Hi out there!

Has anyone ever had a problem with buttercream separating AFTER putting fondant on? It seemed fine (maybe a tad soft in areas) before I covered it with MMF. But after, I noticed a huge air pocket and when I looked just below it, I could see a liquid oozing out from under the fondant. Then I realized the buttercream must be separating under the fondant. I'm in Canada - it's still not that hot here yet and I have the A/C on. I did refrigerate the cake because it has a ganache filling and I was filling it early and this happened after I let it come to room temp.

I'm not sure what is causing this. I'm hoping the cake is still edible LOL. It's for tomorrow. This also happened with another cake which had three different types of cake but a different BC recipe and it happened only with the chocolate cake and not the other two. I thought maybe it was the butter in the BC recipe so this time I used indydebi's recipe but with the same chocolate cake and it's happening again.

Could it be the Crisco? Although, I've always used Crisco and never had this happen before. And why does it only seem to happen with the chocolate cake recipe? I'm using Martha Stewart's recipe that has just butter, eggs, AP flour, baking powder, baking soda, coffee, sugar, vanilla - nothing out of the ordinary.

Any insight would help a lot!

not sure if it helps but i had the same happen to me i was using it as my main frosting though and it started just dripping down the sides when i looked in my container it was the butter that i could see seperating out( figured by color)

ive also heard a few women say the crisco isnt what it used to be that store brand is better something about a certain fat ... ladies feel free to correct me but i think thats what i heard crisco is different than store brand

anyways that was my experience my mess up was the butter

Thanks pebblez87. That's what I thought too after the first incident but indydebi's BC recipe is Crisco only (no butter) so that's why I'm confused lol. I think I'll try the storebrand - that might make a difference - thanks for that tip!

From what I've heard the Crisco has gone to that "0 trans fat" and that's what causes alot of the problems. Need to find high ratio....whatever that means??? Teachers please jump in and help.

if she used my recipe with the dream whip and the milk, then the crisco has nothing to do with it. I never even noticed that crisco had made a formula change until I read about the problems everyone ELSE was having, here on CC.

If I had to just throw a dart and guess, I'd ask if you were beating it a long time to make sure the fat was pulverized and really mixed up well, each particle of fat well coated with oodles and oodles of sugar, so that it binds to itself really well.

It's odd that it's only the chocolate cake, though. That really throws a monkey wrench in the wheel.

Hmmm....that may be it...maybe I'm not beating it long enough. I'd estimate I probably ran it in the mixer on med. for about 5 mins tops after the PS was added. I didn't realize that it would make a difference but it does make sense! It certainly would help anyway LOL.

How long would be a good amount of time to make sure it's coated?

There's no such thing as beating this too long. I turn on the mixer and make phone calls, go on a smoke break, wash dishes ..... I've even locked up the shop and walked next door to the Dollar General to pick up a few things while it was running!

My general rule of thumb on anything is .... "until it looks right!"

LOL! Thanks indydebi...I will definitely run my mixer longer whatever BC I make. Btw, got great reviews on the taste of your BC =).

vlin28 I have to tell you that I just love your cakes. You are really talented!!

WOW Thanks 2SimplySweet! I'm flattered

LOL, this is a veeerrry old post, but if you haven't figured it out yet, I know what is most likely causing your problems. It happens when you use a powdered sugar that is made with beets (usually off brands) and not pure cane sugar. This will also make little sticky syrupy lumps in your fondant.