Will Any Icing Besides Crisco-Based Bc Hold Up For An Outdoor June Wedding?

Decorating By marya92 Updated 6 May 2014 , 2:24pm by -K8memphis

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marya92 Posted 6 May 2014 , 2:35am
post #1 of 10

I've been asked to do a wedding cake for an outdoor wedding in Ohio in mid June. The couple prefers Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but I doubt it will hold up. The cake will be sitting under a shelter in a park for two hours until the reception. Is there any other option besides a Crisco-based icing for this? Does anybody have experience with cream cheese buttercream outside? Any advice or experience would be great!

9 replies
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-K8memphis Posted 6 May 2014 , 12:52pm
post #2 of 10

fondant--but i mean set up outdoors for two hours in june? the cake will be melted into a boiling cauldron by then--

 

what i did was use climate control packaging--sounds much fancier than it is--a corrugated cardboard box with ice packs inside--then seal a fully chilled cake in there--can last for several hours no problem-o -- but i recommend that you test this in advance for your own security-- i tested this in full brutal memphis sun and noon high heat and i was spectacularly impressed--

 

but not crisco not butter not nothing can endure summer heat like that unprotected-- then they just have to whip it out at the last minute--the trade off with outdoor summer weddings is they loose a lot of the focal point quality of the wedding cake -- 

 

i always say that the principals of earth wind and fire are not diminished just 'cause someone's getting married--not to mention dust and bugs--

 

best to you

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AnnieCahill Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:13pm
post #3 of 10

You can add a small amount of shortening to your SMBC to keep it heat-stable.  Gretchen from Woodland Bakery uses SMBC and her recipe uses shortening and butter.  I'd recommend high ratio shortening over Crisco though.

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-K8memphis Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:23pm
post #4 of 10

what does literally provide heat resistance is to add flour to the icing--this works for american type buttercreams that are made primarily with fat, powdered sugar, liquid and flavoring--there are high heat recipes around online--and i have used a very fine gravy flour called wondra for this--

 

if you just get a lick of the frosting it kind of rubs the back of your throat -- not a bad sensation but not 100% normal--but when you eat it with the cake it's not noticeable at all--

 

so there's that too--

 

i tell my brides that my responsibility for the cake ends when i place it on the cake table--they can serve it barbequed on the grill if they want--but they lose the focal point aspect thing i mentioned upthread that is a big deal at the reception--

 

they could just use a dummy cake 

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MimiFix Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:33pm
post #5 of 10

Naked! No icing! A naked cake would not melt. Might not look real attractive, but it would take care of the immediate problem. This would not be my solution, but it's trendy now and some people like that look.

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-K8memphis Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:42pm
post #6 of 10

maybe, but naked might dry out too --

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-K8memphis Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:43pm
post #7 of 10

wedding cookies would work or wedding tortilla chips or wedding crackers 

 

:grin:

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MimiFix Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:57pm
post #8 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by -K8memphis 
 

maybe, but naked might dry out too --

 

Yes, naked cakes dry out. Sealing the sides with warm preserves can help. But then there's the visual factor of a naked cake on display.

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MimiFix Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:59pm
post #9 of 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by -K8memphis 
 

wedding cookies would work or wedding tortilla chips or wedding crackers :grin:

 

Best suggestions so far!

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-K8memphis Posted 6 May 2014 , 2:24pm
post #10 of 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by marya92 
 

I've been asked to do a wedding cake for an outdoor wedding in Ohio in mid June. The couple prefers Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but I doubt it will hold up. The cake will be sitting under a shelter in a park for two hours until the reception. Is there any other option besides a Crisco-based icing for this? Does anybody have experience with cream cheese buttercream outside? Any advice or experience would be great!

 

 

it is a health hazard to use cream cheese icing outdoors for hours in june heat

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