So I am making this wedding cake for my sister-in-law:

She is getting married on a September late afternoon/evening, outside, in the central valley of California. Since it will probably be on the warmer side, I was planning on making a plain (american) crusting buttercream with all shortening (no butter) to help it hold it's shape.

Here are my questions:

1. She likes the "vintage look" of the off white frosting. Should I add some coloring to achieve this? If so, what color? Brown?

2. I am not a fan of shortening at all. I much prefer the taste of butter, but that would be risky with it sitting outdoors. I definitely don't want it to melt and fall apart! Should I add some butter flavoring?

Thank you!

~Rachel

A

Hello,

To get that color I would use a touch of ivory - I usually use the gel pastes from AmeriColor http://www.americolorcorp.com/colorchart.html As for the buttercream, I used to use Crisco shortening, but then I switched to high-ratio shortening and the recipe on the following website. The frosting doesn't have that greasy aftertaste like crisco and holds up really well. You don't have to worry about it spoiling. It is a crusting buttercream - just adjust the amount of water for the consistency you would like. The amount listed in the recipe is for a softer/covering a cake consistency. I've had many compliments on it. http://www.thebakerskitchen.net/TBK-Professional-High-Ratio-Icing-Shortening.aspx - I've used this particular brand of shortening in the past, but I've also used other high-ratio shortening and the same recipe listed on this site and have had the same results. I also use a scale to weigh the shortening for each batch of frosting I make. Also, I recently did a wedding cake with the wrap around ribbon - be sure to find a ribbon lighter than the color you need - it will soak up the grease from the frosting. I coated the ribbon with Pam spray before I put it on the cake so it didn't have grease spots and was one solid color. It was darker, but still turned out nice. I attached the ribbon with a couple dots of buttercream to secure it - I've heard royal icing to secure it on the back works well too. Hope this helps!

Great! Thank you so much!

Do you know about how many cups of buttercream that recipe makes?

You can also use Leah_S's recipe for Charlotte's whipped cream buttercream. Google it and you'll find the recipe. Leah has used it in humid and hot climates with great results.

For the vintage color, you can use Wilton's ivory and it will give you that shade. Good luck!! Post pics!

Perhaps you can do a test for a half butter, half shortening recipe and see how it holds up?  That is what I use and it has held up to 90+ degrees under a tent well.  I also would just use real vanilla (that is brown) to achieve that look.  You can always add a touch of ivory food coloring if it isn't enough.  Also, definitely try to find a shortening that has trans fats in it, check stores for a generic brand.  They often will still have it.  When you make the frosting beat the shortening until it looks like whipped egg whites.  This might take 10+ minutes, but it will change the mouth feel of the frosting to be more butter-like.  

Good luck!

AYou can wrap the ribbon in waxed paper cut to the same size to keep the grease from soaking through. I don't think you can get trans fat hi ratio in CA. So adding some butter to it might help.

The recipe makes about 6 cups.

Thank you all so much! Your comments really help me feel more prepared!

SO, just wondering.....about how warm is the warmest you should have an "only butter" buttercream that will hold it's shape?