I am making my first wedding cake on Saturday, and made a buttercream recipe for icing and decorating.  It is NOT crusting at all and is way too soft and fluffy.  I made several large batches and am wondering if I can salvage it. What ingredient makes buttercream crust?  I am in a panic mode right now and hope someone can help me.  ALSO, it turned out very grainy.  I have made buttercream many years ago and never had these kind of problems.  I hope someone can help me!  Can someone recommend a buttercream recipe that CRUSTS?  OR can I add an additional ingredients to this batch.  (actually I have THREE batches made already)

Here is the recipe I used.  I left some out on a dish all night and it is as soft as whip cream. 

BUNNY's "MOCK SHACK'S BUTTERCREAM ICING"

2 cups Crisco
2 cups butter......NOT margarine.....softened
1 tbsp. vanilla flavoring
1 tbsp. almond flavoring
1 tbsp. butter flavoring
1/3 cup extra rich dry coffee creamer
1/3 cup boiling water
1 tsp popcorn salt
4 pounds pure cane powdered sugar (2 full bags)

Place softened butter and Crisco into your mixing bowl and beat with the paddle attachment for about 7-8 minutes until it has lightened in color and is nice and creamy in texture. (I use speed 6 using a standing Kitchen-Aid mixer.) WORDS TO LIVE BY: 
Speed 4 for the Beater Blade 
Speed 6 for the regular flat beater (paddle attachment) 

While that is mixing, I measure out 1/3 cup of water in a liquid measuring cup. Place this into the microwave and heat till boiling. My 1100 watt microwave takes about 40-45 seconds roughly. In a 1/3 c. dry measuring cup, measure out the extra rich coffee creamer. Combine the boiling water and the dry coffee creamer together in the liquid measuring cup. Stir with a spoon until it has dissolved completely. Add in the popcorn salt to this hot liquid and stir to dissolve. 

Add the flavorings to the Crisco/butter mixture and blend well.

Using the lowest setting on your mixer, alternate the powdered sugar and coffee creamer liquid until all is incorporated nicely. Turn the mixer up to speed 6 and beat for 8-9 minutes. The frosting will get nice and fluffy and a wonderful creamy texture.

i don't know of a cure for grainy except to replace the powdered sugar

your recipe might get crustier if you add some more creamer but i have only used milk powder and i don't use it currently

your recipe has one cup of fat for every scant four cups of sugar--that amount of fat is keeping it from crusting and i guess the coffee creamer isn't coming to your aid for some reason

somewhere between that recipe and this recipe is probably where you wanna be

i just use

• 1 cup fat (butter)
• 1/2 cup liquid (cream or buttermilk)
• 2# powdered sugar*-- domino or reliable store brand--not necessarily the cheapest
• flavors

1. i put the fat (in first makes scraping easier) & some sugar in the mixer and mix to incorporate the fat some
2. add the rest of the ingredients-i try to pour the milk so it slides down to the bottom of the bowl--makes scraping easier
3. scrape down right away once or twice and be sure you get the bottom bits before the top gets too smooth
4. let it mix slowly for a long time
5. if it has terrible air holes --smooth it out as you go little by little (when applying it to the cake) by stirring and if necessary add a tablespoon of hot water to the stirring--often when you go over & over the icing with your spatula trying to get it nice & smooth putting it on the cake--the rest of the air holes disappear

i think if you add about a 3 tablespoons or a quarter cup of powdered milk to step one it will crust more heavily but this crusts for me as is w/o the milk powder

if you decide to try it do not jump in and make a big batch of this

make a small batch and see how you like it--even a half batch

or combine the two recipes for where you will be comfortable with the fat to sugar ratio

*sift if necessary--like if the powdered sugar comes in a paper bag or if it's been opened previously--usually the plastic bags of domino don't need to be sifted

those ingredient ratios are from colette peters recipe in her books

take a deep breath 

take this one step at a time

you'll be fine

Thank you so much.  I am so stressed right now and almost in tears.  Thanks for your advice.  It is my daughter's wedding cake and I wanted it to be perfect, so badly.

