New to the cake decorating thing

[MystieDawn]

I have decided to start making my own cakes at home. Easier said then done. I did my first cake last night. I did not use a boxed cake. Made it from scratch and that turned out all right. The problem is decorating. I let the cake cool down all night and did not start decorating it until this morning. I don't know if it was the icing or the cake but when they were put together the icing got this melting look. I lowered the temp in my house (yeah I know...dork). Do I need to use different icing, make my own? I used Betty Crocker Buttercream. Any advice is most welcome.

 

[Puppy Breath]

By Betty Crocker do you mean the premade icing in the can?
If so, that icing is way too soft to use for decorating. If you want to ice and decorate you'll have to make buttercream icing. If you are talking about the type of icing the bakeries use are you aware that is made with shortening, powdered sugar, water, meringue powder and flavorings? The idea of eating shortening is not too appetizing, but it works great for smoothing and decorating and if you use the right ingredients it doesn't taste bad at all.

I've taken many cake decorating classes and the shortening-based buttercream icing is the easiest to work with.

HTH

 

[MystieDawn]

Thank you very much. I figured it was the icing but I wasn't sure.