I'm still relatively new at this...have done about 12 cakes in the last 18 months, and have taken Wilton I. I have 2 icing issues I'm hoping someone can help me with!

1 - I've tried 2 Buttercream recipes (one with butter, one without), and with both of them I get this wired streaky/glossy finish when decorating with colors. It's almost as if the color starts to separate somewhat from the icing and loses it's true color. Any ideas on what might be causing this?

2 - If I'm using regular buttercream, is there some trick to getting the black a dark black? No matter how much color I put in all I can seem to achieve is a silverish-gray color.

Thank you in advance!!!

Jill

It would help if you post your exact recipes so we can give some better insight. As far as the black goes, it helps to start with chocolate icing. Also, using a stronger gel color (Americolor's superblack, for instance, as opposed to wilton) will get much better results even from a white base.

Ah, thanks for the color tip. I didn't realize there were other coloring options other than Wilton. See, told you I was new at this!

The buttercream recipes I've tried:

-From my Wilton I instructor:
*4-5 TBLS Milk
*1/2 TSP Vanilla extract
*1/2 TSP Butter flavoring
*1/2 Cup Crisco
*4 cups Powdered Sugar

The other one I recently tried I got from either here or allrecipes (can't remember) and it was a crusting buttercream recommended for use with the VIVA method. It called for water, vanilla, almond extract, Crisco, powdered sugar, and one stick of butter.

Both taste fine, but I had the same issue with each. It's hard to describe what happens, but it's almost like the oil & watter effect, the color gets very streaky and the overall icing appearance is very glossy. I was starting to wonder if I was making some rookie mistake, but can't figure out what it is!

do you mean u get the streakiness when you ice thw hole cake in one solid color?


colored icing will tend to have a little bit of streaking if you ice the hole cake, but it tends to even out overnight.

your recipe may be causing the shiniess. crisco/water recipes tend to do that in my opinion.

I like hi ratio shortening, but even before you do that; try this for your liquid:

powdered coffee creamer mixed one cup to one cup with near boiling water. use it hopt in your recipe and keep extra in fridge for about a week

I love sugarshacks recipe!! Since I got her video on buttercream I have used nothing but it! The only thing I do is swap out 1 cup of shortening for 1 cup of butter.

I do not use criso, I normally get the store brand it has higher fat then crisco. There is no where local for me to get the hi ratio shortening sugarshack uses and the shipping is a little costly.

I just did the wedding cake in my photo's with her recipe, it smooths out so nice.

Good Luck
Shirl