Which cake icing recipe is soft to touch but firm enough to work with?

Question

My icing gets tough after a day or two or tell me what can be added to it to make it softer.

Answer 1

The sugar in homemade frostings will always make the frosting "crusty" after a day or two. Most buttercream frostings hold up well and can be used for decorations. But they all end up getting crunchy.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1830,154176-227199,00.html buttercream frosting, basic recipe

Answer 2

After a day or two, it will dry out to have a sort of "shell" on it. That's just what it does.


SNOW WHITE BUTTERCREAM ICING

This buttercream icing has an ideal consistency for frosting cakes. It has a firm quality making it good for wedding cake decorations and flat surface or flower nail flowers. Air dry decorations for 24 hours.

2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons meringue powder
12 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1-1/4 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring

Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth.

YIELD: 7 cups icing. Recipe may be doubled or cut in half; however, if cut in half, yield is only 2-1/2 cups.

Answer 3

You can put ready made icing into the microwave for 30 seconds or so and it will soften up and won't rip your cake.

Also pudding icing from this recipe:
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed



POUR milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix and sugar. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping.
SPREAD onto cake immediately.

It's like eating ice cream and cake, my hubbies favorite icing recipe, We prefer the french vanilla pudding for the recipe.

Happy eating.

Answer 4

butter cream is by far the best