text:
I was given this recipe over 25 years ago by a friend and it's the only icing recipe I've ever used. (I actually didn't know there were other "wedding cake icing" recipes out there!). All measurements are approximate since I'm a "until it looks right cook". Too thin? Add more sugar. Too thick? Add more milk. Luv the flavor of vanilla? Throw lots of it in there! This icing crusts VERY well and holds up great in extreme heat and humidity (passed the "sat outdoors in 90 degrees in August humidity in Indiana for over 5 hours" test!)
Indydebi's Crisco-Based Buttercream Icing
- 1-1/3 cups Cricso
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk, depending on consistency needed
- 3 Tbsp powdered Dream Whip (*)
- 2-3 Tbsp clear vanilla, depending on your personal taste
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
(*) A powdered whipped topping mix made by Kraft Foods, usually found in the cake/sugar aisle in the grocery.
- There's no wrong way to mix this. I usually mix all but the powdered sugar for a minute or two, then gradually add the sugar, but the only reason I did this was to avoid the "sugar-splash" factor. The longer the mixer runs, the smoother it gets. Sifting the powdered sugar before blending helps with smoothness but is not necessary.
MrsNancyB1 Says... 1 Sep 2009 , 10:17am
Delicious! Very easy to make, and very tasty too. The only slight change I made was I added a dash of salt to the combined ingredients to cut down the sweetness more to our taste. Other than that, this recipe will be the standard BC around here!
wildblu3 Says... 2 Sep 2009 , 7:51am
Very tasty!
sweetcakesbydesign Says... 4 Sep 2009 , 3:31pm
I'm keeping this recipe.....just like MrsNancyB said it's the standard BC now
Texas_Rose Says... 8 Sep 2009 , 12:13pm
This tastes wonderful and holds up well to heat. My family will eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon, if I let them. I have flavored it many different ways...butter rum, coconut, almond, mint, chocolate, amaretto, bourbon, etc...and they have all been delicious.
cindy531 Says... 13 Sep 2009 , 6:46pm
YUP...it's a keeper! So glad to have found & tried it!
Choco68 Says... 17 Sep 2009 , 4:56am
Hiya - Indydebi, Id love to use this recipe but living in UK im having difficulty getting Dream Whip - what could I use instead?
Many thanks! Dee :)
Richie5162 Says... 20 Sep 2009 , 8:59am
This recipe was a great! Measurements were perfect, smooths well, tastes great, and super easy. Thanks so much for sharing, my new fav!!!
LilaUK Says... 24 Sep 2009 , 11:44am
Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Choco68, dream whip is the same as dream topping...
Choco68 Says... 29 Sep 2009 , 7:02am
Thanks a LilaUK - now I can go and make it! yipee! :)
Chels335 Says... 29 Sep 2009 , 7:56am
Does this recipe work well with the Viva towel method for getting it smooth?
enchantedcreations Says... 2 Oct 2009 , 8:37pm
Hi Debi, just saw your recipe post and had to comment, this is the same buttercream recipe my mom use to make over 25 years ago too... would you believe she got it from a friend in Indiana! I am just wondering if her friend and your friend are one in the same; wouldn't that be a hoot! I do agree, it is probably the best one out there. Thanks for sharing.
kellie0406 Says... 4 Oct 2009 , 5:20pm
Hi Debi, I know you said it could withstand heat & humidity but with the milk I'm assuming you have to refrigerate? What's if used under fondant?
motherofgrace Says... 5 Oct 2009 , 6:50pm
you mean just the powder for dream whip... no made? just want to make sure!! lol
cakes_rule Says... 6 Oct 2009 , 6:56pm
hi debbi, i was wondering if i could make a chocolate version of this buttercream recipe. if so how? thanks for the help.
tmelrose Says... 7 Oct 2009 , 11:20am
Yes I'm interested too in a chocolate version! Please help!
K8E Says... 22 Oct 2009 , 6:43pm
Is the Dream Whip similar to merengue powder???
delouise Says... 28 Oct 2009 , 9:44am
I've just made up a batch of this and it tastes great! I'm from the UK and I think i've managed to convert the measurements and ingredients correctly! (For other UKers I used Trex instead of crisco and Birds dream topping instead of dream whip) Would we just replace some sugar with cocoa for a chocolate version? Also can it be frozen? As I think I will have a lot left over! Thanks so much for this recipe!! xx
xiswtsawluiix Says... 29 Oct 2009 , 10:09pm
I would also love a chocolate version of this recipe. Is this a crusting bc?
sweethaven09 Says... 3 Nov 2009 , 3:58am
I'm hearing good things about this recipe, but does anyone know how many cups of icing the recipe makes?
passionfruit Says... 6 Nov 2009 , 1:12pm
I just made a recipe and got about 5 cups.
indydebi Says... 9 Nov 2009 , 6:10pm
- I use it under fondant. - I do not refrigerate it. - Yes, you use the Dream Whip in the powder form. - Yes, it's a crusting BC ... it's the big factor of why it's become so popular. - To make a good chocolate crusting BC, honestly, I use Hershey's Icing recipe on the side of the cocoa can! :-) But you can add melted chocolate or cocoa to this one to make it chocolate. Don't ask me how much. Just add it "until it looks right"!
maddie90 Says... 10 Nov 2009 , 7:54pm
I tried this recipe tonight and wow! I am not a fan of BC but this is YUMMY! Not sickingly sweet, just right. Thank you indydebi!
Choco68 Says... 14 Nov 2009 , 1:30am
Delouise, thanks for the UK tip - would you be able to share the UK measurements with me? Thanks a mil Dee x
huntertl Says... 19 Nov 2009 , 6:26am
will the no transfat crisco be ok to use?
samona Says... 22 Nov 2009 , 8:42am
How long is this icing good for and does it need to be refrigerated
PaulineG Says... 26 Nov 2009 , 10:40am
Hiya, I am in the UK and really keen to try this recipe. I would be interested in getting the UK measurements too. Thanks!
Hilda81 Says... 11 Dec 2009 , 3:00pm
How long is this good for if left outside?
Phyllis52 Says... 11 Dec 2009 , 6:01pm
Can you freeze leftover icing?
Nellical Says... 13 Dec 2009 , 5:59pm
The powdered Dream Whip part is just something with which I cannot hang. My cakes are made from scratch, with no aluminum, as are the frostings. I wonder if the Dream Whip can be replaced with something else.... the ingredients for it are:
Sugar, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Propylene Glycol Monostearate (For Uniform Blending), Corn Syrup, Sodium Caseinate (From Milk), Whey (From Milk), Sodium Silicoaluminate, Acetylated Monoglycerides (For Uniform Blending), Hydroxylated Soy Lecithin (For Uniform Blending), Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (Thickener), Artificial Flavor, Natural Flavor, Bha (Preservative), Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Beta Carotene (For Color), Citric Acid (Preservative).
Anyone got any "real food" ideas?
cakesrock Says... 29 Dec 2009 , 5:47pm
Thanks for sharing! Great icing recipe - less sweet and more smooth than most other BC recipes , which I was searching for. My question is: does it freeze well?
amynf1 Says... 2 Jan 2010 , 8:45am
Can you make this with sweetex/alpine or any hi-ratio shortening instead of the crisco?
cgm_cakes Says... 14 Jan 2010 , 3:58pm
I was curious about the Dream Whip too. The recipe is similar to what I use now but I don't use Dream Whip in it. I try to keep my recipes as "natural" as possible. That being said, I'm still going to try this to see just how well it crusts.
Thanks for sharing your "trade" secrets Debi!
kendar416 Says... 18 Jan 2010 , 10:23am
Has anyone used other extracts (IE almond) instead of vanilla? Or should I add almond in addition to the vanilla?
