I am used to decorating with buttercream having 100 % Crisco in the recipe. I wanted to try the 1/2 Crisco and 1/2 butter and didn't like it....

Well, I did put I think a bit more water than I shoud've but still think butter makes it way too soft, especially in this hot, humid weather in Florida.

This cake I am attaching was a nightmare to decorate. It is small but boy what a pain to ice it. To smooth, not too bad, but to keep the icing thick enough and not see through, WHAT A MAJOR PAIN!!! I guess I am so used to the thickness of 100% Crisco Buttercream, that I couldn't get the handle on icing this one.....

Anyway, needless to say, I am sticking with my 100% Crisco butterceam and only using the 1/2 and 1/2 one for fillings...

I am also testing other recipes... I am going to try French buttercream. I tried Swiss and it wasn't that bad... tricky to smooth but nice and thick..

side view

I'm sorry you had such a hard time with the half butter, half shortening.
I used to use the all shortening, which I learned in the Wilton classes, but I didn't like the taste of it.
Since I first tried the half and half, I've never gone back!!! I found it soooo much easier to smooth. And I don't have a problem with it being too soft.
I don't have a problem with it being 'see through' either. Maybe you did put too much water?? And how much sugar did you use?
And for humidity problems, a bit of meringue powder might do the trick.

The recipe I use is:
half cup butter (real butter, not margarine)
half cup Crisco (not the butter flavoured Crisco)
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. flavour of choice (vanilla, butter, almond, rum, etc.)
4 cups (or 1lb.) icing sugar.


Can you share the recipe you used? Someone maybe able to help you.

Purple Petunia

I use that same recipe purple petunia, instead of water I use milk, I live in Florida and have yet to have a problem, I keep my house very cool though.

I started on my own and always used 1/2 crisco 1/2 butter. I just started wilton course 2 and just don't like the flavor of that all crisco recipe.
I think the water might of had something to do with it. Try less water or subsitute and try milk. Hope this helps
Denise

I use Dawn's BC recipe and it comes out quite thick, then I just thin it with milk as needed. It has always worked really well.

Jess

You also have to remember that about 18 - 20% of the stick of butter is water, so if you did not adjust the amount of water in your recipe to reflect this fact, you OD'd on water. Try this one before giving up on it forever:

You will need:

1 c. European butter (the higher fat content really makes this butter taste wonderful), softened to 65 - 70 degrees F. (I use salted butter.)
1 c. white Crisco

Gently and quickly beat these two solids together. Try not to introduce a lot of air.

In a measuring cup, mix 3 tablespoons of water with 2 teaspoons of clear vanilla extract (or you may use regular vanilla extract if you wish) and 2 teaspoons of butter extract along with a pinch of salt. Stir to dissolve the salt.

Grab a 2-pound bag of powdered sugar. If it's airy and fluffy, you will not need to sift it. If it's a brick, please sift it.

With your mixer on, slowly add approximately half of the powdered sugar to the crisco/butter base. Add half of your liquid base. Add (slowly, or you will have a sugar cloud) half of the remaining amount of sugar, followed by half of the remaining liquids. Stop & scrape your bowl. Add the remaining liquid and finish up with the remaining sugar. It's not an exact science; you just don't want a wet soupy slurry by adding too much liquid at once or a dry cloud of sugar whizzing out of your bowl if you add too much sugar at once. Balance it out.

Try to keep the mixing time to a minimum, as your goal is to not incorporate a lot of air into your icing. This produces a medium consistency icing. To stiffen, add cornstarch. To thin, add piping gel or corn syrup.

This icing is stable at normal room temperature (78 degrees or under) for two to three days. Don't overfill your piping bags as the butter has a much lower melting point than Crisco and the heat from your hands will break the icing down to a too-soft state. Work relatively quickly.

I live in Houston and use this on all cakes that are not required to be snow-white or will be left outside anytime between January and November.

Enjoy!

Oh yeah...forgot to mention...

Please stick with the all-Crisco recipe for your cake classes. It takes much more heat and abuse than any buttercream with real butter, which will greatly benefit you as you learn the various techniques taught in your cake classes. I've had students bring butter-based icings to class even though I implore them to stick to the class buttercream recipe, and ultimately it results in unsatisfactory results for them and frustration.

Sorry, I actually meant that comment for Denise, who said she was starting Course 2.

Sherri

Sherri,

Thanks for the tip, This class seems to be using mostly royal icing.

Happy Baking
Denise

True...but don't try to get away with a butter-based icing on the last night when you cover your cake in basketweave. The bag's in your hand a long time!

Sherri,

I am following directions to the 'T'...I only use the half butter when I decorate for myself( I love the taste) . I did a practice cake the other night and found that the half butter is so much softer. I have a question I have to make my color flow outline tonight for the two birds. How long can I store the left over colorflow? I did read I could leave it out covered in an airtight container. Would it be ok till wed night class? we are gonna fill in the outlines at class on Wed.
Thanks for any help
Denise

i'm curious, why are some of you using water? oil and water don't mix, especially if you're using all crisco.

I think I may try that and see....see you learn something new everyday....what recipe do you use???

I have tried both 1/2 and 1/2 and the wilton method for BC. I prefer the wilton method. Using real butter never seemed to be the correct consistancy. It would always leave a grease film on the on the rounds or boards. MC

I use the Wilton recipe all the time and always use water. This way I don't have to refrigerate unless the cake filling calls for it. I've also used different flavourings with great results each time, ie: butter flavouring, clear vanilla, almond, or peppermint on a dark chocolat cake is great.

The 1/2 and 1/2 is also Wilton's recipe. They call the all crisco one their "class buttercream". The last time I used the crisco one was in class. I just like the taste of the butter.

I always use water also and don't have much of a problem with the icing being too soft. I adjust the water in the summertime and add meringue water as someone suggested.

Good luck with the next one!

Denise,

Yes, it definitely is softer. If you prefer a stiffer frosting, you can always add cornstarch to help bind it together a little better. Wilton calls for meringue powder in their recipe to help it bind together, but meringue powder costs more per pound than gold so I stick with cornstarch.

As for Color Flow icing, I have found that it will keep well for about a week. I haven't tried using it at the 2-week point, like Wilton claims you can, but you can take out a little insurance but first laying a sheet of Saran Wrap directly on top of the icing, and then snapping on your airtight lid. I have my students do the same with royal icing when they prepare it to bring to class in bowls. Yours will be fine until your next class.


Diane, water and vegetable shortening will form a stable compound with the sugar helping to bind it all together. Oil and water won't, but since Crisco isn't a liquid state as oil is, using water in our icing recipes is perfectly fine.

There is Crisco Oil and there is Crisco Shortening. Just wanted to point that small fact out for Those That might not know that.


Princess

2 questions I have in regards to this discussion....
1. if you use milk instead of water...does the finished cake have to be refrigerated?
2. if you use 1/2 and 1/2...do you use margarine or butter, and if butter...salted or unsalted? If salted...still add the pinch of salt standard Wilton recipe calls for?

Opps...guess that was actually more than 2 questions.

When I make the recipe I posted, occasionally I use heavy cream instead of water (primarily when I make it chocolate). It does not need to be refrigerated.

I also use salted butter and do not omit the pinch of salt.

Hope that helps!

~ Sherri