Cake Decorating Hot Country Advise!
Decorating By Cupcakeproseccomonster Updated 23 Apr 2017 , 4:17pm by Cupcakeproseccomonster
Hello to all the amazing cake decorators!
I am in desperate need of some advise RE buttercream cakes in hot countries.
Please help me!!
I am making a 3 layer cake with buttercream icing- (No butter) Shortening, icing sugar & water.
Question one- Do i put my crumb coat in the fridge or freezer, and how long?
Being in a hot country when i take it out the fridge/freezer it starts to get condensation/wet.
I try to ice at night but being in Barbados it can still be a bit warm. And the cake gets a shock when i take it out the fridge/freezer.
Should i let the crumb coat dry on the counter instead of the fridge/freezer?
Doesn't refrigerating the crumb coat help eliminate bulging?
Question two- Once i've added my final layer of icing, i'm scared that if i do not put it in the fridge the icing will not set hard.
Especially if i pipe roses i find that if i don't put them in the fridge they will start to droop...
Question three- I have read that to make the cake more stable for delivery , it is best to refrigerate??
I have to drive a far bit to deliver this cake, and my A/C is not the best...remember i'm in Barbados 
What i guess i'm most worried about is the client taking the cake out of the fridge at the venue, and it starts sweating??
Ok thats enough questions for now, all hot country cake decorators please help...
Thanks lovelies.
..........Question one- Do i put my crumb coat in the fridge or freezer, and how long?..........Should i let the crumb coat dry on the counter instead of the fridge/freezer?........
No, I never have but then where I live it is not humid.......HOT? Yes but dry - can get over 100 degrees F :) Always have let it dry on counter.
.............Doesn't refrigerating the crumb coat help eliminate bulging?............
No. Bulging is almost always caused by over filling &/or not covering the cake well. Make sure when you smooth b/cream that you 'smooch' it into the cake so no air can be traped between the b'cream & cake. When using filling, make a dam using tip 12 and heavy pressure and do not fill above that line. If necessary, make several light fillings.........instead of 1 between each layer, split each layer at least once and place a lighter amount of filling.
.......... i'm scared that if i do not put it in the fridge the icing will not set hard. Especially if i pipe roses i find that if i don't put them in the fridge they will start to droop...
This may have something to do w/your weather/humidity. Try making your b'cream a thicker consistency.....don't add any liquid but let it beat (on low) for up to 10 minutes to get it super smooth and creamy. Also use a bit less shortening. Mostly it's the ratio of fat to sugar that causes drying - the LESS fat and more sugar the better the drying/crusting of b'cream.
..........most worried about is the client taking the cake out of the fridge at the venue, and it starts sweating??.........
Once removed from frig, just DO NOT touch the icing/cake in any way - the sweat should evaporate within about 1/2 hr or less.
You don't have to put the cake in the refrigerator for the icing to set for your crumb coat. If you put one cup of shortening to a two pound bag of powdered sugar for your icing and don't make it really runny it should set pretty well without refrigerating it. I have trouble with the humidity getting to my icing too, the humidity is high here in the summer. Just try to keep it as cool as possible and don't expose it to the sun any more than necessary. Also...the less the cake moves while traveling the better! For your roses to set better and keep from drooping make your icing thicker and don't put them in the refrigerator. That could shock them when you take them out and can make them start to sweat. As for the cake bulging that's from putting too much icing on the sides and the cake settling a bit making the icing bugle out. Make sure your cake layers are level cause if they're not then you have to fill in the gap with icing, making a bulge more probable to happen. I've had it happen before but I try not to make the same mistake again even though it's not always easy. Also..make sure that your cake is on a STURDY board! If the cake is able to bend or move because of the bored it can crack the icing and the cake itself can start to sweat because it's been exposed to the humidity. But don't worry..it's not as bad as it sounds! I'm still working myself on getting these things done when I have an order during the humid season. It happens to us all at one time or another. Hope this helps! Be blessed!
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