JustToEatCake Says... 20 Jan 2010 , 11:16am
I've used vanilla extract and lemon, just half and half and talk about cutting the sweetness! My sis who doesn't like sweet icing really enjoyed this.
thin4life Says... 31 Jan 2010 , 9:37pm
Love, love, love this recipe. It is the only one I now use. Oh, and did I mention, I LOVE this recipe :-)
DLo912 Says... 5 Feb 2010 , 6:51am
Will it work well on cupcakes?
kathy164 Says... 6 Feb 2010 , 11:01pm
hmm. did we ever get an answer to how long will this icing last, and does it have to be refridgerated??? Thank you.
noahsmummy Says... 9 Feb 2010 , 9:38pm
can i use meringue powder instead of dream whip? im in aust. and as far a si know we have absolutely nothing like that...thanks!
KristasKakes78 Says... 11 Feb 2010 , 9:58am
By crisco,do you mean crisco vegetable shortening? I just thought that it was a lot of shortening.
diychick Says... 19 Feb 2010 , 7:20am
I am having trouble finding dream whip, so is there something I can substitute?
Cassandra84 Says... 20 Feb 2010 , 11:19pm
I used this recipe tonight and absolutely loved it!! To answer questions, I think as long as its not dry it should be ok. I'd say a couple days and i didn't refridgerate mine. Yes its crisco shortening, it does seem like alot of shortening, but when you add all the ps in it really isn't. As far as the almond extract, just play with it. Maybe try a T of each and see what it does, you can always add more of either one. I've made homemade BC before and it was grainy from the ps, but this is perfect to color and tip on! Great recipe!
summersusu Says... 3 Mar 2010 , 2:05pm
Can you use this for a BC transfer?
Nellean Says... 9 Mar 2010 , 1:00pm
I see someone had asked if you can use meringue powder instead of the powder Dream Whip, can you I can't find the dream whip in my area?
ReesieT Says... 23 Mar 2010 , 12:59pm
Oh no my dream whip is chocolate. i went to the only 2 stores in town and only 1 had it but chcocalte. has anyone tried the chocolate? Also can butter be used instead of crisco?
Ans69 Says... 27 Mar 2010 , 12:10pm
Tried this out today. It's great. As I live in the UK , I used trex and Birds dream topping as suggested. The BC I usually make is half butter and half trex ( crisco ) this is so much smoother, this one is a keeper. Does anyone have any answers on how to store this best. Can it be frozen, as I have alot of leftovers this time.
Jessi83 Says... 30 Mar 2010 , 9:22am
HOLY COW - this is awesome! Granted, I don't have much to compare it to - I've only used the Wilton BC prior to, but this is great! Tastes much better!! Making this my standard BC now - I used a butter vanilla flavoring this time - I can't wait to play with some other flavors;)
FairMaiden Says... 30 Mar 2010 , 8:35pm
I'm in Korea and also can't get Dream Whip, so when I make this recipe I replace the milk with heavy whipping cream. Not an ideal solution because the cream makes it require refrigeration and probably also changes the frosting's workability (I wouldn't know; I've never been able to make it with Dream Whip to compare), plus it adds a lot more fat, but it still makes a great BC that tastes fantastic and crusts fairly well.
bates123 Says... 3 Apr 2010 , 10:18am
ALERT! Now is the time to by stock in Kraft Foods! This is now my standard BC too! Thanks so much for the recipe! WOW!
ivymeister Says... 11 Apr 2010 , 9:59pm
Can anybody out there tell me what store they found the dream whip at?? A list of some stores would be helpful, I'm very anxious to try this receipe. That would at least help me locate where this stuff is at. Thanks!! If all else fails...amazon sells it! ;)
yums Says... 12 Apr 2010 , 6:57am
It seems as I am the only one, but I didn't care for this recipe. I thought it was WAY too sweet. I tried adding some salt which did help but then all I could taste was the lard-like taste of crisco. I made my usual bc recipe and mixed this in......still just ok.
Jessi83 Says... 13 Apr 2010 , 1:04pm
ivymeister - I found mine at Wal-Mart. It was in the same aisle as the jello, marshmallows, etc (was not in the cake aisle - at least at my Wal-Mart)
AdorableCakes Says... 14 Apr 2010 , 11:19am
Can I use Sweetex in the recipe instead of shortening? I am doing a few cakes this weekend and plan on trying this recipe. Thanks
mindywith3boys Says... 15 Apr 2010 , 11:26am
AdorableCakes, I'm not sure if you can. But, I tried to make sugarshacks sweetex recipe once using crisco and it was AWFUL!!! So, I would not suggest it. They are not the same at all. Sugarshacks recipe is fabulous though. If you don't have crisco, I'd use her recipe.
southernswthrt Says... 15 Apr 2010 , 7:33pm
I use sweetex with this recipe and it comes out fine. Never tried SugarShack's icing b/c everyone LOVES this one!
crazyad Says... 24 Apr 2010 , 7:58pm
Dream whip is like a powdered form of whipped topping orwhipping cream, so you could probably use those as a substitute for the dream whip. And meringue powder is powdered egg white so it probally wouldn't work.
CookieSue Says... 25 Apr 2010 , 5:37pm
I've been reading all the comments and suggestions posted here. I'm intrigued by the recipe and will be trying it out. I really like the taste that using some butter gives to buttercream icing. Has anyone tried this one out with substituting butter for some of the shortening? Is this recipe still good with Crisco since they changed its formulation?
Rose_N_Crantz Says... 4 May 2010 , 8:08pm
I think I might be able to clear up a few questions. You can substitute butter if you wish. One time I used Dream Whip with another recipe that called for a stick each of salted and unsalted butter and I think 1/2 cup of shortening, flavoring and sugar and the result was this but with a more buttery taste to it. It was perfect. This icing can be used for anything that you would use bc for. It's a great, standard, use as you wish frosting.
It can be made into chocolate bc. I used three squares (3 oz) of Baker's Unsweetened chocolate. At first I added two melted squares as I was creaming the shortening, but after I added the sugar and tasted it, I deemed another square of chocolate was necessary. I added it in after the frosting was "done" and it still came out fine. Also this time instead of milk, I used something I saw on Sharon Z's dvd. I used non-dairy coffee creamer, dissolved in warm water. I think the end result was a little softer and lighter than I recall from the previous times I've made this. Perhaps it's the temperature of the water that makes it creamier. Who knows.
kr1970 Says... 6 May 2010 , 11:54am
Has anyone made this with Chocolate if so how much and what kind did you add?
Carlachef Says... 9 May 2010 , 8:37pm
Hi Indydebi, Does the Dreamwhip work better than meringue powder?
