My Buttercream Will Not Crust, Ever, No Matter What I Do!
Decorating By tarascupcakes Updated 21 Sep 2009 , 6:15pm by tarascupcakes
I live in South Carolina where it is also humid. I use a very simple recipe that I have never had trouble with. 3 lbs. pure cane sugar ( I was told not to use use store brands as they are not pure cane sugar.) 1 cup shortening (I use Wal-mart or Aldi's ) 1/2 salt, 1 teas. vanilla, 3/4 c water - may need more to get to spreading consistancy. MIx only as much as necessary. It has crusted no matter what the season is. I refrigerate it for 15 min. or so to get it to crust if I am in a hurry. I have been meaning to try some of the others but have not gotten around to it.
I live in the Bahamas and we lived on the ocean with no A/C for 5 years. I baked and decorated cakes the entire time and never had Indydebi's buttercream not crust. I think the freezing and thawing is adding condensation to your cakes. I wrap my cakes warm and let them sit overnight. They are firm and easy to work with the next morning.
Also, as far as the cost of the Dream whip...you are also using less Crisco so there's some balance there. I think Indydebi's is still a little more expensive, but the taste and ease of use makes it worth it.
I know how frustrating it can be when something isn't coming out right. Good luck to you, I hope your problem is resolved soon
I TOTALLY agree the condensation from the sethawing would contribute to my problem, but the BC is not crusting all alone in a bowl, on a spatula, nothing, so I don't feel it is right to begin with.
I'm gonna keep trying until I figure it out!
What kind of "crustiness" are you looking for? Maybe our definitions of crust differ? Just a thought.
About 2 years ago when I was taking my Wilton courses, my BC crusted. I was able to take a Viva towel and smooth it out, no problem. Now, the BC comes off or gets tacky and less smooth when I do this with the Viva, therefore, there is no crusting going on.
It's got to be an ingredient issue. By this, I mean the brand I'm using or something.
I don't think I'm overmixing either (that was mentioned) because I was taught to not overmix. Everything is done on the slowest speed with my Kitchenaid.
Thanks to all again for racking your brains to think of a solution for my problem.
I think it's because I'm married to a Pastor's son. 5 years ago when I married him, my luck changed drastically.
You laugh, but I'm serious as a heartbeat!!! 
I have been noticing this same problem, and I think I am going to cut the butter I use in half and see if that helps....I think humidity must have something to do with it too.....experimentation I guess
Thank you for making me feel as though it's not completely my fault. We just moved over here by the mall. How do you make a buttercream with NO LIQUID AT ALL? Also, can you tell me this. I ice my cakes frozen, because if not, they rip. But then as they dethaw, I have condensation on the buttercream I have to blot before I put fondant on. What other way could/should I be doing this?
Buttercream with no liquid at all:
-Cream shortening until very creamy (probably 2 minutes or so)
-Slow mixer a bit and add in extracts (vanilla, almond, what have you)
- Add in powdered sugar and beat until fluffy
It absolutely will work. Try it. As far as freezing the cakes; I understand what you mean b/c I don't like to crumb coat my cakes when they are fresh either. But, I just stick them in the freezer for a little bit, and it accomplishes the same thing. Do an expiriment; when your cake has cooled on the rack like usual, pop it, uncovered, in the freezer for about 30 minutes. You'll be able to crumb coat it without it tearing, and it's not frozen enough to condensate.
Not sure where the "don't run the mixer very long" thing came from. I run my mixer anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how big a hurry I'm in or how distracted I get. If I remember correctly from watching Sharon's video, her mixer is running for 8? 10? 15? minutes? (refresh me anyone ... it's been awhile).
The fat in icing has to be absolutely pulverized. Otherwise you have lumps of fat (butter or crisco) in the icing and you'll never get it smooth.
By 'everything is done on the slowest speed with my KA' ... do you mean 'the slowest speed possible for that application'? What I mean is, you're not creaming your shortening on speed number 1, right?
Yes, I cream it on #1. That's not right? I basically mix everything. I'm going to go re-read my instructions again. I should be mixing it more?
By 'everything is done on the slowest speed with my KA' ... do you mean 'the slowest speed possible for that application'? What I mean is, you're not creaming your shortening on speed number 1, right?
Yes, I cream it on #1. That's not right? I basically mix everything. I'm going to go re-read my instructions again. I should be mixing it more?
I beat the snot out of my crisco before I add the other ingredients on slow speed. The longer I mix my BC, the smoother it is!
OMGoodness! This HAS to be it! I only "beat the snot out of it" right at the end just for 5 seconds and that is it! It's mostly on the slowest speed. I guess that's because I kept hearing my instructor in my head saying, "don't overmix it". I am going to go make a batch right now and try it! I don't care it's almost midnight. I'm working on 2 orders anyway and need more icing. Please, please, keep your fingers crossed!!!!
