I just did a cake and got the icing smooth....but it eventually started getting cracks in it all over the cake....it wasn't from being moved b/c I hadn't moved the cake yet.

I've had this happen a few times...what am I doing/not doing?? What do I need to do to fix it?

Any ideas?
Thanks
Christine

sounds like your icing was to dry. Or it could be that the cake was settling after it was iced.

I was also going to say that maybe it was too dry. Had your cake completely cooled, too?

ok, what do you mean by 'icing was too dry'?? What do I need to do to keep this from happening. I usually make several batches of icing ahead of time and keep in the fridge or freezer depending on how far in advance I made it. Then the day I need the icing I will take it out of the fridge or freezer and sit it on the counter to come to room temp. I have been using the 1/2 butter & 1/2 shortening recipe and have been using the high-ratio shortening.

i usually bake my cakes one night...let cool ~3-4 hrs...then cover w/saran wrap and let it sit overnight. i will then ice & decorate the next day.

I have also read that after you fill the cake layers they need to sit for several hours before icing the outside. This allows them to settle without bothering the icing. I started doing this because I was having problems with icing bulging in the middle. I, too, am having problems with cakes cracking sometimes. This morning I did a cake that was stacked two tiers. The top tier icing cracked on the side. I assume it was because my cake was not doweled perfectly level, but if anyone has any other insights on this, I'd really appreciate hearing them.

the top tier cracked??

Did you wrap your cake board, both sides?? If not your boards can soak up moisture and then shift causing cracking.

By to dry icing, i mean you may need more fat and/or liquid in your icing.

I have only been wrapping one side. I used two or three cardboard cake boards and taped them together with heavy duty tape and then wrapped the top with freezer paper. I didn't know I was suppose to wrap both sides. Thanks for the tip.

Is there anyway to tell the icing is too dry BEFORE I put it on the cake?

On the 1/2 & 1/2 recipe I've been adding ~6tbsp of water during mixing.....then extra to make it thin enough to spread.

try subsituting, some more fat for some of the water. Although your in florida, maybe when you have been experiencing this it has been drier then what you are dealing with now. I think what might be happening to you is that water you are using is evaporating, then leaving you with the cracking. Fat will hold the moisture longer, or you could try using some milk or cream in that recipe you may get good results with that.

PinkBunny,

I used to get cracks in mine too b/c I was using water in the icing. Someone on here mentioned using milk instead and it's worked great for me ever since. Hope this helps!

Yes, the water evaporating can be an issue. So can using a different consistency for your crumbcoat than you do for the final coat of icing. In essence, the dryer icing tries to absorb water from the wetter icing and you get the cracking. I have never had icing do this, but then, I use milk and cream with the half butter half shortening recipe. From what I can tell, it is a problem that only happens with the water added icings. Or, like you were already told, if you freeze your cake on the cake board and it isn't completely sealed, the board, that is, the board absorbs moisture and when the cake thaws out, the board tends to warp and settle and this too can cause cracking issues.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

It used to happen to me when I used water to thin...but I started using cream and it's never happened again. Seems like that's your culprit.

The bit of additional fat in the milk/cream probably helps keep the icing together and preventing cracking. I have never had that happen--but I always use heavy cream in my icng.

Lisa

So, JennT, are you using canned creamed evaporated milk in your recipe? Or just regular milk? I've been using regular milk (after everyone on here convinced me it wouldn't spoil) and had better success with my icing not cracking.

I was wondering.... after you take it out of the fridge, are you re-whipping it?

Sorry to keep 'beating a dead horse'....but was wondering about the Snow White BC that calls for 2/3 c of water. I just made this recipe for the first time and really liked it. I did use all water b/c I wasn't sure about using that much. milk in a reicpe and not keeping it in the fridge, But I thinned it w/milk. I still had some cracking, but wasn't anything like before. Will it be ok to sub all milk for the water without having to keep it in the fridge?? Or could I do half milk - half water?