Misty121 Says... 15 May 2010 , 1:24pm
I am from South Africa and not too sure what to use instead of crisco and powdered Dream whip / topping. I think the crisco is the equivelant to our "wooden spoon which margarine", it is vegitable based. Have no clue about the powdered dream whip though. Can anyone help. Please
laceycakes Says... 21 May 2010 , 7:50pm
I was looking for a new different BC recipe. I tried this one first and am no longer looking for one. I absolutely love this recipe. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It is so easy to make and easy to use and was very forgiving when I made a huge mistake. It also is very easy to use when doing BC transfers! It is a little on the sweet side, but at least it doesn't leave the Crisco film in your mouth like the one I was using before. The only thing my DH didn't like about it is that I keep saying how much I LOVE this BC. Thank you so much for sharing!!! I plan on trying different flavorings in the very near future!!
punkyf Says... 29 May 2010 , 10:45am
Tried to read all of the posts about this icing but did not find the answer. Does this icing work well with the transfat free crisco? I am having trouble getting sweetex shortening.
jstoops08 Says... 1 Jun 2010 , 7:00pm
I used this recipe with half sweetex and half butter. It is very easy to make and tastes great! I just made 4 double batches in under an hour. Thank you so much for this recipe!
amyoungbl00d5 Says... 2 Jun 2010 , 2:41pm
It works fabulously! I love it! Tastes very good, and it's very versitile. Thank you for sharing your recipe becasue honestly I was having a terrible time with buttercream that would hold up to the heat and humidity in Alabama. But it doesn't even waiver! Thank you very much!
humminbird712 Says... 6 Jun 2010 , 8:01pm
Love the recipe, but how come I have so many air bubbles in it? I normally don't get that many when I make BC. Any thoughts?
cookingmama75 Says... 12 Jun 2010 , 8:01am
Im from the uk...Just tried this recipe using half crisco (trex) and half butter and it tastes fab!! kids love it too very smoothe and not too sweet....This ones a keeper many thanks mandy
lchapman32 Says... 14 Jun 2010 , 7:19pm
i love this recipe and so do my customers! the only things i changed was adding a little sugar, and using 1 tbsp. vanilla, 1 tbsp. butter flavor, and 1 tbsp. almond. thanks for sharing!
lchapman32 Says... 14 Jun 2010 , 7:20pm
....i mean salt, not sugar. =)
LouLou79 Says... 15 Jun 2010 , 11:15am
I would like to thank you for such a great BC, i used it the other day for a baby shower cupcake tower and was asked by at least 5 people the recipe, i am from england and used trex and dream topping, i fully intend to use this recipe from now on, Thanks again......Love it x
rkei Says... 16 Jun 2010 , 12:15pm
How many cups does this make?!!!!!! I really need to know. If you know, please tell me!
lchapman32 Says... 19 Jun 2010 , 2:58pm
to add to my comment above...i added a dash of salt to cut down on the sweetness. (about 1/4 teaspoon)
KaysKreations Says... 19 Jun 2010 , 6:26pm
I know this is a stupid question but how can I make this into Chocolate Buttercream? Thanks!!
Mickeebabe Says... 24 Jun 2010 , 10:01am
I used this recipe this past weekend for an outside baby shower and it was a huge hit. Everybody loved it and they had no idea it didn't have any butter in it. Thanks again for such a wonderful recipe.
Spectra Says... 24 Jun 2010 , 11:50am
Okay, I'm going to have to try this recipe. I tried the Wilton one and nobody ate the all shortening icing, but I'll give this one a try!
luckylibra Says... 28 Jun 2010 , 8:05am
For everyone that can not find Dream Whip.. you can get it on amazon.. I buy Fluffy White Frosting mix from there for another recipe and get it by the case.. Here is the link: www.amazon.com/Dream-Whip-Whipped-Topping-5-2-Ounce/dp/B001EQ54YQ
kaseysweetkissbakery Says... 28 Jun 2010 , 2:56pm
So I have never seen the dream whip stuff, is it the same as meringue powder? Please let me know! Thanks so Much!!
gong294 Says... 29 Jun 2010 , 7:16am
dream whip is in your cake isle. usually by the premade crusts and any pie fillings. Its made by Kraft. I def added salt to this recipe to cut back on the sweetness. Really great recipe if you want to smooth your buttercream out. I usually spray with a little water and smooth with my offset spatula. if you are going to store it, place in a tupperware or plastic container. I put mine in saran wrap and it got all greasy :-(
mhuerta Says... 1 Jul 2010 , 2:27pm
so excited to try this recipe i just bought supplies for it and on my way to get a new Kitchenaid stand mixer so a double plus soo excited
Texas_Rose Says... 7 Jul 2010 , 4:02am
Dream Whip and meringue powder are not the same thing. They're both used as an emulsifier in frosting recipes, but the Dream Whip works much better. It blends with the Crisco to keep it from feeling greasy in your mouth.
Walmart sells Dream Whip. It's always near the Jello pie mixes. Substituting whipping cream or cool whip is not going to do the same thing as adding the powder.
The recipe doesn't need refrigeration. The amount of sugar in it is sufficient to act as a preservative to the small amount of milk in the recipe.
laventure Says... 9 Jul 2010 , 7:10pm
I had two bad experiences with this recipe and won't be using it anymore. It did not hold up under fondant (my fondant is only 1/8" thick too) and my cake was ruined. Further, although it initially smooths fairly well, after it sits overnight it cracks, sags, and dimples all over. I live in FL and it's fairly humid here...maybe that has something to do with it. I find that Sharon Zambito's (SugarShack) recipe is tried and true.
lisastella Says... 12 Jul 2010 , 11:22am
I made this recipe last night and it didn't taste good at all. I was really hoping for a different outcome since most the reviews seemed very good and it has such a high rating. I could not get past the crisco taste. I also felt that besides just tasting crisco it had that cheap confectioner's sugar taste as well. I tried adding more butter flavoring, some almond extract, and finally even some vanilla beans but I could not make it work :(
cupcakemobster Says... 14 Jul 2010 , 10:41pm
This is the BEST Crisco-based buttercream recipe I have tried. I have tried a few others and they always have that Crisco taste and feel. Not this icing! I relied on all the reviews and made it for a wedding cake this past weekend without testing it out beforehand. The flavor complimented the cake perfectly. The only issue I had with it is that I piped rosettes over the entire cake and until the icing started to get warmed up, it was breaking a bit and just didn't have a smooth, creamy look to it. I added a 1/2 c. of milk but next time I will probably add just a tad more. A truly excellent recipe!!
cakewitch85 Says... 22 Jul 2010 , 9:12am
If I want to make this an Orange flavored, do I add orange zest and some orange extract for some of the vanilla. thanks
JessicaJean Says... 25 Jul 2010 , 2:03pm
Is this good for piping? and borders? what about a basket weave? has anyone tried using it as a decorating icing?
Amaranthine Says... 25 Jul 2010 , 10:48pm
The heat and humidity has been just awful lately, and I'm fed up with melty, oozy, uncooperative buttercream. At the same time, I hate the greasy mouth-feel of Crisco buttercreams. But since this recipe is so popular, I decided to give it a shot.
I'm glad I did. The daffodil flowers I made yesterday held up beautifully, and they're still solid. I also used it to ice my cake; it went on smooth and was easy to work with.
To top it all off, it tastes pretty good and doesn't leave a greasy film in your mouth. I might just stick with this recipe!
jerseygirlNga Says... 29 Jul 2010 , 11:21pm
To some of those that were unhappy with the results...try the recipe one more time but whip the crisco for about 10-15 minutes first...then the rest of the recipe. The longer the Crisco whips the lighter it seems to get. I use both this and Sharon's recipe. I always seem to have Crisco on hand but I don't always have Sweetex or high ratio available when I need it!
Tonight I am going to try again but will me making a slight substitution. I am going to try a flavored creamer in place of milk. Maybe it will work...maybe not. Worth a try.
frogcooke Says... 2 Aug 2010 , 3:47am
Is there an adequate substitute for the dream whip?
Dizzymaiden Says... 3 Aug 2010 , 12:15pm
I just bought The Bakers Kitchen's high-ratio icing shortening will this work?
