aug 2008 , 12:10am
post #204 of 492
Quote:
Originally Posted by fearlessbaker

Ceshell, I use The Cakle Bible also. Did you use the Mouselline on those beautiful cuppys. The recipient must have been so happyh. What beautiful colors to. Have you ever gone to Roses's site Real Baking with Rose?



Thanks for the compliment, I think the colors suck LOL! They weren't quite as rich as I was going for but I didn't make too much effort, my DD only turned 4 so I knew she wouldn't care. I really want to get candy colors to try getting better results per jkalman's suggestions.

Yep I use the Mouselline bc. The only reason I used that rather than SBMC is that I've read that IMBC is just a teeny bit more stable at higher temps so, given the challenges (18 hrs in a cooler, then being carted around Sea World in a lunch pack in 80 degree weather for 5 hours) they were going to endure before being eaten, I knew they'd need every advantage I could give them.

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fearlessbaker Posted 12 Aug 2008 , 12:28am
post #205 of 492

Ceshel, Wheredo you live? I'm in L.A.

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ceshell Posted 12 Aug 2008 , 12:34am
post #206 of 492

Me too! (I PM'd you)

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Pebbles1727 Posted 12 Aug 2008 , 3:31am
post #207 of 492

Thank you Jeanne,
I'm making a test run tomorrow on the cupcakes for the school birthday party and will make enough to practice just to make sure I can handle everything. Look forward to a yummi icing.
Thank you for the recipe and instructions.
Pebbles

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saramachen Posted 12 Aug 2008 , 4:33pm
post #208 of 492

Ok... after about an hour of reading... i have made to the end of this thread. I think I will have to try jkalman's SMBC this weekend. Thanks everyone for asking such great questions so i don't have to! icon_biggrin.gif

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AKA_cupcakeshoppe Posted 13 Aug 2008 , 2:07pm
post #209 of 492

I wonder how sugarshack's SMBC weekend turn out? icon_smile.gif

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FromScratch Posted 13 Aug 2008 , 3:25pm
post #210 of 492

I know.. I have been wondering too.. Come on Sharon.. if you made it please dish!!

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