Crusting Buttercream

Baking By nielsen4897 Updated 14 Jul 2014 , 1:09pm by indydebi

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nielsen4897 Posted 21 Mar 2010 , 9:48pm
post #1 of 31

I can't get my buttercream to crust - I need it fairly hard. I use merginue powder to help - about 3 tbls per 5 cups drosting and still cant get it hard enough - thoughts?

30 replies
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indydebi Posted 21 Mar 2010 , 9:57pm
post #2 of 31

merinque powder has nothing to do with crusting. I think that's something wilton made up just to sell MP. I've never used MP in my BC cake icing ... never knew it's purpose; never saw a reason to add it. I only use MP in my cookie icing.

Crusting is a ratio of fat to sugar. More fat ... less crusting (think of it as "more grease ... more slick .. more sliding"). More sugar ... more crusting (think of what happens when you spill sugar on the counter and it gets wet ... it gets hard ... so more sugar, more "hardening' or "crusting". Just a couple of mind tricks I use to remember which way it goes).

My recipe uses approx 1-1/3 cups fat to 2 lbs p.sugar. In all of the threads I've read on here where people have a problem with sliding icing or non-crusting icing, the ratio of fat to sugar is usually way higher and I find myself thinking, "holy moly, no wonder the icing is sliding off of the cake! It's all fat!" icon_eek.gificon_lol.gif

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prterrell Posted 22 Mar 2010 , 1:43am
post #3 of 31

As Indydebi said, meringue powder has absolutely NOTHING to do with crusting. Crusting is all about the fat to sugar ratio. Meringue powder helps emulsify the icing, which became problematic with the removal of transfats from shortening.

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TexasSugar Posted 22 Mar 2010 , 5:14pm
post #4 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by nielsen4897

I can't get my buttercream to crust - I need it fairly hard. I use merginue powder to help - about 3 tbls per 5 cups drosting and still cant get it hard enough - thoughts?




What is the recipe you are using? List the amounts and ingredients for it.

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cakeaddictunite Posted 22 Mar 2010 , 6:56pm
post #5 of 31

I just got home from Wal-mart and all the shortening they have are trans fat free. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I believe its a conspiracy for us to be forced to get that stuff from the cake supply places or be forced to buy wiltons icing!!! icon_evil.gificon_evil.gificon_evil.gif

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TexasSugar Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 2:39pm
post #6 of 31

Personally I've been using Crisco since it went Trans Fat free, and haven't had any problems.

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cakeaddictunite Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 2:43pm
post #7 of 31

TexasSugar what brand of butter do you use? (sorry for hijacking your thread) icon_redface.gif

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indydebi Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 4:29pm
post #8 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

Personally I've been using Crisco since it went Trans Fat free, and haven't had any problems.


me neither. I never even knew there was a formula change until CC'ers started talking about it.

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jhay Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 4:54pm
post #9 of 31

Ya know, I bought Hi Ratio shortening a few months ago and really didn't like it. Now...I'm an SMBC girl, but when it comes to outdoor weddings or cakes that have to travel w/ potential for heat...

Anyway...I guess I just didn't like the texture...maybe I'm used to that "greasy" feeling. Or maybe I got a bad batch of Hi Ration.

Hmmm...

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jhay Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 4:54pm
post #10 of 31

Sorry that was a little off topic. icon_redface.gif

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pearlydi Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 4:55pm
post #11 of 31

I make Indydebi's Buttercream recipe and is the best!!!! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif Thanks Indydebi for sharing your recipe!!! thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif But to tell the truth I didn't know about the trans fat free in Crisco until I hear it here. But I went to Walmart and they have a brand called Great Value and the shortening does have trans fat, I will be using it today to do buttercream I'll post how it goes.

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cakeaddictunite Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 5:03pm
post #12 of 31

pearlydi I checked that Great Value brand and I guess our Walmart has changed it out because ours has no trans fat.
indydebi I am gonna try your recipe this week to see if it works for me. It just seems like my BC doesnt mix together well and it doesnt get a crust!
I gotta figure out something~I have to make my moms wedding cake in April icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gif and I dont wanna have to resort to use wiltons pre-made ~way to sweet!

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TexasSugar Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 9:12pm
post #13 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakeaddictunite

TexasSugar what brand of butter do you use? (sorry for hijacking your thread) icon_redface.gif




I don't use butter in my buttercream. All crisco here.

I bought GV brand once, a couple of years ago, right after Crisco made the big change, and I didn't like it. It gave me that cloying mouth feel, so I didn't even finish out the can.

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indydebi Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 9:14pm
post #14 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakeaddictunite

It just seems like my BC doesnt mix together well and it doesnt get a crust!


what's the fat/sugar ratio?

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cakeaddictunite Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 9:20pm
post #15 of 31

1/2 cup
vegetable shortening
1/2 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or flavoring
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk* (or water)

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indydebi Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 10:17pm
post #16 of 31

A 2-lb bag of powdered sugar is about 7 cups (per ask.com). Which means each cup represents .2857 lbs of sugar (2.0 lbs divided by 7 cups = .2857 lbs per cup).

.2857 x 4 = 1.14 lbs of sugar

You have 1 cup of fat to 1.14 lbs of sugar, which is 2 cups fat to "about" 2 lbs sugar.

My recipe is about 1-1/3 cups fat to 2 lbs sugar.

Anytime I see a thread where the issue is "my icing isn't crusting well", 9 times out of 10, the recipe is a 1:1 fat/sugar ratio.

I'd reduce the fat to help it crust better, or add more sugar.

