I prety much made her recipe. I do not measure exactly. But it is getting air. 4 C Crisco and 4 lbs por. sugar. Whole milk. Do I just let it beat longer. The blade is pretty much buried.

Wish I could help.

Made it for the frist time this weekend and it failed. No crust, melty and airy. I am quite sure it was U2M error and needed more PS and probably should have subbed rather than added the raspberry puree, but don't know what to do about the air.

Am very interested in what others have to say.

I am not sure how different ingredients change the final product but you doubled the powdered sugar and then tripled the Crisco. I would think somehow that might affect it but I don't know. If you were going to use 4lbs of powdered sugar it should be 2 2/3 cups of Crisco. HTH

Hey, sometimes $^#t happens

Maybe give it another try and make it EXACTLY as the recipe reads. After you "get it right" then add things like puree to the recipe.

I don't understand the "melting" though because this icing will hold up to 100 degrees I know. I made a three tiered cake for a birthday party last week and the cake set outside for 4 or 5 hours and didn't even sweat much less melt. Maybe you added too much liquid as well. I always start out with the least amount of milk that the recipe calls for and rarely, if ever, add the maximum amount.

As far as the "crusting" goes I can't understand that one either. Since it's like 2:1 sugar to fat ratio unless you added too much crisco/liquid or not enough powdered sugar this shouldn't have been an issue.

Adding more powdered sugar won't make it any sweeter. Really it won't. It's mostly sugar anyway.

I just made a double batch of her BC today...it is heavenly! Love the texture and flavor, my daughter says it tastes like cool whip. Mines started crusting on the beater while I was transfering it from the KA bowl to rubbermaid bowl for storage.

P.S. I didn't even use Crisco and used 1% milk (that's what I had on hand)...I used Walmart brand of all veggie shortening....I've seen posts where she says to use what you like/ suits you to see if it works.


THANKS DEBI!!! YOUR BC ROCKS

Pretty sure I had it dead to rights before the puree (except for the air - beat longer next time maybe it wasn't quite "there").

Stupid, stupid, stupid... Sigh - that's why I made the practice cakes.

Thanks mamawrobin.

Let me explain. I am aiming for a little bit less crusting icing. I prefer to use a little more shortening. I started over. I used half Sweetex Half Crisco. I used flavorings and milk and a little bit of salt. It was better. I will see if it crusts. The recipe I used was 2C shortening 4 lbs. of p. sugar. But it is airy like a sponge. I let is go and the longer it ran the worse it got. Sweetex is a better shortening. I mixed the two. Cakery gave me the recipe. I just used a little more shortening. And believe it or not when I make a batch in my 41/2 qt. mixer it does better if I only do a batch that fill it about half full. I can mix for a shorter time and get less air. It is also very dry where I live. I guess we all have to see what woreks for us.

Indydebi's recipe crust very well. If you want a "little less crusting buttercream" then you probably want to use a different recipe. One thing that I love about her icing is that it crust so well and like bridge72 said it also crust fast.

Maybe Indydebi will see this post and offer some insight. I just don't see how it's her recipe since it's so different. Are you adding Dream Whip to yours? I know that your climate is different than mine and what works for me may not work for you. Hope you get your icing just they way you want it. I would say that you're on the right track by adding more shortening and liquid.

mamawrobin, you guys dont' need me .... you got it covered very well!

I get a lot of questions about "air". I honestly don't see the "air" because once I put it on the cake and Melvira it, it looks super smooth.

However....... I recently reminded someone that dream whip is a "whipped" cream topping mix. And what makes "whipped" cream light and airy is when we "whip" air into it. I dont' see it .... I dont' have a problem with it. I *DO* know it looks more "air-holey" in the bowl than it does as the final version on the cake.

Also if you make it a day or two ahead of time and let it just sit, it will "settle" those air pockets you see right out of there. I just beat it a little with a big spoon to reblend everything and it's even better than day one.

With any recipe, if you add more liquid to the original recipe, you really need to offset that with more dry. So adding any kind of puree is going to throw the liquid/dry ratio off so use less milk or more sugar.

Crusting is a ratio of sugar to fat. If you increase the fat, you have less crusting. Here's how I remember: Fat is slippery .... adding more fat will make slippery icing ... slippery icing will slide off of the cake, especially in heat. Which is exactly the problem I always see when people use 1:1 fat/sugar ratios.

With this icing, I can even add more milk to make it thinner (like for crumb coating) and it will STILL crust fine because I haven't changed the fat/sugar ratio.

Mamawrobin ... keep up the good work!

Indydebi, so glad that you posted on this thread. I thought maybe I was missing something trying to figure out just how someone could have problems with your icing. I pretty much follow your recipe and have never had a problem with it. It's "hands down" my favorite .

Indydebi's is the ONLY buttercream I use. I mix it just like mamawrobin does so the shortening basically looks like sour cream before I add everything else. Once all the ingredients are in, I let the mixer run and walk away. I never have any trouble with it and I've never had any issues with air bubbles either.

So glad I came across this forum, now I know I have to beat the shortening longer, I guess I'm a little impatient. This site is so great to learn from!

I made it recently for the first time and loved it, but the next time I made it, it still tasted great but it was a little grainy. I didn't remember it being that way the first time, so thinking I did something wrong, I threw it out and made it again and it was still a grainy. ....I'm not sure how long I ended up beating it, but I'm sure it wasn't 20 minutes. Does that help with the texture or is that just how it is?
It did crust better than anything I've tried and everyone raved about it.

Mine was grainy too. But that was the LEAST of my problems.