IrishTorte Says... 6 Aug 2010 , 2:13pm
I gotta admit... I am a HUGE skeptic when it comes to bc only because I cannot handle any shortening typically because of the greasy feeling it leaves at the back of my throat. I was looking for a new recipe because my Wilton with all butter and no shortening was getting a little too heavy and sweet. I just made this and I have to say that it's the BEST frosting I have ever had. It's such a good mix between whipped cream and bc!!! I'm so excited about this .. I'm pretty sure that I will never need to search for a new frosting again! Thank you so very much for this.. it's a cake saver!! *haha* that was a lil retarded :oP
Dani1081 Says... 7 Aug 2010 , 8:32pm
Fantastic frosting! I use 2 TBsp Vanilla and 1 TBsp Butter flavor and it is so good! And works perfectly every time!
lvjan777 Says... 13 Aug 2010 , 9:35am
I made this frosting for the first time last night. It is a little bit gritty. Did I not mix it enough? How will I know if I overmix it?
StaciLGlover Says... 14 Aug 2010 , 7:46pm
Only one word can describe this icing...yummmmmmmm
I tried it a while ago and for some reason it didn't come out. I don't know if maybe my powdered sugar was old or what but it was really gritty. I made it again tonight for a specialty cake I'm doing tomorrow and it is FABULOUS!! Thanks Indydebi for sharing this wonderful recipe. I can't wait to add different flavorings to it. The only thing I didn't do was add vanilla extract and it's still great!
mtotowayesu Says... 16 Aug 2010 , 12:56am
Is the crisco 1 & 1/3 cups or 1/3 cup?
Erin3085 Says... 19 Aug 2010 , 3:09pm
Ohmygoodness, this is delicious! It's so creamy and light! Thank you for sharing, Indydebi. It's my new go-to BC. :)
verosuperstar Says... 21 Aug 2010 , 9:03pm
I need to try this recipe. I've read that a lot of people use it. I've been always using the wilton and my costumer never complain, maybe now when they try it they will taste the difference. Can't wait to try it.
footballdancemom Says... 22 Aug 2010 , 8:43pm
OMG! I am just starting out and trying new things but this is the BEST recipe ever! It made my fondant application sooooooooooooo much easier. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
shannycakers Says... 1 Sep 2010 , 10:16am
DavidDJr Says... 6 Sep 2010 , 7:07pm
I don't know if this will help anyone who can't find the dream whip stuff, but it was more near the jellos and puddings section which at my Kroger was a bit further from the cakes and mixes. I thought I could not find it but a glance to the bottom shelf in the corner I spotted it.
marisela Says... 7 Sep 2010 , 7:59pm
Hi, I would like to try this recipe but i was wondering if I can use heavy cream instead of milk?
jenscreativity Says... 13 Sep 2010 , 8:07pm
does the recipe call for 1AND 1/3 c. of crisco OR 1 OR 1/3 c. of crisco? Confused Thanks..and I'm trying this tonight!
jenscreativity Says... 13 Sep 2010 , 8:52pm
what_a_cake Says... 16 Sep 2010 , 7:57am
Charlotte, thanks for sharing :-) jenscreativity: where do you live? wondering if the addition of butter will affect stability at high temp :|
verosuperstar Says... 18 Sep 2010 , 6:07am
I just made the recipe yesterday and it tastes great but doesn't crust. What did I do wrong? I tried to do the viva method and is sticking to it.
GuardDivaOhs Says... 25 Sep 2010 , 7:03pm
I just made it for a wedding cake today and it did not crust. Any clue as to what I did wrong? I did double the recipe and put a little meringue powder as well, but other than that followed the recipe to a T...so I'm not sure why it did not crust.
XJCmom Says... 1 Oct 2010 , 12:44pm
Thank you for sharing! I'm thinking of using flavored coffee creamer in place of the milk. Hmmmm
KSuhre Says... 10 Oct 2010 , 8:26pm
Does anyone know how many Cups of BC this makes? BTW, delicious recipe!
KSuhre Says... 11 Oct 2010 , 9:49am
In Case anyone but me is wondering, it makes about 5 cups of icing. I measured this morning!
mrscunningham Says... 12 Oct 2010 , 3:12pm
Thank you KSuhre.. I read all the comments waiting for that answer!
mrscunningham Says... 12 Oct 2010 , 3:13pm
I was thinking about subbing 1 cup of powdered sugar with powdered coffee creamer to cut the sweet.. What do you think?
Misty121 Says... 13 Oct 2010 , 1:13am
Please could someone help. I am from South Africa and I am not sure what to use for the Crisco and the Powdered Dream Whip. I would love to try this as it is my daughters birthday next month. From doing some searching I think that the crisco is equivelent to our white margerine, not sure if I am correct. Please help
BlueBurd Says... 15 Oct 2010 , 7:31pm
This is, bar none, the BEST BC icing ever! My family loves it, my friends love it, and I love it! Anyone who is a Crisco snob about BC should try this recipe - YOU WILL BE CONVERTED! Thank you Debi - you Rock!
mrscunningham Says... 16 Oct 2010 , 7:53pm
I have been using this frosting today and I won't be again.. It doesn't taste much different than Wilton, IMO. It is just lighter and fluffier. Also, after it set up on my cake, it cracked everywhere!
momto2pottsy Says... 23 Oct 2010 , 4:16pm
IndyDebi, thankyou so much for this recipe! It's on eof the bc's I have ever tasted! It tastes like my Grandma's old bc! Even my husband who doesn't like icing that much loved it! Can't wait to try out other flavours!~
KMKakes Says... 24 Oct 2010 , 1:54pm
This recipe is great. I just made it. Have a question though: my BC tasted grainy. Any suggestions outside of sifting the pdr sugar to remove that texture? I sifted the pdr. sugar yet it left a film/grainy feel in my mouth. Also, to store leftovers, can it be refrigerated as any other BC?
Sweetcakester Says... 4 Nov 2010 , 5:37pm
I had the same problem until I switched ps. Make sure it pure cane sugar. The package will say it.
I made it with 1 c of cocoa powder and add more whipping cream instead of milk. It tastes like great but next time probally only would do 2/3c.
I also made a batch of almond. I ran out of dream whip so I skipped it and it still tasted great.
lucieland Says... 5 Nov 2010 , 7:31pm
Hi, really want to try this recipe, does anyone know the UK amounts? If not can someone tell me if it is 1 and a 1/3 of Crisco or something else, I can't quite work it out. Thanks
14September Says... 6 Nov 2010 , 3:26pm
Lucieland, I am from UK and have just made my adaptation of this recipe in ounces!
4 ounces butter 4 ounces trex 16 ounces icing sugar 3 tablespoons dream topping 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tablespoon milk
Hope that helps - mine looks and tastes good, hope it lasts well all night as I am making a very early morning batch of cupcakes for a birthday party!
lucieland Says... 9 Nov 2010 , 1:05pm
Thank you so much for the UK measurements, think I might try that in a bit, got cakes waiting to be iced......oooh so excited!!!
lucieland Says... 10 Nov 2010 , 8:30pm
OK, can anyone help. I made this, and it tastes absolutely delicious, very pleased. Only problem I had is that it did not crisp up on the outside as much as I wanted it to? Could I add a bit of egg white/meringue powder to help it along? Thanks
nadia0411 Says... 11 Nov 2010 , 2:45am
this is an amazing recipe, definitely replace with your wiltons one, makes 5 cups enough for 60 cupcakes piped with roses (2D) and swirls (1M), great hold, nice taste, beat shortening for 15 mins before adding other ingredients, i used 1 cup shortening and 1/3 cup butter
jade8 Says... 17 Nov 2010 , 8:19pm
has anyone made this recipe with high ratio shortening?
