Kim, Gemini, or Serious_Cakes:
Do your older books indicate if you can do bridgework/fine stringwork on butter-cream cakes?
I've done it to practice, but I'm not comfortable doing one for a wedding, because I wondered if the BC would soften, and the RI strings would all crumble from the moisture and/or fat content of the BC after being out a few hours.
The newer books I've used to learn (like Toba Garrett's) all seem to do very fancy RI work on a fondant or marzipan base. If you did know...or have experience, I'd really appreciate your answer!
Thank you.
I haven't done the fancy stringwork, but I have used RI pieces on BC cakes. Eventually, yes, the fat in the icing will break down the RI. So much will depend on your icing. I did a test where I stuck some leftover RI pieces in some BC and left them. They were still fine 5 days later, when I ate them! But the candy canes I stuck into some reindeer cupcakes (they were the antlers) broke down in less than 2 days. I would be very careful investing all that work on stringwork on a BC cake without some serious experimentation first.
Thank you, GeminiRJ.
That confirmed my suspicions! I guess I'll do a fondant ribbon or something around the base first to act as a barrier for stringwork.
Thank you.
Got a question for you bc ladies out there, what do you use as your liquid? The reason I ask is because I ran out of my cream yesterday and had to use whole milk. I thought it would be very easy to handle but I overestimated how much I needed because my frosting was extremely thick. I kept adding just a little at a time and let the mixer run as per usual but I ended up with super thin frosting and a TON of air bubbles. I made a ball border and when I went to tap down the points like I normally do, the frosting splintered. I've never seen anything like that before!
It was a square cake and even though it turned out alright I couldn't get my corners nice and sharp because the frosting was so messy. Anyway, here it is:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1273558
And oh yeah, my color separated on me, never had that happen 
So, I'll be going back to using cream, just was curious what you guys used and how it works!!
I like using cream but I found it makes my frosting a little off white. I usually use Crisco. Sometimes I like pure white.
I think I'm just used to the higher fat, I usually use 1/2 and 1/2 or heavy cream. I think if I started using regular milk I could adapt my recipe, it'd just take some adjusting....
The recipe I used to use called for milk. Whole milk work OK, but anything less than that didn't come out as creamy. You wouldn't think that a tablespoon of something would make that much difference, but it does. I really am preferring one that uses something creamier.
Thanks Jibbies! Maybe I'll give it a whirl on my next 'for fun' cake
Mwah ha ha, my plan has worked, I've drawn out the buttercream cakers, now I can go look at their amazing work!! lol-I can't help it, I love seeing what people can do with it! I love going to this site:
http://www.cupcakecafe-nyc.com/
They pipe everything right on their cakes, makes me want to try harder!!
I'm so inspired!!
Jeannie
Well, I think that I might just have become a convert. Am I accepted? I have previously (up until this week) done all of my cakes in fondant. I love making the figures and deco. However, I decided that I wanted to attempt a bc cake for my mom's birthday. Hey, if I screwed it up, she is my mother, she would love it anyway!
I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! I did do some deco in fondant and even made a RI lily pad (it held up fine for 2 days on the cake - we ate the cake and it didn't matter anymore, lol)
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1273846
Anyway, I was happy with my first BC cake! I "feel like this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
Well, I think that I might just have become a convert. Am I accepted?
I have previously (up until this week) done all of my cakes in fondant. I love making the figures and deco. However, I decided that I wanted to attempt a bc cake for my mom's birthday. Hey, if I screwed it up, she is my mother, she would love it anyway! I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! I did do some deco in fondant and even made a RI lily pad (it held up fine for 2 days on the cake - we ate the cake and it didn't matter anymore, lol)
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1273846
Anyway, I was happy with my first BC cake! I "feel like this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
Of course you are accepted! And that is a lovely cake!
...another convert. We may not be winning the race yet, but we are picking up speed.
I always think it is funny when people say, I don't like buttercream any more because I have done so many cakes. 
I don't eat while I am decorating. I still bake and ice a cake for myself about once a week. I am addicted to sweets and a nice moist cake, iced in buttercream, is my favorite.
mandifrye-
Love your cake!
NOT LIKE BUTTERCREAM??? WHAT?!?
I love buttercream, and I love trying new recipes, so I think I may try a few of yours. And, the endless amounts of flavors, acceptable for any combination. I love the look of fondant, the taste is not so bad (except for wilton's - I use Jennifer Dontz's and it is really good), however, it tends to overpower the cake. So, now that I am converting, I guess I should start studying on more buttercream techniques! 
Shhhhh....I haven't ever taken a Wilton BC class!! 