[quote="smokeysmokerton"]I made it recently for the first time and loved it, but the next time I made it, it still tasted great but it was a little grainy. I didn't remember it being that way the first time, so thinking I did something wrong, I threw it out and made it again and it was still a grainy. ....I'm not sure how long I ended up beating it, but I'm sure it wasn't 20 minutes. Does that help with the texture or is that just how it is?
It did crust better than anything I've tried and everyone raved about it.[/quote

Do you sift your powdered sugar?

*nods head*

I didn't sift, but on the second batch I tried it before I added the dream whip and it was smooth(sorry, should've mentioned that in my last post) so I know that's what it was but I wasn't sure if I needed to mix it longer or if that was just the normal texture. Should've known it was me

The dream whip is a factor. Remember, dream whip is whipped topping. And what makes topping"Whipped"? Air.

I dont' see the air because once I apply it to the cake and melvira it, it's nice and smooth. And maybe I look at it as a tradeoff .... if I have to give up the taste just for "the perfect look" ..... then they'll just have to deal with a little imperfection.

But mine look good to me!!! (except that "one" cake that I throw up as an example of a Crappy Cake Day!)

what is "melvira it" mean? a smoothing technique?

[quote="wendy6599"]what is "melvira it" mean? a smoothing technique?[/quote
http://cakecentral.com/articles/126/quick-easy-smooth-icing-using-a-roller-melvira-method

Once I discovered this method, I have NEVER made a cake without my trusty foam roller. Absolutely refuse to do it. Won't put my name on a cake unless it's been Melvira'd.

Yeah ... it's THAT good!!

Quick & Easy Smooth Icing Using a Roller (Melvira Method)

The Melvira Method is intended to help you create a perfectly smooth icing surface on your cake, ideal for decorating. To complete this method you will need to purchase a high-density foam roller at your local hardware or paint supply store.

Most discount stores do not carry the high-density foam, please insure that you purchase the high-density foam roller refill heads or you will be left with a spackle-like texture on your icing. The rollers are available in 2, 4, and 6 widths. 6 is ideal for most cakes, although the 2 is useful for the sides of sheet cakes, or for shaped/character cakes.

Frost cake with buttercream icing as you normally would using a spatula or the cake icer tip.
Smooth icing lightly. (Crusting buttercream is suggested, but non-crusting can be used.)

Allow icing to crust at least 10-15 minutes. (Longer in humid conditions.) If you are using a non-crusting buttercream, refrigerate cake until icing is set.

Using your dry foam roller, gently roll across the top surface of your cake, smoothing out any air pockets, bumps, or wrinkles across the cake.

Use long, light and gentle strokes across the surface. Do not use short, fast strokes as this may displace icing.

Proceed to the sides of your cake and follow the same long, light and gentle strokes, bringing the edge up to meet the top edge.
Alternately, a Viva paper towel can be used on top of the icing as you roll, serving as a barrier between the icing and the roller, also insuring the smooth finish you would expect from the Viva method.

You may also use waxed paper or parchment to achieve the smoothest surface possible.

The roller is an excellent way to apply an edible image. After following steps 1-4, prepare a squirt bottle with clean water and set it to a fine mist. Test to insure you are only getting a very fine spray. Print your image and prepare it for application. Immediately before applying image, hold water bottle about a foot above cake and spritz a fine mist over the cake, letting it float down and create a slightly tacky top surface on your cake so the image will adhere. Immediately apply image. Use roller to smooth over image in the same way you smoothed the top icing. Allow image to set. Before adding borders, smooth one more time. (Insert picture 5)

Roller Care:

Wash roller foam pad well with dish soap and hot water before first use and immediately following subsequent uses. Rinse thoroughly, use fingers to squeegee out excess water and allow foam to completely dry before using.

Roller must absolutely dry before attempting this method.

It is advisable to have roller refill heads available in case the foam becomes wet or damaged in the middle of smoothing your cake. For easiest cleaning, do not apply soap directly to foam, take a small amount of dish soap and lather in your hands, then rub lather into foam. The roller may become stained if used on chocolate or colored icings, but this will not affect its performance. If you wash the foam well, any color stains should not bleed onto a white cake during subsequent uses, however, if you are unsure, test it by rolling some icing on a sheet of waxed paper or a cookie sheet before using on cake.

Troubleshooting:

1.Icing pulls away from cake and sticks to roller head. Either icing is not crusted well enough, it is still tacky. Allow to more thoroughly crust (refrigerate if using non-crusting icing) -or- You are using short, jerky strokes. Use longer, slow and smooth strokes to gently manipulate icing.
2.Icing cracks and looks dry when I roll it. Icing is too crusted. Reapply a thin layer of icing and roll before it becomes too dry.
3.Air holes are not disappearing when I roll: Use a slightly firmer pressure. While you do not want to smash the icing, you do want to push firmly enough to smooth out air bubbles and holes.

Thank You, to all of you wonderful, experienced and generous women!! Your advice is very much appreciated!!!

What speed do you mix your icing on. I used my lowest speed and my flat paddle (because that is what I am used to using for icing) for 40 mins and I still had a grainy mouth feel. Should I be mixing faster? or using a different attachmnet (wisk)? I didn't have a single air bubble though. Just trying to combat that grittiness. I wonder if it could be due to climate since we are very dry here 99.9 of the time. I do use 10x sugar and I sifted it as well just in case even though I usually haven't needed to with other recipes. I am open to all ideas. I am decorating my daughter's birthday cake tonightr and if I can avoid throwing out 5 quarts of icing I would be thrilled.