dchinda Says... 19 Nov 2010 , 10:42am
I made this recipe twice & both times my BC has tons of air bubbles. Any advice as to what would cause the air bubbles? I used to use the Wilton BC recipe & also had issues with air bubbles. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Carlachef Says... 19 Nov 2010 , 11:25am
Dchinda, You're probably either mixing on too high a speed or for too long. This and Wilton butter cream recipe should be don on the lowest speed and to be mixed just untill all ingredients are incorporated.
jstoops08 Says... 4 Dec 2010 , 2:27pm
jade8: yes and it is fantastic!
candynumber1 Says... 8 Dec 2010 , 4:14am
On first glance this was the ugliest icing I'd ever seen! (Prob mixed it too long), it had more air than I had time to deal with. But this was just my test run, so I wasn't giving up on it. I iced the cake anyway and after smoothing (viva method) I was amazed! worked awesome! air and all. The cake wasn't for me so I'd have to wait a day to taste it. I have to say, I'll work with it til I get it right, because it taste great! I'm sold!!
alprice Says... 14 Dec 2010 , 8:30pm
This buttercream was awesome! I have been using it for 3 months now, and I have been tweaking it jsut a bit to make it less sweet! I only put in 1T of vanilla and I think it helps! Other than that, everyone loves the recipe! Thanks for posting it!
sweetmonkeycheese Says... 17 Dec 2010 , 6:50am
Made this last night and I like it, I added a few other extract flavors to it. It crusted very well... in fact next time I am gonna add a little less sugar (just a lil less) b/c it crusted so fast. I love the idea of adding some butter in place of the crisco, I'll have to try that soon. Oh and I did add some salt (they) say it's cuts down on the sweet taste so I threw some in there. I did cupcakes so I dont know how sell it's smooths, but it seemed like it would do great.
Babyprincess Says... 4 Feb 2011 , 12:30am
Hi. Im going to try to make this butter cream frosting since ive tried to make flowers but they've come out saggy not so good, and would like to know if i need to use 1 and 1/3 cup shortening ? little confused. I would apreciate your help.
Thank you.
divinecc Says... 6 Feb 2011 , 11:13pm
I have been using this recipe for almost a year and I really love it. To answer everyone's question about the shortening amounts, it is 1 and 1/3 c shortening. I always use 1 c shortening and 1/3 c salted butter. The shortening I use is not Crisco but an off brand that has trans fats. I usually flavor it with vanilla bean paste but have also with lemon juice and zest, same with key lime juice. Tonight I am going to try cheesecake flavoring...hope it works out! Oh yea, just a tip....if it's turning out gritty try adding the dream whip alternately with the liquid, should do the trick!
1Cake-At-ATime Says... 21 Feb 2011 , 10:26am
I love this recipe, however, something went wrong with my recent batch and I follow the recipe to a T, except I doubled the ingredients to ensure I had more than 6 cups of icing. I don't know went wrong, as I cream the shortening on low for about 10 minutes. I have a Cuisinart 6qt stand mixer with the timer, so I programmed for 10 minutes exactly. Once the crisco looked sour cream like, I added the remainder of the ingredients and then added the PS last. I add my PS one bag at a time too. This batch came out really dry and stiff. So I remedied and added 7 tablespoons of coffeemate creamer mixed with hot water, I also added 2 tablespoons of cool whip which have it a smooth creamy texture. I also had to add an extra 1.5 cup of PS. Hopefully it crust. :-}
Carika Says... 28 Feb 2011 , 6:04pm
I have used this recipe for the last year and it is now my standard crusting BC. Recently my daughter wanted pink frosting and I made a strawberry cake and wanted to frost it with strawberry icing. i used this recipe followed (used the 1/3 cup of milk) then added a small jar of strawberry preserves that I first pureed in my Magic Bullet. This frosting was AWESOME! It even still crusted perfectly!
brittsaqtpie1 Says... 20 Apr 2011 , 8:09pm
Oh my goodness this is so good! So much better than any of the other butter cream recipes I've tried. I am in love! Thank you so much for sharing this!
babylittrell Says... 23 Apr 2011 , 12:33pm
Does Anyone knows how can I replace Crisco and Dream Whip? In Mexico city they're not available. I was wondering if instead of Crisco can I use margarine, but with Dream Whip I'm completely clueless... Could regular Whipped Cream work well? Any Ideas? Any Mexican or latinamerican baker who wants to help? Thank you so much in advance!!!
3girlsandaboy Says... 25 Apr 2011 , 6:26am
This was great! I usually make my frosting with all butter, but living in South Florida, I needed something that would hold up for my niece's birthday party at the beach, with no covering. This held up perfectly under the fondant and the taste was a hit. My first batch turned out grainy, but I'm positive it was the bag of sugar I was using. This tasted so much different than another crisco based recipe I've used.
KimRcrdsn Says... 25 Apr 2011 , 10:30am
Made this icing for the first tie this weekend. Overall the icing is a great recipe and tastes great too. I did have a problem with air bubbles. Any suggestions on what I did wrong or how to prevent the bubbles in the future???
calicopurr Says... 12 May 2011 , 8:16pm
Can I use the new no trans fat Crisco?
pinklady41 Says... 16 May 2011 , 12:40pm
I am making a wedding cake for a June 4th wedding, I live in SC...this is a outdoor wedding under a tent so the cake will NOT be in direct sunlight but will be exposed to heat and humidity (possible 80-85 degrees). I hope and pray this recipe will work, I am going to give it a try and pray that it all works out! I at least have hope....thank you!
fabray13 Says... 20 May 2011 , 8:04pm
Just made this last night. Yuck!!!! Not a fan at all! I dont know if im just not a fan of crusting buttercream or what, but had a heck of a time using fondant with this. Sorry, its not getting a second chance!
MrsMoe07 Says... 22 May 2011 , 5:21pm
Just made this and it is delicious! I does give a slight greasy feeling on my lips but not that much. Will be using this as my go to American buttercream.
Tropicake Says... 29 May 2011 , 2:26pm
Like Babylittrell's post, there are no such things as Crisco or Dream whip in Vanuatu. ( or in Australia either as far as I know!) What exactly are they, or what is the equivalent. I really don't want to have to import yet more ingredients just to try it out.
Pearl645 Says... 14 Jun 2011 , 7:50am
Has anyone used this to decorate cupcakes? Will this icing be too hard or crust too much for people to bite into with cupcakes? The reviews look so good that I'm gonna try it on cupcakes and see how it tastes :)
VolCakery Says... 17 Jun 2011 , 8:08am
This is THE BEST recipe for frosting ever!!!! I have a question though- I made a cake and frosted it last night with this frosting recipe for a charity event tonight that has now been canceled and rescheduled for next Friday night- do you think if I wrapped the box the cake is in tightly with plastic wrap and refridgerated it, it would be fine for a week? Or could I wrap the box tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it?? or would that ruin the cake and frosting? help!
VolCakery Says... 17 Jun 2011 , 9:58am
Pearl 645, this recipe works amazing on cupcakes as well! Just make sure to let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for an hour before serving to let the frosting soften up- it gets hard in the fridge but will soften up wonderfully at room temp.
PlatypusCakes Says... 21 Jun 2011 , 6:39am
Finally Found a Buttercream that works for me!!! I used this recipe this weekend for my luau party cake and I loved it you really can tweak it however you want. I added Key Lime to mine and it still crusted well and wasnt overly sweet it was awesome thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
promomanager Says... 9 Jul 2011 , 6:10am
This is the BEST ever!! I LOVE that it can be smoothed with paper after it crusts without sticking to the paper and gives a flawless finish. My cake had a perfectly smooth buttercream finish. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!
theCword Says... 19 Jul 2011 , 11:56am
I decided to use this recipe last minute a couple of weekends ago after being persuaded by CC when I posted about being anxious. I needed a bc that with uphold in 100 degree weather... and not only that but on a boat in a lake, so imagine the humidity as well! It was wonderful! I'm a newbie so I didn't smooth it but I did decorate and it was a blast. Now that I've been playing more with cakes, I will definately make it again and try to smooth it out. Also I used it to pipe black letters and a music staff. I first made it brown with cocoa powder then used gel color to make it black. The icing underneath was a leaf green.. the black did NOT bleed, not one bit!
