Texas Heat vs Butter Cream!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karena on July 29, 2011 at 4:24pm

Rosemary, I do pretty much what you do. I have read alot on the Wilton forums that you can use the Hi ratio shortening  for high humidity and heat like Texas. I also cover or sort of wrap my fondant covered cakes with Saran wrap around them before refrigerating. I have never had a problem with condensation. Where exactly is Luling, Texas? I am in Tyler  which is south of Dallas about two hours.

Permalink Reply by Rosemary Galpin on July 29, 2011 at 5:00pm

Hello Karena,

 

My nephew and his family live in Tyler so I am familiar with your area. I am about an hour out of Austin and San Antonio on I-10 and the humidity is horrible! I always used high ratio shortening. It's absolutely the ONLY way to go for grit free icing. I use 50/50 HR shortening and real butter and reduce the liquid to almost nothing in the hot months. I have not tried the saran wrap. Does this cause the condensation to build up on the outside of it instead of the cake?

Permalink Reply by Martha Tackett on July 29, 2011 at 6:00pm

I am in College Station and totally a hobby baker, but I have done several cakes for outdoor weddings in the summer.  I am a BUTTERcream person, but I tell them that there will not be any butter in the icing if the cake is going to be outside.  I add Dream Whip to my all shortening icings (http://cakecentral.com/recipes/6992/indydebis-crisco-based-buttercr...) and have never had a complaint.  I had one wedding cake sit out (in the shade, but still high 90's) for several hours and it looked great in the pictures when it was cut.

 

I have used Bettercream, but only on cupcakes.  I haven't tried to smooth it on a cake and I can't imagine that it would last any time at all in the heat.  You wouldn't have water coming out of it like you do from the butter, but it is a whipped topping.  I would have sworn Mike McCarey gave us his buttercream recipe ... I know he did because I was shocked at the butter to sugar ratio - it was almost all butter.  Maybe he has switched to Bettercream.  It has been about a year and a half since I took his class.  Aren't his classes great!  :)

Permalink Reply by Rosemary Galpin on July 29, 2011 at 7:21pm

Yes, he's great. He does still do butter cream. When we were discussing the heat, he told us that he uses lots Better Cream in the hot and humid weather and for his many smaller cake orders. Thanks for the link to the dream whip recipe you use. I'm going to download and try it tonight! I have a tasting tomorrow and I'll include it to get feedback.

Permalink Reply by Julie Eckles Zurek on August 3, 2011 at 9:11am

I live south of Houston in Pearland and while I have not done any outdoor cakes, I still use more butter than shortening....I use all of the same tricks you do and I add a little corn syrup to my frosting.  It seems to help decrease the separation/melting factor.  I hate putting shortening in my frosting but here it is a necessary evil.  I guess we can thank the humidity for keeping our skin soft and pretty if nothing else!         

Permalink Reply by Rosemary Galpin on August 3, 2011 at 11:29pm

Thanks Julie! I'll try the corn syrup. May I ask how much you use in a double batch?

Permalink Reply by Julie Eckles Zurek on August 4, 2011 at 9:29am

2-3 T.  I also refrigerate overnight no matter if it is fondant or buttercream. 

Permalink Reply by Rosemary Galpin on August 4, 2011 at 7:05pm

Thanks Julie! I'll try both with my next order.

Permalink Reply by Bonnell Templet on August 6, 2011 at 12:41pm

Hi Rosemary,

 

I'm located SE of Houston and humidity is horrible here.  Haven't done any outdoor cakes yet but the buttercream recipe I use has a combination of hi-ratio shortening and butter so it's not quite as fragile as an all butter recipe.  I do put my fondant covered cakes back in the fridge after completion (if it will fit) but I wrap it very loosely with plastic wrap first and I have found that really cuts down on the condensation (and keeps the cake from having anything accidently drip on it - ask how I found that one out!).  Also, the condensation won't hurt the cake as long as it has time to evaporate before anyone touches the cake.  My favorite is to use ganache under my fondant because it is such a stable foundation for the fondant (not to mention tastes fabulous).

 

Also, when I transport a cake I usually start my car a few minutes before loading the cake and crank my AC to its lowest setting.  I place my cake on the floor board of my car and point the vents in the direction of the cake.  

Permalink Reply by Rosemary Galpin on August 8, 2011 at 9:29am

Thank you all for the wonderful hints to keep the butter cream stable. It seems that most of you do refrigerate you fondant so I plan to try that too this week. I know that refrigeration until the last minute can only help the butter cream! It makes sense that the condensation would gather on the wrapping or box rather than the cake so I will make sure I do that...and keep my hands off until any condensation does evaporate!