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How do I make buttercream not crack? - Page 2

post #16 of 68
8/31/10 at 12:00pm
YES please help us get this wrinkle icing problem solved, its looks so perfect then the next day is tiney wrinkleies...

I use sams club buttercream icing. BUT sometimes this never happens..
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post #17 of 68
8/31/10 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 
I guess I was supposed to use a crusting buttercream to get the nice smooth finish. I definitely used a firm board underneath - I used a wooden one that didn't give with moving. And I did frost and let them sit overnight also thinking that all the settling should be done. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Just have to try again. Thanks for the suggestions.
Mandy
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post #18 of 68
8/31/10 at 12:21pm
mandy what icing do you use??
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post #19 of 68
8/31/10 at 12:40pm
I add a little bit of vinegar to my buttercream and it seems to help with the cracking. You can't taste it in the frosting. Anyone else try this?
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post #20 of 68
8/31/10 at 12:59pm
country caker, I will try anything...So, I will try the vinegar tomorrow. And hint as to how much vinegar????
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post #21 of 68
8/31/10 at 2:47pm
The buttercream recipe I use calls for 1/3 cup of lukewarm water. I take a couple of teaspoons out of that and replace it with the vinegar so my liquid/dry ratios aren't messed up.
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post #22 of 68
8/31/10 at 3:00pm
I have been having the same problem lately. I use the Wilton recipe & use Walmart shortening b/c it has some trans fats. Maybe it's the heat? Is it possible it could be drying (crusting) too much? I say that b/c I don't generally put my cakes in the fridge. And like some of the others, it isn't until the next day that I see the cracks. I figured I just had to pony up and buy hi ratio shortening. BUT, maybe there is a more simple & cheaper fix to this? Hopefully.....
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post #23 of 68
8/31/10 at 3:45pm
I had this happen even with high ratio shortnening this summer. Sometimes it happens and sometimes not.

I cut back on the meringue powder but it still happened. It's quite the mystery. The last time I made a cream cheese icing and in between the cracks it looked oily.

Ugh ...I had to call the customer and covered in fondant at no charge after re-icing. I re iced it and added icing stabalizer to the mix. It seemed to look fine, but I had already committed to the free fondant so I just went with that. They said the cake was delicious. I never told the customer about the cracking, I just said that with the recent humidity, I did not think it would hold up in transportation. We had had a lot of rain that week. And the icing was taking too long to crust. I have made this recipe countless times and I just don't know why this happened.
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post #24 of 68
8/31/10 at 3:54pm
I was going to post this same question. I did a 3 tier cake for my dads 75th birthday this weekend and i was actually embarrassed. The cake just had tiny cracks all over it. I did the paint roller method, I viva paper towled it and nothing worked. I use Indebis recipe. I think I'll try substituting a few teaspoons vinegar and maybe trying to use a little less Dreamwhip and see if it cuts it down any.
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post #25 of 68
9/1/10 at 2:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaryAnnPriest

I have been having the same problem lately. I use the Wilton recipe & use Walmart shortening b/c it has some trans fats. Maybe it's the heat? Is it possible it could be drying (crusting) too much? I say that b/c I don't generally put my cakes in the fridge. And like some of the others, it isn't until the next day that I see the cracks. I figured I just had to pony up and buy hi ratio shortening. BUT, maybe there is a more simple & cheaper fix to this? Hopefully.....



I see you and another poster in (Ct) both mentioned walmart shortening as having trans fat... here (in tx) it doesnt. I don't remember if it was 0 grams, or .5... but I know on one of Edna's videos she also mentioned that they took they trans fat out of wal mart brand now. I had to do some searching around. but Target's brand of shortening, and Hill Country Fare (not sure if they have that up North) both have 2.5 grams.

I was also wondering if anyone knows HOW MUCH trans fat is in high-ratio shortening? I tried looking up the nutrition facts on the few brands I heard of, but was unable to find any information. Just curious
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post #26 of 68
9/1/10 at 4:30am
This is so odd! so not only has it happened with sams club buttercream, indebis recipe, and a cream cheese recipe! O MY!! so its not just me, i hope a professional can help us, it ruins the entire look of my cakes!! especially wedding cakes????

HELP
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post #27 of 68
9/1/10 at 5:48am
The Walmart shortening up here has 3g of trans fats.
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post #28 of 68
9/1/10 at 9:58am
That's really weird that it has trans fat up there and not here! Well, looks like I have a reason to move back to Connecticut now.
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post #29 of 68
9/1/10 at 10:10am
i have my walmart shortening the ingredients for total fat:
saturated fat - 4.5g
trans fat 0.5g
polyunsaturated fat 1g
monounsaturated fat 4g
for a total fat 11g

i would love to know what crisco says. and im soooo happy im not the only one this happens to! not that i want anyone's cakes to be cracking but its been driving me crazy. because i get them so nice and smooth and then bam!! those damn little cracks appear. it really is embarassing to present cakes to people with old looking cracks on their cakes.

i am going to try cricso and see what happens.

but i just bought 3 tubs of walmart brand. i always thought you needed trans fat for buttercream. which is why i thought so many people use high ratio shortening.
Wilton Method Instructor. If you're lucky enough to be on a beach...you're lucky enough.
DANCE as though no one is watching you, LOVE as though you have never been hurt before, SING as though no one can hear you, LIVE as though heaven is on earth...souza
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Wilton Method Instructor. If you're lucky enough to be on a beach...you're lucky enough.
DANCE as though no one is watching you, LOVE as though you have never been hurt before, SING as though no one can hear you, LIVE as though heaven is on earth...souza
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post #30 of 68
9/1/10 at 10:14am
I have had this problem recently as well! After reading all of your posts, I'm wondering if it is a weather issue--as someone pointed out. I have been using Indydebi's buttercream recipe (with crisco) and I started using it in early spring when it was nice and cool. I loved the way it went on, no problems the next day. I've been religiously using her recipe and then over the summer I started seeing the cracking issue. Even though I'm working in an air conditioned kitchen, I wonder if the outside weather is the factor. I have not deviated from her recipe but have noticed the difference--oh and just another side note--I still have the original humogous container of Crisco that I started with. If anyone thinks of anything else, please let me know! I'm tired of my cakes looking bad!
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