I have been making the same amercian buttercream for years and recently had a customer complain it was too hard and did not smush enough. I make alot of cake smash cakes for kids and she was upset it did not smush all between her sons fingers and was hard. Now I know it gets hard to the touch but once you manipulate it it softens up but I want to know if I am doing something wrong

Recipe

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp water

Does anyone see anything that would make this recipe too hard? How can I soften it up a bit?

Thanks!

did she put it in the frig and not bring it back to room temp before the big smear/squish fest?

I am not sure i never thought to ask

i leave mine at room temp and it gets a crust and it hard to touch then u eat it or break a piece off and it melts in ur hand but its a crusting buttercream

never thought to ask her if she put it in the fridge your right that would harden the butter right up like a block of butter

there's nothing wrong with your recipe, so she either did something funky to it or she's exaggerating.