Which Icing To Use?

Decorating By m_willford Updated 11 Aug 2011 , 3:04am by m_willford

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m_willford Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 5:53am
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I have cake coming up on Saturday, for an outside baby shower. (Who sticks a pregnant woman outside in August and expects her to be pleasant and happy? My MIL...))I'll be doing one of those cakes shaped like a diaper bag and it will be covered with MMF.

I'm just not sure which icing to use. It will likely be in the high 80's, that seems to be the norm for here this time of year, maybe low 90's. Orange dreamsicle cake, nice thick vanilla mousse-y filling. I was hoping to do IMBC under the fondant to really show off the cake flavor...

Can I risk doing IMBC under the fondant since I will not have enough room in any fridge to store the cake? My MIL doesn't have an AC in her house, although the cake will be served outside on the covered patio. Or should I just suck it up and do American Buttercream even though that won't taste nearly as good?

I also could do the Whimsical Bakehouse butter cream which is mostly shortening but some butter and tastes mildly like toasted marshmallows. Or I have a large tub of Bettercreme from Sam's club... What do you very knowledgeable ladies think?

11 replies
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m_willford Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 2:32pm
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Bumping for advice! I really can't seem to decide here, it's driving me crazy!

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AnnieCahill Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 3:30pm
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I would do IMBC ONLY if you can keep it chilled until right before serving. Otherwise, you may risk your BC melting and your fondant sagging.

Why don't you just do American BC with an equal ratio of butter to shortening or slightly more butter than shortening? Just add lots of vanilla like you would do with IMBC and it will taste fine.

I definitely wouldn't use Bettercreme-to me it would be too soft and it tastes identical to Cool Whip.

Good luck!

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dawncr Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 4:40pm
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What about white chocolate ganache? (Like Planet Cake and other Aussies use under fondant)

Or, I'm wondering if adding some melted white chocolate to your IMBC will make it a little more (or less?) sturdy for the heat. I've done white choc IMBC before, but never had it outdoors.

Just a few ideas--not sure they'll work.

Good luck.

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Spuddysmom Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 5:01pm
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I'm confused. I thought you can only leave IMBC out for 4 hours w/o refridgeration even in normal room temp. How can it be safe in 80 plus, and, aside from food safety concerns, wouldn't it be pretty melty?
I saw a recipe recently which seemed to substitute about half the butter in either a SMBC or IMBC with shortening for stability, but wouldn't you still have food safety concerns if you don't refridgerate?

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AnnieCahill Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 5:53pm
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IMBC can be left out longer than four hours. I can't remember but in a book I read (maybe the Cake Bible) it said three days.

I use Warren Brown's recipe which cooks the whites at 245, making them perfectly safe and stable at room temperature. Butter can be kept at room temperature for extended periods of time with no issues.

But I definitely wouldn't risk using that BC under a fondant cake in that weather unless it had some way of being chilled before bringing it out.

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Spuddysmom Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 6:00pm
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Thank you for the info.

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Baker_Rose Posted 10 Aug 2011 , 7:34pm
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Yea, Italian Meringue Buttercream is okay, indoors, at room temperature. I would never have it on a cake that is outside in 90-degrees without it being JUST out of a refrigerator, where it has been overnight.

I personally don't know if fondant is enough to protect it from the heat, but I don't use any of the meringue buttercreams in the summer unless they are on small cakes that can go in the cooler. Years ago I had one in the back of my car. I was naive. I had it in the fridge overnight, I had the car's a/c going. What I didn't take into consideration was the fact that on the trip the sun came in the window directly on my cake. Needless to say once I realized I was at my destination and I found a very naked cake in a large pool of grease all through the back of my car.

It isn't funny to fool with Mother Nature.

Tami icon_smile.gif

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cakestyles Posted 11 Aug 2011 , 1:15am
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Taking into consideration the conditions you described, I wouldn't use anything that's perishable in this cake.

MMF has the tendency to be "melty" and soft when it's hot and humid and adding IMBC or Bettercreme to that equation will just give you a wet mess.

Unless they can keep the cake refrigerated for you until it's ready to serve, than I think you need to use non-perishable ingredients.

I'd nix the vanilla mousse also, since that needs to be refrigerated.

Also a "food for thought"...my HD will not approve IMBC/SMBC for my non-hazardous home based license because according to their tests it requires refrigeration and is not "shelf stable".

So unfortunately I can't sell cakes with my favorite butter creams, but I can use it for cakes that I give away to my family and closest friends.

But yes, it does need to be refrigerated until it's ready to be served and 2 hrs is the safe window for leaving it at room temperature before bacteria begins to develop.

Believe me, every year I try to get them to approve it by tweaking the recipe...adding more sugar etc., it never works. icon_cry.gif They always say no...not shelf stable. Oh well.

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mommynana Posted 11 Aug 2011 , 1:32am
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Quote:




I agree, I`ve used it in 100-degree weather

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m_willford Posted 11 Aug 2011 , 3:04am
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Thank you so much guys! Indydeb's frosting it is! I won't be bringing it to the shower until just before, it's for my SIL and I didn't volunteer to help with ANYTHING except to do the cake. My house has AC, which I will turn up a bit to keep things cooler. I live right around the corner, so I can literally wait until last minute to show up. So I'm not too worried about the fondant going soft. And if it does go soft or saggy, it's a free cake for them and they really can't say anything. icon_smile.gif

The vanilla "mousse" is just bettercream mixed with vanilla pudding mix, so that will be just fine. Real mousse wouldn't be sturdy enough for carving and would just leak out anyway.

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