BTW, I re-read my instructions and it says, "cream the shortening". What in the hell does that mean?!?!? Well, now you all have explained it, I think I can do that!!!
Oh thank god!!! This has been driving me nuts, because I'm like, my icing sometimes crusts if I'm just being lazy and not icing fast enough, so how in the heck is this poor girl's icing not even crusting up after HOURS?? I mean, even if you added a crazy amount of liquid, it would eventually dry out and crust.
"Cream" something = beat it at a high speed until it becomes lighter in color and almost doubles in volume (or it may just appear that way b/c it will crawl up the sides of your mixing bowl). I too beat the hell out of my shortening or butter before adding my liquids, and then beat the hell out of it after the PS. I only slow down briefly to add the liquids so they don't fly out of the mixer. The hell-beatiing also helps, I feel, to reduce a bit of the graininess of the PS. The not overmixing thing, I only apply that to my cake mixes, because in that case overmixing will cause glutens to form with the flour and the cake will get tough. But icing? Beat that stuff UP!
OMGoodness! This HAS to be it! I only "beat the snot out of it" right at the end just for 5 seconds and that is it! It's mostly on the slowest speed. I guess that's because I kept hearing my instructor in my head saying, "don't overmix it". I am going to go make a batch right now and try it! I don't care it's almost midnight. I'm working on 2 orders anyway and need more icing. Please, please, keep your fingers crossed!!!!
BTW, I re-read my instructions and it says, "cream the shortening". What in the hell does that mean?!?!? Well, now you all have explained it, I think I can do that!!!
I would think mixing on high speed right at the end would give you lots of air bubbles.
I would think mixing on high speed right at the end would give you lots of air bubbles.
Well now, I think that has been a subject of much debate here in the past. I think it depends on lots of variables, including your mixer and how big a batch you are making and lots of stuff. I beat it on high for a bit after I have all my PS incorporated, but I have a 7qt Cuisinart w/ a really tall mixing bowl, and make big batches, so the beater is covered by icing. It's not really beating in air so much as stirring the icing really fast. If that makes any sense.
I would think mixing on high speed right at the end would give you lots of air bubbles.
Well now, I think that has been a subject of much debate here in the past. I think it depends on lots of variables, including your mixer and how big a batch you are making and lots of stuff. I beat it on high for a bit after I have all my PS incorporated, but I have a 7qt Cuisinart w/ a really tall mixing bowl, and make big batches, so the beater is covered by icing. It's not really beating in air so much as stirring the icing really fast. If that makes any sense.
I've heard that "beats in air" thing and I'm with sleepy .... I think there are lots of variables. For instance, in my little pea-brain mind, I tend to think of using a whip will WHIP in air, but using a beater will BEAT the snot out of the ingredients. (When I mash my potatoes on high speed, they don't have air bubbles. 
)
So I conceed to being ignorant or flat out stupid about it, but I tend to view this statement as "ok, sure, some people say that ....... but it's never been a problem for me, so I ignore it." Beating my icing a long time on high speed works for me and that's all I care about.
Julia Child herself could tell me the "it beats in air" thing, but it works for me! 
I would think mixing on high speed right at the end would give you lots of air bubbles.
Well now, I think that has been a subject of much debate here in the past. I think it depends on lots of variables, including your mixer and how big a batch you are making and lots of stuff. I beat it on high for a bit after I have all my PS incorporated, but I have a 7qt Cuisinart w/ a really tall mixing bowl, and make big batches, so the beater is covered by icing. It's not really beating in air so much as stirring the icing really fast. If that makes any sense.
Yes, it does.
As long as I have been around CC...I NEVER knew this was a touchy subject too...look at that, I almost started somethin' (lol)
Seriously, I have no idea about the bubbles! I do know for me, I hate having the mixer so full above the beater. But let's keep in mind I am an amateur!
I do know for me, I hate having the mixer so full above the beater.
I feel the same way. I watch the mixer while it's running ('coz I think it's fun to pick one spot on the batter and watch it get sucked down into the bowl!) and the stuff on top of the beater doesn't seem to circulate down thru the mixture like a not-as-full batch does. So I'm always lifting the beater up and down a bit so it will stir up the top layer of batter/icing/brownies/potatoes/whatever.
Right or wrong ... logical or not ... I don't care ... it works for me! 
I do know for me, I hate having the mixer so full above the beater.
I feel the same way. I watch the mixer while it's running ('coz I think it's fun to pick one spot on the batter and watch it get sucked down into the bowl!) and the stuff on top of the beater doesn't seem to circulate down thru the mixture like a not-as-full batch does. So I'm always lifting the beater up and down a bit so it will stir up the top layer of batter/icing/brownies/potatoes/whatever.
