Watched Sugarshack Bc Dvd Last Night, Questions?

Decorating By confectionsofahousewife Updated 9 Jul 2013 , 1:57pm by lkern777

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 1:59pm
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My sugarshack buttercream dvd came in the mail the other day and I got to watch it last night. So glad I got it. I have a couple of questions though. Is there a reason for the hot water+coffee creamer versus using hot milk or cream?
Also, I noticed that her cakes had a nice golden edge before she started to ice them. There were no crumbs falling off and no cracked corners. My cakes NEVER look like that before icing. Now I am wondering if I have a cake problem rather than a buttercream problem. I can't see myself being able to apply the icing like she does without having it peel off the cake with crumbs attached. Thoughts? Maybe sugarshack needs to put out a baking dvd!
Here is a link to another thread where I posted a pic of my cake after I took it out of the pan. The edges are very crumbly.
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-670379-.html

27 replies
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2SchnauzerLady Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 2:10pm
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I have used flavored liquid creamers (white chocolate mocha, belgian chocolate toffee, etc) and heated in the microwave. The recipe is designed to allow you to substitute other liquids to get different flavors. You can use hot milk or cream.
Let us know what your cake recipe is, temp you are baking at, etc so someone can help you with your cake problems.

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rebew10 Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 2:24pm
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I also use the flavored liquired creamers too in place of her method.......think it tastes better. The white chocolate mocha is the best!!

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Peridot Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 2:27pm
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If you use hot milk or cream in your BC you need to refrigerate your cakes. If you use water and the coffee creamer no refrigeration is required.

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miss_sweetstory Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 2:35pm
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In addition to the info above, the creamer is a non-dairy product, which lengthens the shelf life of this icing. (Although the high sugar content would in itself act as a preservative, I would leave an icing made with cream unrefrigerated for great lengths of time.)

Regarding the cake there are several things that might affect yours. (1) some recipes have a tighter crumb than others. The clean trimming of a cake depends on a nice tight crumb. (2) Your cake could be slightly dry on the edges due to over baking. Try baking at 325-350. (3) I like to use homemade pan release (equal parts shortening, oil and flour mixed together and wiped on pan surface). I find the grease & flour method dries the cake edge too much. (4) Sharon's advice about a really good knife is right on. After watching her video I invested in a new knife and was really surprised by the improved results. (5) Chilling the cake first can also help.

Good luck, and remember, all those trimmings are yummy, even if they aren't pretty!

* edited to correct typo

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dandelion56602 Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 3:07pm
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After looking at your other post I'm wondering if you aren't greasing the bottom of your pan well enough. I would recommend lightly greasing the parchment/wax paper & make sure you get the bottom creases too. I always thought I was using plenty of grease & was afraid of over greasing (I use homemade as listed above) but tried putting a little more & it worked wonders.

You can also go to baking 911 dot com (CC blocks it for some reason so put it in the right form) then type cake problems into the search & there are a lot of helpful tips.

Sharon uses Wilton pan release & WASC for her cake.

Here's a google doc w/ soooo many variations. Even if you're anti box make it at least once just to see what you think. You can donate the cake or make yummy cake balls if you want to. But it handles beautifully & carves like a dream.

For the creamer, like others suggested use flavored. But some are potent so you won't need as much. I like using French Vanilla b/c it gives a little of a base flavor & I can still use my flavorings w/out it changing it, it just enhances the flavor.

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erinalicia Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 4:07pm
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you do not need to refrigeriate your buttercream if you use milk or cream- the sugar acts as a preservative and keeps it from spoiling. I only use heavy whipping cream in my icing and I am able to leave on my countertop in a sealed container for a week or longer and it not spoil or taste funny. I do put leftovers in the fridge if I need to store it longer than a week.

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Mug-a-Bug Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 4:12pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by erinalicia

you do not need to refrigeriate your buttercream if you use milk or cream- the sugar acts as a preservative and keeps it from spoiling. I only use heavy whipping cream in my icing and I am able to leave on my countertop in a sealed container for a week or longer and it not spoil or taste funny. I do put leftovers in the fridge if I need to store it longer than a week.