So my recipe has double the fat as the one you are using, K8memphis? 

i've done several for my kids & family and have a big one coming up

all of them were awesome in their own ways

one of them was so overwhelming just simply overwhelming and frankly i am still overwhelmed from it ;)

they did not pick a design and i never hit my internal 'edit' button until i was forced to sink or swim and i think i swallowed a lot of water--shoulda been rum & coke

anyhow--just relating to the feelings-- i get it!!!~~~~~~~~~~

so try to focus on doing a good cake -- a good cake will be very good

seriously if you can screw the 'perfect' thing that might help relieve some tension

do the best you can with what you have and it will be fine

cry if you need to to get it out of you and move on

you're gonna do fine

do a good solid cake--that will be a great accomplishment---you can do it

sweep the floor, clean off the counters and table--you got this!!!

Here is one from Edna De La Cruz.

Here is one from Sharon Zambito.  I have used this one for a real crusting and creamy effect.

Sharon's Crusting Buttercream Icing

5 Quart Recipe.  Adjust recipe volume to fill your mixer completely.

5 generous cups of high ratio shortening (Sweetex recommended)

5 lbs powdered sugar

4 TBS Wedding Bouquet flavoring (or substitute your flavoring of choice in the appropriate amount)

11-12 TBS hot coffee creamer liquid

Cream the shortening, flavorings and hot liquid with paddle attachment until well combined and creamy.  Then stream in first 3 pounds of powedered sugar with mixer running at speed one.  When incorporated somewhat, stop and scrape down sides of bowl well.  Stream in last 2 pounds of powdered sugar at speed one.  When incorporated, turn the mixer up to speed 6 and let beat for 5-7 minutes until very smooth.  Scrape down sides of bowl very freqently while the mixer is going at speed 6. 

The goal is to get all of the icing down into the belly of the bowl and fill the bowl from side to side with no air gaps around the walls, as well as covering the paddle up to the springs.  If the icing is making a sucking or "kissing" noise after all the sugar is in, add just a few drops more of liquid, whiele scraping down the sides, with the mixer running until that stops.  You should create a bowl full of icing side to side, where the paddle is compltely submerged and beating in a vacuum under the icing.  5-7 minutes at speed 6 and you should have a smooth as silk and nearly airless icing.  Cool before using.

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Great ideas everyone.  I will try to salvage it first by adding some dry creamer.  If that does not work, plan B is to try a whole new recipe with half the fat.  If that fails, I will look into buying premade frosting. (a small fortune)  I really appreciate your prayers right now. I am feeling so hormonal, stressed and this mess is putting me over the edge.  I sure wish I drank!  I would have some of that Rum and coke mentioned above.  On second thought maybe I will go buy some.    My 88 year old mother just gave me one of her Ativan.  She did not know what else to do for me.  I am a complete mess right now.  Two days ago I finished gumpaste roses and they look pretty darn good.  I had NO idea the buttercream would be the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak.

I hate to say this....but you can' fix "grainy".    I have made a gazillion batches of butter cream and I have had only one "grainy" batch.   I am convinced that I had a bad batch of powdered sugar.  

Instead of all the stress of"fixing" what you have.....take a deep breath...ditch the butter cream... and start over with one of the recipes above.   Make sure you get name brand powdered sugar.  

sam's club sells it too--probably costco too--restaurant supply places

how is the grainy-ness??

it might not even be noticeable once you're eating it with the cake?

maybe put some in the mixer and let it mix and mix and mix and mix--see what happens?

sounds like all you need to do is resolve the degree of graininess maybe eat some with cake

if you can get the green light on the texture then keep adding the creamer--you'll get there

The grainy-ness is going away, too.  To a full batch I am adding 3/4 boiling water (thinking it might help melt the grainy-ness and it seems to).  Then I added 1 and 1/2 cups powdered creamer, mixed real good, then tons more PS, adding a half cup at a time.  I am praising all of you and GOD that it is working!!  It is NOT too grainy, I think acceptable and it is CRUSTING, so I can at least smooth it out a bit.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU.  You all have saved me from a nervous breakdown, of course the atavin that mom gave me is helping too.  LOL.  I can breathe again.  Thank you, God!!

