I was wondering if you experts out there can tell me if a recipe that calls for plain crisco, powder sugar and vanilla extract will crust. I'm making a cake for a child with severe dairy allergies and am limited on the above ingredients. I'd like to use the Melvira method or Viva method to smooth out the cake.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Yes, that will crust. It's the combo of the PS and the fat together than causes the crusting.

I JUST made a vegan cake for a little boy that has severe dairy/egg allergies this past week! I made a yellow cake fo rhim and used sugarshack's icing. the coffee creamer (coffeemate french vanilla) was gluten, diary, cholesterol and nut free. HTH.

I didn't know the CoffeMate Creamer is dairy free! Thanks for the heads up.

No problem! Just make sure to double check the label (though like I said I just bought it last week) and also make sure it's the powdered kind...

Actually, the non-dairy creamers are only lactose free.

Most of the standard or best-known brands contain the protein-rich milk derivative casein in the form of sodium caseinate. For this reason vegans and some vegetarians choose to use a soy-based non-dairy creamer instead.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-non-dairy-creamer.htm

Lactose isn't the only cause of milk allegries/reactions:

http://www.dairyfreeliving.com/FAQs.htm

Ingredients in Coffee-Mate non-dairy powdered creamer:

COFFEE-MATE ORIGINAL CREAMER INGREDIENTS: CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, VEGETABLE OIL (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT OR PALM KERNEL, HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN), SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, AND LESS THAN 2% OF DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE (MODERATES COFFEE ACIDITY), MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES (PREVENTS OIL SEPARATION), SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ANNATTO COLOR.
**Not a source of lactose.

Kosher D

http://www.discountcoffee.com/coffeemate_canister.htm

HTH

P.S. Cool Whip, also advertised as non-dairy contains sodium caseinate:

http://foodchronicles.blogspot.com/2007/06/cool-whip-redux.html

Jan that was awesome info! Thank you so much! I'm glad that the little guy in my instant didn't have any reactions. From now on, I think I'll go with plan A which was to make the wilton class bc and use soymilk for the milk in the recipe! EEks...that could have been a disaster.

Thanks again!

Keyshia

JanH, thank you for pointing that out.
I had an argument the other day with a co worker that creamers labeled "non-dairy" are in fact dairy.
All of my cakes are kosher non-dairy cakes. And when I wanted to find a non dairy creamer it was a job and a half. All the non dairy creamers are labeled as Kosher D. The D stands for dairy and I couldn't understand why. Till I read the label. Now I get my coffee creamer (powdered form) in a kosher store.

You're most welcome.

Marketing is big business, and some advertising is misleading (if not downright deceptive).

All Cool Whip varieties, as I previously stated don't contain lactose but do contain sodium caseinate. While sugar-free Cool Whip contains corn syrup along w/artificial sweeteners and a trace amount of sugar. Technically accurate, but a diabetic should be aware of the corn syrup (as well as anyone with corn allergies.)

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.htm?&Product=4300001084&pf=true

HTH

When dairy allergy is an issue, always look for it to say kosher parve.

or a "U", or a "K" in a circle with a "P" after it.

You might be able to use a butter flavoring to help the flavor of the icing... I did one for a dairy allergy once and the child was allowed to have the artificial Wilton butter flavoring, which helped the taste of the icing alot.

You can also use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 soy butter, ps and vanilla, I do this for my nephew that is also allergic to dairy - it crusts nicely and tastes good too.

How about using "smart balance". it's a non dairy margarin that tastes really good. It's the margarine made out of non hydroginated (sp?) stuff. you know the one that is actually good for human consumption.