Pearl645 Says... 25 Jul 2011 , 8:58am
I finally tried this recipe after all the amazing reviews! I thought it was pretty good. I am gonna wait to see how the customers react to it as I am accustomed to using wilton's BC recipe and I am familiar with the butter taste in the recipe. I thought this BC was a lot lighter and not as sweet as the wilton BC which is probably a really good thing as a lot of ppl dislike very sweet cake and sweet icing. Will be back to post on client reviews! I used it with the French vanilla WASC cake.
GrannyJen Says... 1 Aug 2011 , 9:53am
Hi Misty 121 from South Africa, not sure if you ever got your answer, but here goes, this might help. I'm in Durban. I had a similar query to you, I wanted to try a US receipe including Cristo. I substituted Holsum (Yuk!) for the Cristo. It tasted fantastic, I did not tell anyone that Holsum was in the ingredients! I dabbled further and found a 2nd recipe - Decorator Cream Cheese - altjough I found it on another sight I see it was posted 17 May (Posted by azeboi2005 in Frostings) which has an excellent rating. The ingredients are simpler, 50% butter & 50% Cristo. I understand that our SA baking industry does substitue Wooden Spoon (as you thought) for Cristo. I am in the middle of doing this whith the Decorator Cream Cheese Recipe. So far it is tasting yummy. Have you had any luck finding white vanilla extract, (to keep icing white)? A lot of overseas recipes call for parchment (baking paper) did you know that in South Africa the product called - Baking Paper, manufactured by Unsgaard is the same? And it is excellent.
BostonHills Says... 17 Aug 2011 , 5:51am
Used this recipe for the first time last night, and it crusted perfectly! Thanks! :)
Dizzymaiden Says... 23 Aug 2011 , 8:55am
Can I add fruit to this for a filling?
promomanager Says... 27 Aug 2011 , 5:27pm
Need advice, first time I made this it was PERFECT! Now I can't seem to get it right. Today it cracked after it crusted. ALOT! I could not get it sommth. Does anyone know what I may have done wrong this time? Too much sugar? Not sure and need a little advice. Thanks!!
promomanager Says... 27 Aug 2011 , 5:31pm
I need some help. I made this recipe once and it was PERFECT!! Now I can not get it right. Today it cracked, ALOT. It cracked after it crusted. Does anyone have any idea about what I may be doing wrong. Please help. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
rebekah202003 Says... 27 Sep 2011 , 2:15pm
Found the Dream Whip at Kroger's. Don't know if that helps or not but it saves me having to search. Can't wait to try it!!
amber2 Says... 15 Oct 2011 , 3:28pm
i have been making something like this for last 2 years in my cakes, i use Trex icing sugar either white chocolate melted or white chocolate spread it tastes lovely great to pipe and some people who have had cakes off me have frozen them and say it tastes just as lovely when defrosted.
davila167 Says... 2 Nov 2011 , 8:52am
NOTE TO EVERYONE WHO CANNOT FIND DREAM WHIP:. I used this recipe minus the dream whip and it is AWESOME! I cannot imagine that dream whip could make it any better. I wouldn't drive all over town looking for that last ingredient. Just eliminate it if you must. If I ever run across it in a store, I will pick some up, but I am very happy with this recipe despite that I didn't use the dream whip. I ( Like some previous posters) used a pinch of salt and I used 1 TBSP Clear Vanilla and 1 TBSP Clear Butter Flavoring. I HOPE THIS HELPS
marye27 Says... 16 Nov 2011 , 3:13pm
this turned out great. i had it using wedding bouquet flavoring...delicious.
cakeladydenver Says... 21 Nov 2011 , 8:49am
someone mentioned off brand shortening that contains trans fats. What is the brand? What's in it since I never looked at Crisco's ingredients way back before they changed their formulation? Why would they do this to us cake decorators?! No one eats Crisco for health reasons to begin with! I've looked at off brands and they contain animal fat (lard?). thanks
angelpyang Says... 4 Jan 2012 , 12:11pm
This is probably the dumbest question I'll ever ask but I am so confused. It says 1 and 1/3 cups of crisco, I have always gone by sticks. As far as my knowledge goes, 1 cup is 2 sticks, so does this mean 2 sticks of crisco and then however much 1/3 cups is (that is indicated on the side wrapper)
Any help will be super awesome, I'm pretty sure I made the buttercream with less crisco than I should have this past weekend! Oops.
Thanks in advance!!
monosylabicgirl Says... 19 Jan 2012 , 2:12pm
angelpyang... i use the crisco baking sticks... one stick equals one cup and the measurements are on the label so you can cut 1/3 off a second stick. I can't wait to try this tonight.. I hope its just as good as everyone says it is.
Krista512 Says... 3 Feb 2012 , 12:30pm
Made this today used 1/2 cup milk and 3 tbsp clear vanilla tasted ok. Didn't taste like buyer though. Next time I will use butter flavored Crisco and the buttered vanilla mix I get at the cake shop. This recipe made exactly 6 cups of icing.
Tracyo18 Says... 10 Feb 2012 , 12:13pm
For all those that wont to cut the sweetness some. Just add a dash of salt and 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice. this should do the trick. enjoy
sky987 Says... 19 Mar 2012 , 12:58am
Hi, I am new to this sight and am doing a wedding cake in 2 weeks. She wants her cake outside and clearly this recipe can stand the heat but my question is, she really wants a strong vanilla flavor, I was going to incorporate mascarpone and more vanilla to this recipe, do you think it will alter the recipe too much???? Also How much does this recipe typically yield??
katysandiego Says... 31 Mar 2012 , 10:10pm
Hi, first time user of this recipe and I'm really happy with it. I think its really good for crusting. Not so keen on the sweetness of the recipe myself but I only put some salt and not lemon in it. Will see what my captive audience (ie work colleagues) think of the flavour on Monday!
katysandiego Says... 1 Apr 2012 , 8:15am
Oh and I found the drean whip powder in an Albertsons near the Jellos.
Westheimer Says... 3 Apr 2012 , 6:51am
Sky987 - I quit using vanilla extract altogether, and now use vanilla flavored coffee syrup (I prefer the Torani brand, available at most supermarkets in the coffee aisle). I find that I get a much stronger vanilla flavor, with the added bonus that it is clear so it doesn't discolor my icing. I HATE the taste of the clear vanilla substitute, so this has saved me as far as icing goes. I substitute it for vanilla extract in all my batters and icings, and haven't noticed any difference beyond better/stronger flavor and no discoloration.
I also use other Torani flavors and they all turn out excellent. The only ones I don't like are the sugar-free versions. No surprise there!
Hopefully you'll get this tip in time for your cake. Good luck!
swishtrish Says... 12 Apr 2012 , 9:15pm
This is my fourth type of butter cream frosting. I'm trying a bunch to find my favorite. Unfortunately, this is not the one. It tastes a lot like the Wilton butter cream frosting recipe...too much like Crisco. It might be helped by using high ratio shortening, but I didn't want to wasted mine on an experimental treat. A bit sweet for me...I even tried to add in some salt. Easy recipe to make, just doesn't suit my tastes. I guess that's why there are so many recipes out there for the same things.
vpenkuhn Says... 27 Apr 2012 , 7:55am
I did not have 'dreamwhip' so I subbed instant pudding powder. It worked fine & I got a nice yummy banana flavor.