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TexasSugar Posted 23 Mar 2010 , 11:16pm
post #17 of 31

I use a 1 cup to 1lbs of sugar ratio, and my icing always crusts. Actually it is around 2 cups and 2lbs of powder sugar. But I have never had a crusting issue. Infact sometimes my icing crusts before I want it too.

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cakeaddictunite Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 12:41am
post #18 of 31

Thank you indydebi I'm gonna try a batch this week.

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prterrell Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 12:42am
post #19 of 31

NEVER use margarine in your icing. It will make the icing too soft.

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indydebi Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 1:04am
post #20 of 31

Texas and prterrell, I'm going to start watching to see if margarine is a factor in the threads I observe problems with the 1:1 ratio. That would be something cool to put in my "lessons learned on CC" page!

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prterrell Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 1:40am
post #21 of 31

Indydebi - it wouldn't suprise me if it were. Margarine has a higher liquid content than does shortening (which has none) or butter, although butter does have liquid in it, so recipes that use either part or all butter instead of shortening, will require higher amounts of PS in order to crust. I honestly have never seen any frosting made with margarine behave properly. But then, I AM fairly anti-margarine. The ONLY time it is even in my house is during Lent, when I use a vegan soy based margarine in place of butter on toast and the like. I am really looking forward to Easter and biting into a freshly baked roll with lots of real butter on it! icon_biggrin.gif

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cakeaddictunite Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 1:45am
post #22 of 31

Stupid question then what if it doesnt say margarine or butter on the package? The brand I have been using doesnt specify.(Blue Bonnet) icon_rolleyes.gif

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indydebi Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 2:11am
post #23 of 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakeaddictunite

Stupid question then what if it doesnt say margarine or butter on the package? The brand I have been using doesnt specify.(Blue Bonnet) icon_rolleyes.gif




It's margarine.

According to the Blue Bonnet website, it says it "bakes like butter".

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prterrell Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 2:12am
post #24 of 31

Blue Bonnet is margarine. If it doesn't say BUTTER, then it's not BUTTER. Land O'Lakes is the only national butter brand I can think of off-hand. However, I just use the store-brand (either Publix, or BJ's Wholesale Club as those are the 2 places I buy my groceries).

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cakeaddictunite Posted 24 Mar 2010 , 3:02am
post #25 of 31

hmmm that may be part 2 of the non crusting issue I'm having!! *bangs head on desk* wow!!! Start from the beginning!!!! icon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_cry.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gificon_eek.gif

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Trilip Posted 24 Feb 2014 , 6:53pm
post #26 of 31

A

Original message sent by indydebi

merinque powder has nothing to do with crusting. I think that's something wilton made up just to sell MP. I've never used MP in my BC cake icing ... never knew it's purpose; never saw a reason to add it. I only use MP in my cookie icing.

Crusting is a ratio of fat to sugar. More fat ... less crusting (think of it as "more grease ... more slick .. more sliding"). More sugar ... more crusting (think of what happens when you spill sugar on the counter and it gets wet ... it gets hard ... so more sugar, more "hardening' or "crusting". Just a couple of mind tricks I use to remember which way it goes).

My recipe uses approx 1-1/3 cups fat to 2 lbs p.sugar. In all of the threads I've read on here where people have a problem with sliding icing or non-crusting icing, the ratio of fat to sugar is usually way higher and I find myself thinking, "holy moly, no wonder the icing is sliding off of the cake! It's all fat!" [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon_eek.gif[/IMG][IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon_lol.gif[/IMG]

Do you use butter or shortening for your fat? I've been having a heck of a time with mine crusting and I thought it was because my cakes were too cold. Looks like I was using too much fat! Thank you so much for your help!

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indydebi Posted 24 Feb 2014 , 7:02pm
post #27 of 31

trilip, I use Crisco in my icing.  Once in awhile I will make a chocolate icing and I use the Hersehy Cocoa recipe, which uses butter.

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Trilip Posted 24 Feb 2014 , 8:57pm
post #28 of 31

A

Original message sent by indydebi

trilip, I use Crisco in my icing.  Once in awhile I will make a chocolate icing and I use the Hersehy Cocoa recipe, which uses butter.

You are wonderful! Thank you so much!

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yummygoodness777 Posted 26 Mar 2014 , 9:23pm
post #29 of 31

AIndydebi: does this principle apply to meringue buttercreams? I have started using a recipe I found on here titled "fluffy American buttercream". I really LOVE the flavor and fluffy texture of it. It's not super sweet like classic American buttercreams can be. I have always tried to avoid using strictly shortening in my BC, but of course, I've never had a BC that crusted either. I'm starting to want to try a more shortening based recipe so I can actually use the paper towel or parchment paper method to get it smooth. I have such a hard time smoothing my icing. So, #1, is it possible to get a meringue based BC to crust? If so, how would you suggest I alter this recipe to do so. OR should I just use an all together different recipe when I want it to crust? (This recipe CLEARLY has a HUGE fat to sugar ratio) Here's the recipe: 2 lbs powdered sugar 3/4 c pasteurized egg whites 24 oz (6 sticks) Butter 8 oz. shortening 2 T vanilla Also, do you also use your same 100%crisco based BC's to fill your cakes or do you only use it to cover your cakes to get them smooth/crusted?? Just curious?

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Gingi Posted 14 Jul 2014 , 10:38am
post #30 of 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by indydebi 
 

trilip, I use Crisco in my icing.  Once in awhile I will make a chocolate icing and I use the Hersehy Cocoa recipe, which uses butter.


Do you prefer Crisco to Sweetex? Today's Crisco has no transfat and I wanted to be certain that this is what you are using.  Would Sweetex be better or creamier?  What method would stop the tiny bubbles or the grittiness that sometimes occurs?  I'd appreciate your advice Indydebi.  Thank you.

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