Hi,

I made my first buttercream icing, using the Wilton recipe. I frosted the cake, it's as smooth as can be. It took me a couple of hours to do it. It now looks really nice. Then, I'm re-reading the recipe, OH MY GOSH!!! I forgot the meringue powder!!! I was hoping to do my first fondant cake, whats going to happen to it? Is it totally ruined now? BTW, it does taste pretty good though) .

Thanks,
jazzi

the meringue powder is just a stabelizer... so my advise: eat it - fast!

No, it's not ruined... you should keep it in the refridgerator if you think it's going to be around for a while though.

Have fun - and keep at it!
diem

Oh, thank you for the replies. At first, I was so proud of myself. My first cake. It took me literally all day to to this., but a week to plan out. I was so prepared, I even went to JoAnns to buy the meringue powder today! My heart kinda sank when I realized what I had done. So, it's okay to add the fondant tomorrow?

jazzi

Assuming that you're using an American BC (powdered sugar and butter/shortening) it'll be more than fine! Meringue powder is actually a substitute for beaten egg whites. It's just there to add "body" to your icings. Some feel that it helps to cause some icing recipes to crust better, but I can't say for sure.

If you're using a crusting BC recipe, it will still crust without it. Refrigerating your icing depends on the recipe, not the addition of meringue - if yours doesn't normally need to go in the fridge, it still won't need to. Good luck with your cake!

I really don't get what meringue powder is even for. You don't need it.

It should be fine--especially if you are covering it w/ fondant. Besides being a stailizer, it helps keep colors from running/bleeding after you have decorated the cake. (For instance dark colors used on a white iced cake.) Since you are covering it w/ fondant--no worries about colors running.

I haven,t used meringue powder in american b/c in 15 yrs. I use butter and shortening and whipping cream. Mine crust very nicely to smooth. In my opinion, it makes it harder to smooth. When i stopped using shortening , only, and use butter and shortening and the whipping cream, it ices more smoothly . Then i use the viva paper towel to smooth more. I,m usually pleased .hth

I stopped using it and went back to it. For me it helps in the heat and humidity here.