Ditto.

As far as your crumbly cake, my cakes are also crumbly, yet delicious. That is why I like to do a crumb coat first. Then I use sugarshack's methods. HTH

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2SchnauzerLady Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 4:28pm
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Baking at 325 degrees stopped my cake tops from cracking. If your cakes are moist, then the crumbly texture may be your recipe. I recently tried a cupcake at a new shop and it was moist and delicious, but very crumbly - it totally fell apart on me! Although a different flavor at the same shop stayed together.

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BeanCountingBaker Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 4:59pm
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The best thing I have learned so far is to bake at 325!

Since I began baking at 325 my cakes come out very moist and level. I use tons of crisco to grease my pans then coat with flour. I don't use parchment paper or wax paper, but I still get smooth sides and bottoms on my cakes. I have almost no problems with crumbs anymore.

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 6:22pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by erinalicia

you do not need to refrigeriate your buttercream if you use milk or cream- the sugar acts as a preservative and keeps it from spoiling. I only use heavy whipping cream in my icing and I am able to leave on my countertop in a sealed container for a week or longer and it not spoil or taste funny. I do put leftovers in the fridge if I need to store it longer than a week.




I use heavy whipping cream too! That's why I was asking because I love the flavor it gives my buttercream (like frozen custard only not cold!) and don't really want to change that part of it but I dont' want to vary sharon's recipe too much.

As far as baking the cake, I grease with crisco and flour, use parchment, and I bake at 325. I have thought about greasing more but it seems to make the edges of the make MORE moist and crumbly if that's possible! I don't think I am overbaking as the cake is super moist. In fact I think at a point I was underbaking and baking longer did seem to help it stay together a little better but I still get some chunks falling out and lots of crumbs.

Here is the recipe that I use. Its a scratch wasc and I really love the flavor, crumb, and moistness but it doesn't always stay together well when it comes out of the pan. I am thinking of trying the white cake recipe from the cake bible has anyone tried that one? Is it good? Thank you all for your help!

5 c cake flour
3 1/3 c sugar
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c milk
1 1/3 c shortening
16oz sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract
10 egg whites (or 10oz carton egg whites)
Instructions
Preheat oven. Prepare your pans as you normally would.

1.
2.Sift dry ingredients together into mixer bowl.
3.
4.Add everything but egg whites and mix just until combined. Beat on high for 2 minutes, turn down mixer and add egg whites, return to high and beat for another 2 minutes.
5.
6.Pour into pans and bake.
7.
8.This recipe makes 10 cups of batter, but can be halved or doubled (if your mixer can handle it).

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Mug-a-Bug Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 6:40pm
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I've used cream instead of Sharon's coffee creamer mix; and gotten the same good results. I don't think the liquid you use makes much of a difference (although I don't really like using water). It's more important to follow her mixing instructions as far as filling the bowl to the top. HTH.

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cupcakemkr Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 6:59pm
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Is it possible that your butter cream is too think so that when you apply it it tears more of the cake away?

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moranda Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 7:02pm
post #14 of 28

I recently received Sharon's BC DVD and I loved it, however everytime I try making the BC like she suggests (i.e. filling the bowl to cover the beater) I end up with powered sugar splashed out all over the counter. I have the same KA mixer she uses in the video.

I can't imagine making 5 lbs of powered sugar like she does and not having half of it end up all over the counter. Anyone have any tricks?

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erinalicia Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 7:09pm
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every time I make icing my whole kitchen is covered in powdered sugar. Are you scraping the sides down regularly and using the dishtowel like she does? That helps, but I get frustrated with the towel in my way and end up throwing it somewhere.. LOL

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2SchnauzerLady Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 7:12pm
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Moranda - I use a large damp dishtowel over the mixer - my KA is small and old, so I can't use more than 4 lbs of sugar, but it does fill it to the top. I still have PS everywhere, but the dishtowel really helps keep it under control and the spillage is only around the KA, not all over the kitchen. I stop the KA, put a few cups of sugar in, cover the mixer well and blend for a minute or two, and repeat until all the sugar is in.