!!!HOORAY!!!!

!!!YAY!!!!

geez being mom-of-bride without a cake to make is daunting enough

!!!YAY!!!!

if it gets too thin you can add cornstarch too

geez i can feel the ativan working from here hahahaha    sail on~~~

It will NOT be 100%, dream come true frosting, but it will crust and it will WORK.  Now, to finish all 4 batches and then maybe I can fit in a haircut and pedicure.  Tomorrow is baking day, so please add that to your prayers.  Those darn cakes better behave.  I will be using the WASC recipe, which I also have never tried.  I am going to start early ie 6 am!  I need plenty of time in case ....... of ..... well you know.  Seriously,  K8memphis, you were a god-send today!!  Bless your heart!

And thank you everyone else for saving my sanity.

could you make one recipe today? after the haircut?

or toss it in the oven now real quick?

I never use hot water or ingredients. I use 1/2 can of Crisco to 6# powder sugar 2 packets of DREAM WHIP, 1/2 teaspoon salt. 3/4 cup water 1 teaspoon clear vanilla, and 1 teaspoon butter flavor McCormick's is the best. I whip the Crisco then add packets of Dream Whip, salt and powdered sugar, blend on speed 2 this is very stiff but then you gradually add the water and flavorings. when blended remove some for flowers, then whip at speed 8 with the wire whip. this will give you more volume. I would suggest you add a cup at a time of powdered sugar to your batch to get it to a nice consistency. Mark how many you added to the first batch then add that same amount to each of your other batches. it will work and it sounds like your icing will have a very rich flavor. once crusted if you want the look of a fondant cake. Take a moist viva Paper towel lay gently on the butter cream and smooth with your hands gently, this will smooth the cake and it will have the look of fondant with out the work of fondant. use only viva towels. The yellow and red on this cake are butter cream, every body thought they were fondant.

Love your recipe and cake, Ivy!  I might try one cake later.  I spent four hours redoing all the icing and it is now in an acceptable state, thanks to YOU!  I am so tired, after grabbing some lunch will go for a haircut and then probably meeting my daughter a couple hours later for a pedicure!  That will be so relaxing, especially that I can spend some time with her.  I am so happy she has found someone she loves, but am a little concerned as I love her so much and want only the best for her.  We don't know her fiance very well, yet, so this is where our concern comes from.

 I am just so emotional right now and the icing fiasco put me over the edge.    She is an older bride, having been disabled for over 7 years due to a tick bite.  She was hospitalized several times and at times had lost her memory, speech, etc.  After 7 years of this, and me taking care of her full-time, she was healed! She went back to school, became an RN and now works 12 hour shifts!  She is such a miracle girl and we want her to have everything to make up for all those lost years of illness.  I guess that is part of my emotion.  

Sorry for expounding about this on a cake forum.  Just wanted you to know how important this cake is.  It is truly a labor of love.  Now you all are taking part of this love gift and I so appreciate you all.

omg lvtig--what a sweet story!!

omg ticks are the deadliest terrorists--i obviously don't need to tell you that--and a lot of people never turn that corner like she did--wow wow wow wow wow

no wonder you needed that ativan--having used up more than the average alottment of patience in a previous life--and just doing a wedding cake for a random client can do that to you without all the other--you're making an "angel food cake' by an angel for an angel

yes he better be a good one!!!

it's a labor of miracle love--nothing doubting

yay--enjoy your day!!!

ps. cake central is 'open' 24 hours a day ;) unless they are updating it for a few minutes--so we're here for you-no worries

A SERIOUSLY BIG hug for you, K8memphis!  I'd treat you to lunch if you ever come to southern California!!

Ivtig, I just read this thread and wanted to wish you all the best! Hope all is going on well.. I have my fingers crossed...