CakinKimi Says... 3 May 2012 , 6:14am
This is the best BC recipe I have ever tried! So happy I found "the one". Very easy to make. Crusted perfectly and quickly (no refrigeration required to help it set up. I crumb coated it and took a break for less than 2 minutes to get a drink, and it was already crusted enough to use the Viva method to smooth). I was nervous to try it because I normally don't like all crisco based butter creams, but this one was perfect. Great flavor (I used 1 tbsp vanilla and 1 tbsp butter flavor) and no greasy aftertaste. I also did not have clear vanilla on hand and no time to go to the store, but the icing still came out almost perfectly white with no need to add white food coloring.
CakeMom0609 Says... 19 Jun 2012 , 12:25pm
Wow!! I am very impressed with this recipe. I just got done making a "practice" cake with this recipe & I have to say it is definatley THE BEST buttercream I have ever used. It crusts better than any other recipe I've tried. Thanks Indydebi!!!
ycknits Says... 19 Jun 2012 , 3:53pm
It's HOT in Minnesota so I just whipped up a batch of this yummy BC. I like to use SMBC, but it just doesn't work in our summer heat & humidity. This recipe is my #1 summer BC. Thank you Indydebi!!
megan_in_pink Says... 29 Jun 2012 , 5:06am
Is this good to use under fondant? I want use a thick layer of butter cream, for thoes who do not like fondant.
dan-na Says... 8 Jul 2012 , 5:09pm
This is the worst recipe I have ever used! I literally sat through a wedding ceremony and watched this frosting fall off the sides of the cake and land on the table. How humiliating and costly. I lost $400 on this recipe. I did learn something though, I learned not to trust or try a new recipe on something so important.
scrappymommy Says... 24 Jul 2012 , 8:05pm
I have been testing this recipe for a couple of weeks. The first trial round I made it exactly to the recipe's specifications. I could only get a thin or medium consistency and not the stiff consistency needed for more complex decorations. So the next time round I decided to "tweak" it a bit and see if I couldn't get what I wanted. I adusted the powdered sugar a bit and added some and was able to get a stiffer consistency but still wasn't quite pleased with it so I decided to add 2 tbsp of meringue powder (which is powdered egg whites and cornstarch) and got what I wanted. Just as stiff as the Wilton BC recipe that is my old stand-by and the flowers held up. Of course husband said it was still too sweet so I added 1/4 tsp salt (dissolved in the milk) and got exactly what I needed. I only wish that I could teach my students this recipe but unfortunately as a Wilton instructor I am only allowed to teach them the Wilton recipe. My cake customers raved for this too, although they also raved about my stand-by too so it's too early to tell. I am testing this on some star-fill cakes next week to see if it performs as well as the other recipe.
As for flavorings, I decided to try this in chocolate and added 2/3 cup un-sweetened cocoa powder with good results. Generally I only use clear vanilla extract for flavoring on all of my BC unless a customer requests a different one which generally they don't. I might try it with a citrus flavor as some of my students have had great sucess with them in the Wilton BC recipe.
sewcrazy Says... 8 Sep 2012 , 5:40pm
I've been wanting to try this recipe for so long, but I probably wouldn't use it again. I'm just glad I tried this before doing it on a wedding cake. The flavor was overly sweet and artificial. Not sure how it will hold up but it's for an inside birthday party. I also found it to be quite soft,I used just under the minimum liquid and it was still really soft.
takwi Says... 17 Sep 2012 , 8:47pm
Delicious! I found dream whip for under $6,00 at Safeway! This recipe I will save for sure :)
jamielynn24 Says... 30 Sep 2012 , 2:27pm
How long can you leave the icing out with out refrigerating since it uses milk?
mdward79 Says... 6 Oct 2012 , 11:06am
I have read most of the feedback. Good and bad. It always amazes me how negative people can be. Who would use a recipe they've never tried on a cake order??? Mind blowing. I am thankful for the people who share their go to recepies. I try lots of recipes...some work for me and some don't.
I was searching for a crusting buttercream that would hold up in moderate heat to use on cupcakes for a bake sale. I'm not a huge BC fan so my expectations on taste we're not high. I must say that this recipe was PERFECT for what I was looking for!! It crusted beautifully and I even liked how it tastes! I will definitely use this recipe again! Thanks for sharing Indydebi :)
ApronOn Says... 14 Oct 2012 , 6:06pm
I really liked working with this buttercream. it crusted well and was easy to smooth using the Melvira method. BUT I found it tooth-achingly sweet. Not the perfect icing for those that don't like really sweet icing (I prefer buttercream dream).
1mwideman Says... 11 Jun 2014 , 7:17pm
Would I be able to use Whip It instead of Dream Whip? I'm looking for something that is going to hold up in heat & humidity. Dream Whip looks like a whipped topping while whip it is a stabilizer.
indydebi Says... 12 Jun 2014 , 6:54am
Not sure what Whip It is. If it is a powder that you add milk to and then beat it (with a mixer) until it becomes a whipped cream, then it should be a good substitute. In this recipe, though, you use the Dream WHip in its powder form. You do not convert it to a whipped cream.
c.gamble Says... 6 Jul 2015 , 5:09am
Hi I want to use this recipe please I'm in United Kingdom so can anyone help by telling me the measurements not usung cups
c.gamble Says... 6 Jul 2015 , 5:09am
Hi I want to use this recipe please I'm in United Kingdom so can anyone help by telling me the measurements not usung cups
c.gamble Says... 6 Jul 2015 , 5:09am
Hi I want to use this recipe please I'm in United Kingdom so can anyone help by telling me the measurements not usung cups
MereBear2010 Says... 14 Jul 2015 , 11:17pm
Can anyone tell me approximately how much this made and how much it covers, i.e a 3 layer 9 inch round or whatever. I am using this for a wedding cake but I need to figure out how much of the ingredients I need and to do that I need to know how much it makes! Thanks!
indydebi Says... 15 Jul 2015 , 1:07am
One batch (one 2-lb bag of p.sugar) will cover and decorate a 2-layer 8" round, and decorate it (borders, flowers, writing, etc.) I have no idea how many cups it makes. I never measure icing in cups.
For wedding cakes, I plan approx. four 2-lb bags of sugar for every 7 cake mixes. Translated, 1 cake mix is one batch of cake batter (will make two 8" round cakes). So .... four batches of icing for every seven batches of cake batter.
So if I were making a 12-10-8-6 cake (serves 56+38+24+12=130) which I would use 7 cake mixes, then I would use 4 batches of icing (4 bags of p.sugar). This can vary depending on how thick your icing is; how much BC decor you're doing. The good news is it stores well on the counter for a few days and stores forever in the freezer,
MereBear2010 Says... 15 Jul 2015 , 1:53am
Thank you so much! I am super excites for this!
AmberDSouthard Says... 20 Jul 2015 , 11:49pm
I absolutely love this recipe! It is the only one have have found that can hold up to summer in Texas. The only problem I have had is that I can not get it very smooth because it has so many air bubbles. :( What could I be doing wrong? I am using a Sunbeam Mixmaster, not a Kitchen aid in case that makes a difference.
