Can anyone tell me how to get the "crystallized icing" effect on a cake?
Is there a special icing or am I adding something to a regular B/C, or even pressing something into the icing once it is on the cake? This type of icing makes the cake look like it is full of sparkles....have a client that wants it. Thanks for any info!

Anyone know???

Do you have a photo of what you're asking about? Maybe you can a photo the customer has supplied you with or give a link to a photo. There are so many different dusts available, it might just be one of those over regular BC (or IMBC/SMBC) or even over fondant. Hard to say without a better idea of what you're speaking.

Depends on what kind of sparkles you're talking about, but my guess is she wants edible glitter.

Here is a link you may want to look at that covers this:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=331173&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

around valentine's day there was a person from here that did what i think you were talking about. i wish i could remember who it was!!! she had a red, tiered heart-shaped cake on her avatar. hhmmmm.... anywho, i believe she used buttercream, added a thin layer of piping gel (for glue) and pressed large crystal sugar to that. it could've been fondant with piping gel etc.

is it ringing a bell for anyone?

wish i could be more help.

If you are covering with BC, you can take handfuls of the sugar and press it onto the sides. With fondant, you'd have to put something wet on it first, like piping gel or something.

Seems like beemarie hit the nail on the head. I can't imagine this linked thread isn't to what cindycakes is referring.

It's a totally gorgeous effect!

Thank You so much for the thread and helpful comments. I was searching for "crystallized" when I apparently should have been searching for "sugar crystals"! Exactly what I was looking for, maybe I can PM someone who actually made that type of cake if I have any questions. Thanks Again, Everyone!

I saw a cake on Bake Decorate Celebrate that sounds like what you are wanting to do. Here is a link to the instructions. It looked really nice on tv. http://www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com/projects/roseromancecake.cfm?cat=1

I just found this online a little while ago. .[/url]http://www.kingarthurflour.com/items/Sparkling_White_Sugar_1_lb[url]

My only reservation about ordering anything from King Arthur Flour is that after I purchased my cake flour from them I noticed some 'fine print' on the packaging stating that the flour is "processed in a facility that also packages products containing eggs, milk, soy, tree nuts, and wheat". So I couldn't even use this product when I needed to make a 'hypoallergenic cake'. After that I stopped ordering from them.

edited for a spelling error.

I just found this online a little while ago. .http://www.kingarthurflour.com/items/Sparkling_White_Sugar_1_lb

My only reservation about ordering anything from King Arthur Flour is that after I purchased my cake flour from them I noticed some 'fine print' on the packaging stating that the flour is "processed in a facility that also packages products containing eggs, milk, soy, tree nuts, and wheat". So I couldn't even use this product when I needed to make a 'hypoallergenic cake'. After that I stopped ordering from them.

(Should have read my previous reply a little closer than I could have edited it better!!)