P.S. I have great respect for K8memphis.. she is always there to save the day.. 

The mock shack recipe that you used is my go to recipe.  The only one I use anymore and it crusts for me.  So not sure why yours isn't working or what it takes to fix it.  The other thing is, even if it doesn't crust you still can use the icing, you just cant use the viva or melvira techniques to smooth it.  Check into smoothing techniques for non crusting buttercreams.  Another thing with the graininess, it may seem grainy when you take a bite of it on a spoon, but it really isn't so noticeable when you are eating it with the cake.  Hope things are going well.

I am so glad that her health returned to he;r now relax and do the cake!! Of course we all want to have a picture of this labor of love. I must say that my parents were OK with my mate way back when but his parents always let me know they thought he could do better but; I think God gives us what we can handle and well lets say that in just 4 years and 3 months we will celebrate our 40th.
 

Thanks JIYA11 for your kind words  You are right.  K8memphis is a blessing for sure.  Ivys5652, Thanks for sharing your love story!  I pray that for my daughter!!  Her dad and I have been married 43 years this June, prayerfully the two of them will do the same.  

Regarding the cake, I baked it today.  It was another story in itself.  I posted in a new thread.  Tomorrow is icing, filling decorating and stacking.  

On this topic of frosting, do any of these recipes stand up well in the heat (particularly directed at K8Memphis and the recipe she posted, but anyone else as well)? The reason I am asking is that I prefer to use butter rather than Crisco (for flavor and I prefer more natural/less processed ingredients), but butter recipes have not stood up to the south Louisiana heat for me and I feel destined to have to use Crisco based frostings. I will not use hi-ratio due to the transfats. It may make a gorgeous frosting, but I have to draw the line somewhere on the unhealthy ingredients. I'm currently using the Whimsical Bake House house buttercream recipe which calls for a combination of shortening and butter. It tastes wonderful, but it does not crust (which is fine by me MOST of the time) and unfortunately it is just more soft than I would prefer. Chime in southern girls!

Hey Atomic......Brusly girl here.   I used to use Buttercream Dream...half butter/half crisco but as you know...Louisiana weather is brutal.  It was also not super duper white.   I switched to IndyDebi's recipe...all crisco....very white and heat tolerant.    The extracts you use will also make it amazing.  

Thanks so much! I have heard good things about IndyDebi's recipe. The problem is that everyone on here loves a different recipe so then I still end up with a thousand to try. It helps to have someone's input that gets the local climate. I adore SMBC and used it for my own wedding cake, but that was the last time. Fighting with the heat, my hot hands, it getting too stiff after chilling, it was just too much. Tastes fabulous, but I need a frosting that works every time, not just in the winter. I don't mind if a recipe isn't perfectly white, but it doesn't hurt either. I'll give it a try. Do you know if you can adapt it for cream cheese?

I tried the Decorators Cream Cheese Icing recipe.. that is here on cake central.   It is a combination of butter cream & cream cheese.   It was a stable cream cheese icing..but I found it to mild of a cream cheese flavor.  I am dying to try SMBC.  

http://cakecentral.com/a/decorators-cream-cheese-frosting

I have made SMBC and IMBC. I loved both. I found that there is pretty much no way not to be able to correct it if you have a problem, but mine always came out great. Here is a link to a great article to read before you make it the first time  http://sweetapolita.com/2011/04/swiss-meringue-buttercream-demystified/  . I hate frosting and I could eat it by the bucketfull, but it just won't take the heat. It is silky and gorgeous in the house. Firm as a stick of butter in the fridge. Practically liquid outside in Louisiana. It's all the butter. I had issues with it and the temp just transporting to an indoor party in April. I'm off to get Dream Whip and try Indy Debi's. Just to bug you one more time (and yes, I should probably PM, but we've gone this far.....), have you tried Bettercreme? Sam's sells it from the bakery (in 15 lb buckets!!! would take me a year to use) and I hear it's fab but I haven't heard about temperature issues.