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Peridot Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 7:22pm
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I guess the using milk or cream in BC and keeping it refrigerated vs not refrigerating is another one of the great debates on this site...like box vs. scratch, etc. I guess then I can use cream or milk and leave my cake or BC sit on the counter and not have to worry about making anyone sick.

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moranda Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 7:22pm
post #18 of 28

Thanks for the dishtowel tip, I will definitely give that a try. I knew I could count on someone for a great tip.

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confectionsofahousewife Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 7:43pm
post #19 of 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by moranda

Thanks for the dishtowel tip, I will definitely give that a try. I knew I could count on someone for a great tip.




I know I have the same KA that sharon has too and I haven't tried her recipe yet so I can't imagine 5lbs of powdered sugar in there. Mine flomps all over the place even with 2lbs. I do use a damp towel though and that really helps contain the mess. I wrap it all the way around the back to contain as much as I can. I can't wait to try her recipe though. I love the idea of filling the mixer full above the paddle so that it creates a vacuum. It makes perfect sense!
cupcakemkr: I have definitely had that thought that my buttercream is too thick! I have tried to make an effort to make it a little thinner and it does spread easier. I just have to make sure to keep some thick so I can fill the cake without it bulging out.
Any more thoughts on my cake?

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2SchnauzerLady Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 8:01pm
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Confections - if your mixer is flomping around - mine does when the BC is too thick for covering the cake.

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dandelion56602 Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 8:58pm
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Scoop out a few cups of the buttercream & add more liquid to it. I do this & use it as my crumb coat. My cakes don't usually crumble or tear, but it makes the effort a lot easier w/ thinner buttercream

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The_Lil_Cakehouse Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 11:26pm
post #22 of 28

I know she does the WASC cake, cause I've asked her icon_smile.gif

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sheilabelle Posted 10 Mar 2010 , 11:26pm
post #23 of 28

To keep the pwd. sugar from flying, I use a piece of plastic wrap around the bowl of my KA and going up and clinging to the sides of the mixer it self. When I need to add more sugar I just move the flap where it overlaps aside and put the sugar in and then wrap it back up. Keeps the majority of the sugar in the bowl and not the air.

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JulieMN Posted 11 Mar 2010 , 12:15am
post #24 of 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheilabelle

To keep the pwd. sugar from flying, I use a piece of plastic wrap around the bowl of my KA and going up and clinging to the sides of the mixer it self. When I need to add more sugar I just move the flap where it overlaps aside and put the sugar in and then wrap it back up. Keeps the majority of the sugar in the bowl and not the air.




I'll have to try this....thanks for the tip!

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The_Lil_Cakehouse Posted 11 Mar 2010 , 3:42am
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callierogers Posted 8 Jul 2013 , 7:20pm
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AI've only glanced through everyone's answers, so I might be repeating a dozen people, but I would make sure that my buttercream is a little thinner... As far as your cake goes, I've tried a dozen vanilla/yellow/white cake recipes and they, like yours, kept coming out crumbly, but my chocolate cake recipe and my red velvet cake recipe never turn out this way. I finally figured out that it's the order in which you combine the ingredients... Try this recipe and see how it turns out for you. It has a really good vanilla flavor, has a consistency of a sponge cake, and it's super easy. I know the site says it's for cupcakes, but I've made it as a round cake before and it turned out fine.

http://feelingfoodish.com/white-velvet-butter-cupcakes-with-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/

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rdjr Posted 9 Jul 2013 , 3:48am
post #27 of 28

I still can't get my buttercream to be smooth and airless, its seems like every time I mae it there is more air in it. icon_sad.gif

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lkern777 Posted 9 Jul 2013 , 1:57pm
post #28 of 28

AI used to have the crumbly problem too. I was under baking. I started using parchment on the bottom and parchment collars on the sides and it helped tremendously. I have always erred on the side of under baking, but when I started making sure that the cake tester came out completely clean instead of having a couple of crumbs on it, it made a huge difference. I do still crumb coat and then follow Sharon's method.

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