This is my first time posting on CC, but I have read a lot of great tips on this website over the past week or so.

I am going to try decorating my first cake this weekend. I have made a batch of buttercream icing and have been practicing with the different tips. My question is how much buttercream icing will I need to ice a 9x13x2 cake? The icing recipe I used was a Wilton recipe that uses 1/2 cup crisco, 1/2 cup butter, 4 cups powered sugar, etc....it says that it yields 3 cups. Will that be enough for a 9x13 cake, or do I need to double it? I know that I would rather have too much than not enough, but I thought I would get your advise.

Thanks
Sherri

It really depends on how thick you ice the cake and how much decorating you do. Sometimes I can do it with one batch and other times I need more. You can make 1/2 a batch if you want. That is usually what I do if I want to have plenty of icing just in case.

I have an 11 x 15 pan and just to frost that one I use 3 batches of icing. Going by the recipe you gave us. I don't crumb coat my cakes, I just get a good amout of icing on my spatula and push it against the cake. I never touch the cake itself with my spatula. I use 1 1/2 batch to decorate the entire cake. Then I use the other half to do borders and names. I then use the other batch on BCT's or any other decor. Hope this helps! Good Luck.

Thank you both for your responses. I now have a better idea on how much icing I need. I will probably make 1.5 batches just to make sure I have enough. Thanks again.

Glad to help. I just remembered I heard or read somewhere to use 1 batch of icing for every cake mix as a general rule of thumb to go by. The 9 x 13 pan takes about 1 1/2 cake mixes to fill it. So if you are only making one layer, 1 1/2 batches of icing should be plenty.

Oh yeah, welcome to CC! You will find lots of good ideas and get great help here I know I do!

For my 9x13 cakes I usually double the recipe so I have enough. I like to make fat borders sometimes! Any leftover you can store and use it for your next cake!
traci

It also depends on if you're going to split the cake and fill it with the buttercream, in which case you would probably need about 2 batches.
And then it depends on the amount of decorations you'll put on the cake.

Wilton's chart says for a 9x13, 2 layer cake (4 " high), you'll need 6 cups (2 batches) of icing to ice and decorate with top and bottom borders.

Purple Petunia

OOPS! yes I fill mine with the amounts I use.

You will most definitely need 2 batches to ice and decorate. I just made a double 9 x 13 this past weekend and made 2 batches. I didn't even use it in the filling and used it all up to ice, do the borders and a transfer. Good luck and welcome aboard!

I agree that you'll need 2 batches. I just made a 9x13x2 cake this weekend for a birthday (my first paid cake - YAY!), and I used almost every bit of 2 batches. That includes icing the cake (no crumb coat), shell borders top and bottom, writing, drop flowers, and a Dora picture (with star tip).

can you freeze it if you don't use it all

........can you freeze it if you don't use it all.............

I assume you are asking about icing.  Yes, American buttercream icing can be fzn.  It will also keep in the frig in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.

There are better recipes on this site.  Here is the link to one of them:  http://cakecentral.com/a/2-icing   Read it through including all the replies before making :)