what do I do if someone wants red velvet cake but wants it decorated like a basket. I know that you ususally use cream cheese icicng to go with red velvet. But how do you pipe with that icing? Is there another recipe to use? thanks

been there, done that (eeewwww - I still don't get what is so fa-boo about red velvet!)

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and I"ve got "hot" hands to boot....

so.....

crank up the A/C and get it nice and cool

take icing, split between 3 bags with same tip on end.

2 bags into the fridge. (bags 2 & 3 )

and start to pipe.

when that bag gets "too soft"

put bag 1 in fridge and take out bag 2

continue to pipe.

when it gets too soft

bag 2 back into the fridge and take out bag 3

continue to pipe.

when it gets too soft..

bag 3 back into the fridge and take out bag 1 which should be stiff enough again.

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if I'm having real problems with the icing, then it's put the just used bag into the freezer. then when switch the next time, freezer bag to refrigerator, refrigerator bag to pipe and soft bag into freezer.

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this crusting cream cheese frosting works fairly well too.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-6817-1-Wedding---Crusting-Cream-Cheese-Frosting.html

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as needed I'll stop and put whole cake in fridge to firm up

and I do store it in the fridge (in a sealed box) until time for delivery or serving.

Fill the cake with the cream cheese stuff and decorate the cake with whatever works best for you.

And you can get cream cheese flavor or cheesecake flavor or something compatible from Lorann Oils (dot com) as another option. Or Amoretti's flavors & there's other brands too.

Doug, You have the BEST tips and tricks!

thanks so much for the reply!!!

You can also try the crusting cream cheese buttercream from designmeacake.com.

The Decorator Cream Cheese icing recipe in the receipe section on this site would work, just be sure to take Doug's advice re: refrigerating the piping bags.