By the way, Serious Cakes I love your youtube stuff. Its addicting. And, Indidebi I think that you are my hero. Great icing and great cakes, between all of the talent on this board, I can at least learn from some of the best.
Thanks guys!
mandifrye.. I have to say that BCJean has an awesome dvd,Its there on her signature and I know it says flowers but you can get so much more then that ! Check out her site!
Mwah ha ha ha!! My plan is a success!! Glad to have another join the ranks, welcome! And thank you for the compliment
I'm actually going to be taking a break from caking for other people. Probably not a long one, hubby's co-workers are already complaining 
I have a few other projects I would like to get done but it seems like I'm caking every other night. lol-I'd like to have the 'choice' to cake, instead of 'having' to do it because of an order. Not only that but I don't get to experiment with as many different flavor combos, etc, because everyone always wants the same thing, chocolate or vanilla!!
Fiddlesticks - Thanks for the info!!!
BCJean - You are one talented caker! I think that I will have to put your DVD's on my gotta have it list (it is continually growing, I am going to have to decorate more cakes to afford this habit!! 
)
Ok, honestly, do you have to learn buttercream from a hands on class, or can I teach myself with DVDs, tutorials and practice. I have yet to TAKE a class, but I have bought DVDs to learn from. I seem to get it fairly quick, but flowers, oh bc flowers, I FIND THEM IMPOSSIBLE sometimes. I think that it may be a consistancy issue. Especially, since I normally do EVERYTHING in fondant!!
Help you seasoned buttercreamers!
Well, strange that I found this thread today. Yesterday my Sylvia Weinstock book came and she stated she always uses bc and "hates fondant". She talked about the amount of time it takes to decorate a cake and how she has to put them in the fridge in the evening and how you can't do that with fondat. Anyway, I saw that many of her cakes look like they have piped RI on them (she swears they're all bc) and wondered if the fat from the bc would seep in. Also, she uses the bc that you have to boil the sugar for (sorry not sure if it's smbc or imbc). Interesting book, she gives her receipes-cakes, frostings and fillings but not much help on decoration of cakes.
mandifrye-I learned everything on my own, using books, tv and the net as a guide. I think it depends on the person though, some can learn from books, others need one-on-one training.
terrig007 -I borrowed that book from the library! I loved it!
Yes, I have BCJean's DVDs and they are awesome!! Thanks for making them Jean!
I know! It's crazy! I'm going to have to check it out again. I also borrowed 'Little Cakes' by Whimsical Bakehouse. That was a good one, definitely going to get it again, maybe even buy it!
has anyone checked out SugarShack's video on buttercream? I use the Creme Bouquet in my buttercream and it is absolutely wonderful.
Yep I have all Sugarshack's videos. And all of BCJean's. So many talented cake artists!! Wow!
to me buttercream is more of an art, it's like painting.
fondant is more of a craft, if that makes any sense.
have you ever seen them try to frost a cake on those challenges...if they run out of fondant....it's the end of the world....norman tried to ice a cake cause he ran out of fondant, it was sad looking.
i think they aren't used to piping either, after piping an hour...his poor hand was tired...awwww....i pipe for 12 hours some saturdays.
Kim, Gemini, or Serious_Cakes:
Do your older books indicate if you can do bridgework/fine stringwork on butter-cream cakes?
It appears that the stringwork is on buttercream wedding cakes, but I can't be certain. They do not actually describe the cakes that demonstrate the stringwork nor do they suggest whether you should use fondant versus buttercream. The quality of the pictures is not very good, typical for older publications. But I'm guessing that since the book was published in 1954, the cakes are probably covered in buttercream.
to me buttercream is more of an art, it's like painting.
fondant is more of a craft, if that makes any sense.
Just read this...yes, it makes total sense to me. I've dabbled in painting as well as crafts and I couldn't agree more.
And while there are some AMAZING fondant creations out there, my brain doesn't process them as food...I see them as beautiful, sculptural works of art...in fact I plan on attempting some of them for the sake of a challenge and because I know there are going to be people who insist on fondant, even if I try to talk them out of it. But give me a cake covered in buttercream and my salivary glands kick into gear and I want to grab a fork and a tall glass of milk!
Now since this thread was started, my Wilton Fondant & Gumpaste class has started. I enrolled because I wanted to learn to make gumpaste flowers. I must say that I was quite pleased with my first fondant covered cake (it's the gerbera daisy cake in my photos). I thought it looked real nice...but did it make me want to eat it? Uhmm...NO!
lutie.Yes I have Sharons dvd,s as well. I love her buttercream I use the wedding bouquet and people love the flavor.
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