Right or wrong ... logical or not ... I don't care ... it works for me!
I keep lifting my up too!
Oh gosh, I don't think you were starting anything! Honestly, I just thought it was kind of amusing because I know there have been dozens of posts in the past debating the air bubbles thing before. Just do a search on 'beating air bubbles' and you will see the posts I'm talking about. So I was just sort of trying to sum all that up in one post I guess. Hopefully, the OP won't gain crusting only to then have troubles with bubbles!! That's what I love about CC; everything works slightly differently for everyone. It's all about figuring out your deal, and CC has sooo many options and ideas. You can always find another suggestion, idea, recipe, advice, until you find something that works for you.
Buttercream is a sensitive thing for me. I used sugarshack recipe for a wedding cake I did a month ago and loved it, said it was the only one I would ever use. It had no air bubbles, went on so smooth, crusts nicely. But then today I made it for another cake, and had nothing but trouble. Tons of air bubbles, so hard to smooth, the more I tried to smooth the worse it got. I was so ready to scrape off all of the frosting and start again, but then when I started adding all of the decorations it wasn't so bad. I still don't understand what happened with this recipe. I even had to throw out a batch, it got gritty, started out o.k. and then the more it mixed it got gritty. So 3 big batches, and not one turned out right, wish I knew what happened, now I'm freaking out about buttercream again. Thought I had a recipe that would work, but now I don't want to go thru the stress I went thru today.
Ok, so I put the one cake that is just getting iced with BC in the fridge after I did a crumb coat. Got it out and it felt a little firmer. I went ahead and put my second coat on and back in the fridge it went. I got it out and it felt firmer yet, so I got out my Viva and was able to smooth it nicely. I will post pics tomorrow. I think once I actually start mixing it right, it'll be perfect. I do make double and trible batches so, when I'm using my lowest speed, it's definitely not getting much air. I don't think even the 5 seconds I do it at then end puts much air in it, juts because it's such a large, thick batch.
If you've been reading my other thread about my fondant issue. Again, it went well. A few bubbles, but they were easily popped with a pin. No bulging at the bottom yet. It's been out drying for about 8 hours now. I'm gonna check it in the morning (well in about 6 hours now) and see what it looks like. There's not much going on it, so not much more weight to worry about. Again, I'll post picks.
I truly thank my success to all the love from my CC friends. You all rock!
I'm glad your BC is starting to work. I use Sugarshack's BC recipe most of the time. The other day I was icing two cakes, and it was pouring rain outside. Didn't crust at all. So I added more powdered sugar and the 2nd cake crusted.
I thought putting the cake in the fridge might firm up the icing, but will not help in crusting, since there's moisture in the fridge.
I live in a pretty dry area, but after that sheeting rain and difficult BC, I feel your pain. Sometimes I aim a fan directly at the cake to expedite crusting.
I'm glad your BC is starting to work. I use Sugarshack's BC recipe most of the time. The other day I was icing two cakes, and it was pouring rain outside. Didn't crust at all. So I added more powdered sugar and the 2nd cake crusted.
I thought putting the cake in the fridge might firm up the icing, but will not help in crusting, since there's moisture in the fridge.
I live in a pretty dry area, but after that sheeting rain and difficult BC, I feel your pain. Sometimes I aim a fan directly at the cake to expedite crusting.
It's sooooo frustrating! It's funny you should mention the fan because my poor husband after listening to me go on and on about this issue forever now and listening to me tell him everything everyone has said here, finally said last night, "Why don't you put a blow dryer on it?" He said of course on air, not heat. I love him, cause he comes up with the best ideas! I didn't try it because, like I said, after leaving it in the fridge, it did firm up enough to smooth with a towel really fast!
I am getting ready to decorate it now and I will put a pic up later. I guess it'll do for now, but definitely going to try the creaming of the shortening next time, which is in a few days!!! 
Like I said, it only firmed up enough after I put it in the fridge to use the Viva. It turns to basically mush without falling off the cake once it comes back to room temp. I have another order next weekend and I'm gonna "cream" the hell out of my shortening!
Thanks to all!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AQqB2gGRVAg/SrVLFV7VmNI/AAAAAAAAAeU/G_dpX9HJQmc/s1600-h/hannah+montana+blog.jpg
Like I said, it only firmed up enough after I put it in the fridge to use the Viva. It turns to basically mush without falling off the cake once it comes back to room temp.
I'm glad you posted this, though. I've said before that putting a cake in the frig does not make it crust. It makes the fat solidify, but when the cake is moved to room temp, the fat returns to room temp and the icing "melts". If you have a crusting recipe, it will crust in or out of the 'frig. So as bad as this is for you, you have presented an actual example of what I was trying to illustrate, which can be a learning tool for the next person! 
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