Cream Cheese Icing On Wedding Cakes--Need Advice

Business By sweetchef Updated 5 Jan 2007 , 8:09pm by ntertayneme

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sweetchef Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 4:58pm
post #1 of 20

I have a bridal tasting today for a bride interested in cream cheese icing on her wedding cake, so I called other local bakeries to get their prices for similar cakes and was told that you shouldn't use cream cheese on wedding cakes because it is too soft to support the layers. Do you guys agree?

Do you think a sheet cake (separate groom's sheet cakes are popular here) would be able to sit out for that many hours (indoors) without turning soggy (I make the icing from scratch, so it's not the shelf-stable bucket stuff).

I use that icing on alot of birthday cakes, but I've never really tried to sit it out for 6-8 hours like a wedding cake.

What do you think?

19 replies
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sweetamber Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 5:21pm
post #2 of 20

I used cream cheese icing on my friend's groom cake back in October- it sat out for MANY hours and all was well. It was a 2 layer carrot cake filled and iced with c.c. frosting. I don't know if I would be comfortable doing a tiered cake with it though. Maybe do a buttercream with cheesecake flavor?

Amber

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nglez09 Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 5:30pm
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Well, I'm screwed if you can't ice a tiered cake with CC icing, because that's what I'm doing for the bridal shower. icon_surprised.gif

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sweetamber Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 5:58pm
post #4 of 20

You might be screwed anyway, but that's beside the point. Nobody said it can't be done (except all those bakeries). If your filling is stable enough, it shouldn't be a problem. However, If you're planning on filling and icing with the c.c. frosting.....I have had trouble with "bulging" on cakes like that, so be aware that could be an issue.

Amber

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nglez09 Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:00pm
post #5 of 20

What do you mean "anyway"? icon_confused.gificon_lol.gif

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mcdonald Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:05pm
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In August I made a 3 tiered wedding cake and did it all in the crusting cream cheese frosting from the site. It was not only wonderful, but the recipe makes A TON!!!

I had no problems with my cake at all. I did use the cream cheese between layers and covering the cake. I kept it in the fridge until it was time for delivery.

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sweetamber Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:07pm
post #7 of 20

I mean:

1) you've never done this before

2) anything can happen, even to the most experienced bakers/decorators

3)What may be a minor issue for a professional could be a disaster for someone who is inexperienced.

I am not trying to insult you- I have no idea how skilled you are. But since you are a beginner I think you should be prepared.

Amber

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BARBARAJEAN Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:10pm
post #8 of 20

Earleen Moore always uses cream cheese icing on almost all her cakes. I am sure many of them sit out for quite some time. Her recipe is on her site. If you google her name you will find it. Her recipe is very good and you can do anything with it. If you haven't gone to her site in a while, it will be a real treat.

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mcdonald Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:11pm
post #9 of 20

I think you should give it a try... maybe a test cake, smaller in size, to see how things go before you totally commit to this. That always make me feel more comfortable!!!! You can get a feel for the texture of the icing, how to smooth it, how it decorates, etc......

Will cut down on the nerves a bit.... you know!!!!

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sweetamber Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:14pm
post #10 of 20

Good point about the crusting cream cheese- that would probably work! The recipe I use has a much higher fat/sugar ratio so it is most likely quite a bit softer than the crusting recipe.

Amber

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nglez09 Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:17pm
post #11 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetamber

I mean:

1) you've never done this before

2) anything can happen, even to the most experienced bakers/decorators

3)What may be a minor issue for a professional could be a disaster for someone who is inexperienced.

I am not trying to insult you- I have no idea how skilled you are. But since you are a beginner I think you should be prepared.

Amber




1.) Okie dokie. But if you mean "this" as in a stacked cake- yes I have; it was a joke when I said "I'm screwed", highly doubt CC icing will make a difference in a fondant-covered cake as I always use it.

2.) So let's send a PM to everyone saying, "Hey, you might fail on your next project. thumbs_up.gif ". Let's do it!

3.) By inexperienced what do you mean? By beginner also? I've never asserted that I started last month. . . icon_confused.gif

Yeah, nice try. thumbs_up.gif

Oh well, I'm done.

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frosting111 Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:29pm
post #12 of 20

I've done stacked wedding cakes in Cream Cheese icing and never had a single issue, except once and I tried to tell the wedding coordinator NOT to do cream cheese icing cake for an outdoor wedding in July..she insisted, so I did it...and to top it all off it was a red velvet cake as well...so here I go to set the cake up, on a hot July day after a rain and vapors are rising from the ground..the brides cake starts drooping and getting a melted look to it with pink hints...the lady who owned the spot the wedding was being held at cleaned out her fridge to put the cake in till the reception...I on the other hand told the wedding coordinator to pay me NOW before I left cause I would NOT being held reasonable for the cake since I did try to talk her out of using soft icing on a hot summer day out side and it had rained too!!!....BUT any other cream cheese icing cake I've done other than that one has been just fine. But I think any icing I used that day would have melted anyway, it was 80 degrees after raining in July!!!

The CC icing does tend to be softer than Butter Cream and will cause some bulging, so I suggest icing the center of the cakes leaving up to at least a quarter inch around the outside edge to allow it spread out on its on without bulging out around the edges of the cake, and don't lay it on too think in between the layers if you suspect there is a possibility of bulging.

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sweetamber Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:34pm
post #13 of 20

Hmm...seems like I touched a sore spot. Apologies to sweetchef for hijacking the thread- and that's all I have left to say on the subject of Nglez.

Amber

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JanH Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 6:43pm
post #14 of 20

Well, there's always cream cheese flavored extract to the rescue icon_smile.gif

Here's a link to Earlene's CC icing:

http://www.earlenescakes.com/icings.htm

HTH

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sweetchef Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 7:11pm
post #15 of 20

Frosting 111: My cake sounds similar--red velvet with cream cheese icing. I didn't even think about the color bleeding through! I don't even except orders for outdoor weddings, it's just too tricky and you're always blamed for the weather!

Like I said, I have her tasting later today, and I already told her on the phone that cream cheese was not a good idea at weddings. But, she might just want it in a sheet cake, so I thought I might say yes to that...I'll just make the middle very thin to prevent bulging. I'm also giving her a sample of red velvet with buttercream, but I don't like that flavor as well. It's all probably not an issue anyway...once she tastes my devil's food cake with ganache icing, she'll pick that instead (all the bride's do).

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frosting111 Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 7:33pm
post #16 of 20

Good luck at the tasting and if you ever have any
doubts and concerns about something like types of icings and such as, then its always best to be up front with the customer about it.


If I hadn't been up front about that CC icing and cake at that HOT wedding, she would have held me totally responsible, and too something like that can blemish your name and not getting paid as well...so at least I can always say I told her so, but she did it her way anyway...

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SweetConfectionsChef Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 7:41pm
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Amber, that was extremely rude...what you said to nglez. Why would you do something like that?? icon_eek.gif

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sweetamber Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 7:47pm
post #18 of 20

SCC- I was not trying to be rude. If you would like to discuss this further, I think that a pm is the better forum.

Amber

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SweetConfectionsChef Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 8:05pm
post #19 of 20

Maybe what you said to nglez could have been better said in a pm also..but you didn't. You insulted him right here on the forum board. The rudeness and mean spirited attitudes are driving members away and it's ridiculous! I have no intention of sending you a pm or discussing this further! I just wanted you to know that someone else noticed your behavior and didn't care for it.

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ntertayneme Posted 5 Jan 2007 , 8:09pm
post #20 of 20

I feel this conversation isn't leading to anything positive; therefore, I'm locking the topic.

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