Need help with Indydebi buttercream

Ok, so this is what I do..see if any of it differs from what you did.

I beat the crisco for at least 20 mins by itself on med/high. Then, slowing down the mixer to medium, I add in the other ingredients...alternating dry and wet...until completely incorporated, then I move the speed back up to med/high and let it mix for another 20 mins. This creates a smooth creamy buttercream for me.

I have no idea what sweetex is so I don't know what that might change for you. I use crisco/whole milk/powdered sugar/dream whip/ and vanilla.

Cat

and I beat the crisco and all the wet ingredients together first until the wet is fully incorporated into the crisco and it is light and fluffy -- about 15 to 20 min. (start on stir until very little wet remains, then up to 4 on the KA for 10 min, then up to 6 for at least 5)

then add the powdered sugar all at once with KA OFF. Turn to stir until now longer have to worry about a mushroom cloud of PS if turned higher. Then to 2 for about 5 min. Then to 4 for 10 or so. Then to 6 for about 4 min (and be sure to have a towel over the KA to catch any AWOL bits.

Always comes out smooth and fluffy for me this way.

If it needs thinning for any reason, I add extra milk 1 TSP at a time as it mixes on 4.

I use Indidebi's recepie all of the time and I've never had an issue. I beat my Crisco, vanilla and most of the milk until it's mixed pretty well and then I add my dream whip, mix for a few minutes then add my powdered sugar slowly. (I never time my mixing). After I have mixed in all of the powdered sugar, I add the reaming milk (if any) and mix until I get the consistency that I want... sometimes I add more milk than the receipe calls for, just depends on the consistency that I'm needing. For instance to use for piping a dam, I use a very stiff consistency...to crumb coat and ice the cake, I use a thinner consistency. Hope this helps!!

I use Indydebi's recipe too and Ive never had a problem with it until yesterday. It came out just a tad gritty but it wasnt too bad. Thankfully it was just for cupcakes that I made for us to eat. I figured it was just a fluke or something. Good luck to you!

Question: has anyone made Indy's recipe with cream cheese? does that change anything? thanks in advance

Not sure how "curdled" it looks, but you can't judge this icing by what it looks like in the bowl. It always looks "worse" in the bowl than it does once you get it applied to the cake.

HEre's a thread with photos of what it looks like in the bowl. How close to these pics does yours look? http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-650745-0.html

I have made it with cream cheese, I have also done it with the white chocolate and with unsweetened chocolate and all versions are fantastic. The only thing I do slightly differently than what is written above is to warm a couple T's of the liquid and let the dream whip "dissolve" in it before adding to the batch.

this recipe is a quote from mamawrobin

"Crusting Cream Cheese Icing

Here is my version of Crusting cream cheese icing/Indydebi's buttercream variation.

1 2/3 cups Crisco
1 8 ounce box cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
4 LB. powdered sugar (SIFTED)
6 tablespoons Dream Whip
2 tablespoons vanilla (clear if you need white icing)
1 to 1 1/3 cups milk (I use half and half)

Put Crisco and cream cheese in mixing bowl and whip for 10-15 minutes.
Add about 1 1/2 pounds of the sifted powdered sugar, about 1/2 the milk and Dream Whip and mix until blended. Incorporate the rest of the powdered sugar, another 1/2 cup milk and vanilla. Let whip for at least 20 minutes. You may need to add up to 1/3 cups more milk...maybe even more. Just have to add until it "looks right". I like my icing pretty thick (still spreadable but thick)
I have also added 6 ounces of melted white chocolate to this icing and it is really, really good. It will require more milk if you add the chocolate, just add a teaspoon at a time until it "looks right". I used the icing with white chocolate added for a red velvet cake and it was a great flavor combination.


You can use half butter and half Crisco...I don't because of the heat and humidity in my area. This icing crust very well and will smooth beautifully using the viva method. "

Thank you deMuralist for your quick reply..as i am making that icing right now!!! The chocolate versions sound really delish too
i am using this on a wedding cake for Aug 14th,,,and making it ahead and 'fridgen (is that a word?) lol

I really like it with the unsweetened chocolate. The cream cheese cuts the sweetness a bit but is not a strong cream cheese flavor, and the unsweetened chocolate cuts the sweetness even more and even though it is not super dark it tastes like dark.

I am just starting to experiment with increasing the ratio of the cream cheese to get a stronger cream cheese flavor.

I love the chocolate version made with the unsweetened chocolate squares. Mine is dark in color. I add about 8 ounces to each batch.

My cream cheese version doesn't have a very strong cream cheese flavor because I don't like cream cheese icing that much...lol...and I need a heat stable icing. You can reduce the amount of Crisco and increase the cream cheese to give it a stronger cream cheese flavor.

Are you using Crisco or a store brand shortening? I've had unpleasant results when using a store brand shortening - come to find out it was a mix of vegetable and meat fats, not pure veg shortening.

8 ounces of the chocolate, no wonder mine isn't dark I have only been using 3, tasted great though.

have no problems with grittiness now that i let it dissolve in warm milk.

I will experiment with the cream cheese to crisco ratio when it cools off, we hit 100 today!