Crusting Or Non Crusting Bc For Sugar Crystals

Decorating By ljhow623 Updated 7 May 2010 , 11:58am by leah_s

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ljhow623 Posted 5 May 2010 , 7:36pm
post #1 of 8

I am making a wedding cake next weekend that is covered in sugar crystals. Would you use a crusting or non crusting bc on the cake? How would you attach the crystals. Tell me if this sounds okay to you - I would frost all layers and stack immediately then smooth each layer and press on the sugar crystals. Is that the correct method or does anyone have any great tips they can share?

TIA - Lisa

7 replies
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tiggy2 Posted 5 May 2010 , 7:47pm
post #2 of 8

I would smooth before stacking.

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karenm0712 Posted 5 May 2010 , 8:05pm
post #3 of 8

I think that I would apply the sugar crystals before stacking and then clean up any areas that were damaged while stacking. I made a single 6" round cake covered in sugar crystals and I used a crusting BC. I put it in the fridge to harden and then sprayed the very well chilled cake with a water/corn syrup mixture and then applied my sugar. I will tell you that it was REALLY messy... would love to hear how others do it. icon_smile.gif

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jammjenks Posted 5 May 2010 , 8:19pm
post #4 of 8

I did a four-tiered one like this a couple weeks ago. My bc is crusting. Here's my sequence:

~Frost the bottom tier, smoothing the bc. You don't have to be as precise as usual with the smoothing. Leave on turntable.

~Prop the turntable up at a slight angle and sit it in a 16X16 square pan (just because it was the biggest pan I have).

~Using your hand, apply the sugar crystals all over the tier. You won't have to do the entire top of the tier if there will be another tier going on it. The excess sugar will fall into the large pan.

~Once you have all the sugar on there, use wax paper/parchment/Melvira method (whatever you normally use to smooth crusting bc). **

~Repeat.

**This is the cake I did. I did not do the final smoothing on the bottom two tiers because I didn't think about it. You can see that they aren't as smooth as the top two tiers.
LL

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ljhow623 Posted 5 May 2010 , 8:32pm
post #5 of 8

karen, what was the ratio of water to sugar that you used. I was hoping to avoid the sugar syrup but if need be I will. That's whay I was looking at applying the crystals prior to it crusting.

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stlcakelady Posted 5 May 2010 , 9:10pm
post #6 of 8

It's funny you posted this because I'm working on the same thing this week. I actually have to put a satin ribbon around each cake base though. So I can't cover the whole cake with sugars, otherwise the ribbon will look bumpy underneath. I was thinking of "painting" the cake with thinned down piping gel. What do you think? Would this work for yours as well. I've done this with a fondant covered cake that I covered with sugars, but this one is buttercream like yours.

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karenm0712 Posted 7 May 2010 , 10:39am
post #7 of 8

Not sure what the ratio but I definitely used more water than corn syrup. I was a sticky mess for sure though!!!

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leah_s Posted 7 May 2010 , 11:58am
post #8 of 8

I do this design very frequently. Bc the cake, smooth it out, but doesn't have to be perfect. Apply the sugar crystals. Have you ever put chopped nuits n the outside of a cake? Same technique. Hold the sugar crystals in your palm and sort of roll them up the side of the cake.

Let the excess sugar crystals fall back in a bowl for reuse.

You're done. Ready to stack. I put ribbons on all the time and no further smoothing is necessary.

This is the easiest, fastest design I do. An entire four tier cake takes maybe 15 - 20 minutes..

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