How do you know if you should use crusted or non-crusted buttercream for cupcakes? I'm a little confused on all of it.

Using a crusting or non-crusting frosting for cupcakes or cakes is a personal choice.

Boils down to which type of frosting tastes better to you or your customers (the meringue b/c's will never crust) and which you find easier to smooth (different smoothing methods are used).

Everything you ever wanted to know about the meringue buttercreams:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6011626-.html

Everything you ever wanted to know to make, decorate and assemble tiered/stacked/layer cakes:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-605188-.html
(Includes popular CC recipes for crusting American b/c's, fondant and doctored cake mixes, WASC and flavor variations.)

HTH

Jan is right. It's not so much which frosting you use, but how you use it. Whether you are frosting a cake or cupcakes, there are factors involved which will determine whether your frosting will stay on or not.

First is the temperature of the cake - too warm or too cold - the frosting will either melt and slide off or fall off due to trapped humidity.

Temperature of the frosting - frosting that is too cold will pop off like a golf ball.

Then there's the application of the frosting. With a cake, the crumb coat works not only to trap crumbs, but also as a primer. You want to work it into the little holes on the side of the cake, so it grabs. The next layer will go on so smoothly when you have a properly applied crumb coat. With cupcakes, you want to make sure that you are holding the tip at the right angle and the right height, so the icing will grab the top. Experiment with the way you hold your bag, then turn the cupcake upside down and give it a gentle shake. If your icing stays on, you've got it right. If not, get a bit closer.

Theresa

If you haven't noticed, Jan is our resident search guru!!

Theresa thank you so much! I never thought to try the turn-it-upside-down technique.

Forgot...if you're adding on a topping such as coconut or sprinkles...which is better to use? I'm guessing non-crusting b/c they'll stick better???

if you put sprinkles on right away, you can still use a crusting bc.
xx

I'll have to throw myself into those threads... thank you!