Chloebo Says... 5 Aug 2015 , 7:47pm
I tried this recipe for cupcakes the other day and was pretty disappointed. I picked it because everyone said it holds up well in heat, and these were for an outdoor BBQ in humid Virginia. Well I made them the day before and kept them on my counter, and when I went to deliver them, the icing had wept all over the cakes! How is it going to hold up outside if it weeps overnight inside at room temperature?? I followed the recipe to the letter; I don't know what could have gone wrong. Well actually, now that I think about it, I used water in place of milk. Could that have been it?? I was so embarrassed and no time to remake.
Login To Leave A Comment


text:
I heard that 2011 was a surprisingly good year for video game books. Just look at the nominees: Neal Stephenson, Jane McGonigal, Ernest Cline, Harold Goldberg. I've read and enjoyed all of the books nominated, and they're all great at what it is they do, which are five different things. (Teensy peek into my awards-head brain; if the award goes for best overall writing ability, Stephenson in a walk. for best world-changing ideas, McGonigal. best overall look at games, Goldberg. Most fun you'll have with paper with words on it: Ernest Cline. Best book with Super Mario on the cover: no award given in 2011.)
I have read far and wide for the video game canon. I have read all four massive books in Tad Williams' Otherland series. I've read Ender's Game. I've read just about every nonfiction book about gaming history. I've read strategy guides for games from 1982. But I haven't read everything. And I want to.
That's the purpose of the Video Game Book Club. Each month, I'll tackle another book on my own personal not-yet-read list. You do it, too, and we'll have a chat about the book. Maybe special guests will show up. Maybe I'll pretend that special guests show up. Maybe I'll just
So what's January's book? Let's do Geeks by Jon Katz. What I know about it: About two geeks who play video games. That's half of me!
February's book, by the way, is Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby.
What'll we do in March? I don't know! I want to hear from you about that. What have you been dying to read? maybe you know of a YA book about games I haven't heard of that you can recommend. Hell, maybe we'll actually play a video game instead of read a book. "I was never really got the sense that the pigs were deserving of my anger. To me, I couldn't engage."
I'm at firstname.lastname@example.com: let me know what you want to read in 2012!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
© Copyright 2015 Gwinnett Daily Post
LAWRENCEVILLE -- Daily Post columnist Lisa Earle McLeod is ringing in 2010 with the release of her latest book.
She says it's life-changing.
"Writing it and researching ("The Triangle of Truth") and trying to unravel why we make each other crazy was certainly life-changing for me," McLeod said, "and I have been told from people who have read it who adopted the model that it was life-changing for them."
The author of "Forget Perfect" and "Finding Grace When You Can't Even Find Clean Underwear" has outlined a seven-principle model for conflict resolution in "The Triangle of Truth," which was released Tuesday.
"It basically changes the way you approach people and the way you approach circumstances," she said. "It will help you get along with your judgmental in-laws, your crazy co-workers and your nosy neighbors."
Gwinnett residents can join McLeod in celebrating the release with a public launch party at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett. McLeod will give a brief presentation and sign copies of "The Triangle of Truth," which will be available for purchase. For more information on the publication, visit www.triangleoftruth.com.
McLeod's column runs on Saturdays in the Daily Post.
More like this story
- MCLEOD: The secret to solving conflict: Put solutions on pause ( January 1, 2010 )
- MCLEOD: One big idea from improv that will make you more successful (and stylish) ( October 12, 2012 )
- MCLEOD: Five ways to get over yourself ( November 2, 2012 )
- Columnist Lisa McLeod finds success in chaos ( April 1, 2007 )
- MCLEOD: Why some successful people won't admit they're lucky ( April 29, 2011 )


text:
With City Index you can trade CFDs on a wide range of precious metals. With no commission and margins from 2.5%, access live prices on gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Metals CFD Example:Let's say our gold CFD price is 1250.1/1250.5 (sell price/buy price).
You think that gold prices are currently undervalued at these levels and decide to buy (go long) 20 CFDs at 1250.5 (buy price).
You were right: Over the coming days, the price of gold surges on increasing demand for the precious metal. When prices reach 1280.5, you decide to cash in your profits. We are now quoting a gold CFD price of 1280.5/1280.9. To close your trade, you now sell 20 CFDs at 1280.5.
Result: You bought at 1250.5 and sold at 1280.5, representing a 300-point movement in your favour, which at a trade size of 20 CFDs, nets you a profit of $6,000 (1280.5 – 1250.5 x 20 CFDs) (note gold CFD trade per is 0.1).
Alternative scenario: If however, you were wrong and gold prices had fallen to 1220.5, you would net a $6,000 loss (1250.5 - 1220.5 x 20 CFDs).
You think gold prices are overvalued at these levels and decide to sell (go short) 20 CFDs at 1250.1 (sell price).
You were right: Over the coming days, some increased appetite for risk convinces investors to move money out of gold, causing gold prices to fall. When the prices reach 1220.1, you decide to cash in your profits. We are now quoting a gold CFD price of 1219.7/1220.1. To close your trade, you now buy back 20 CFDs at 1220.1.
Result: You sold at 1250.1 and bought back at 1220.1, representing a 300-point movement in your favour, which at a trade size of 20 CFDs, nets you a profit of $6,000 (1250.1 – 1220.1 x 20 CFDs) (note gold CFD trade per is 0.1).
Alternative scenario: If however, you were wrong and prices had risen to 1280.1, you would net a $6,000 loss (1280.1 - 1250.1 x 20 CFDs).
Open a CFD trading account
Apply Now
City Index is a trading name of GAIN Capital Australia Pty Ltd.
The material provided herein is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. While every care has been taken in preparing this material, we do not provide any representation or warranty (express or implied) with respect to its completeness or accuracy. This is not an invitation or an offer to invest nor is it a recommendation to buy or sell investments. GAIN Capital recommends you to seek independent financial and legal advice before making any financial investment decision. Trading CFDs and FX on margin carries a higher level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. The possibility exists that you could lose more than your initial investment further CFD investors do not own or have any rights to the underlying assets. It is important you consider our Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) available at www.cityindex.com.au, before deciding to acquire or hold our products. As a part of our market risk management, we may take the opposite side of your trade. GAIN Capital Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 141 774 727, AFSL 345646) is the CFD issuer and our products are traded off exchange.


text:
Jay Cutler Brandon Marshall Plaxico Burress Pacman Jones Marshawn Lynch Michael Vick Underdogg reg122 Dungy feel free to add to the list Let's see, how about Terrell Owens? They definitely need a GM, I think Millen would be a perfect fit! Then there's Joey Porter. For an owner you definitely need Uncle Al. And let's not forget about a place kicker. The only real choice is Vanderjerk! I don't believe he has a job, either. I'm just curious, though. Would Underdogg be the guy in charge of press releases? He could talk up Tony Dungy pretty good...assuming you can remove his lips from Tony's a s s long enough to speak! And I've got a great job for reg122. He can be the laundry guy who collects and washes all the dirty jock straps (although he'd probably be slow as he'd first sniff them while stroking himself)!
Posted by bubthegrub2
Posted by bubthegrub2
oh bubby my buddy, how could i b so insensitive and SLOW in missing this... i must have been focusing on laundry while doing the floors and your wife at harvard. right there on your avatar, there is tommy boy gently and slowly caressing and stroking that BIG bulging MVP trophy just as u must so often fantasize that it is u who is being so caressed and touched EVERYWHERE by mr. gisele with his now manicured, well-moisturized gisele-approved hands. from now on, i will show more respect and empathy for your SKB projections and obssession, and minimize being objective about a man u obviously just cant subjectively quit! No wonder u want to b the patriot laundry guy for a day, just so after practice or game day, u can collect and wash tommy's BIG jock strap for your slow sniffing and stroking pleasures! hey man, to each his own. i hear ya bro. i hear ya. good luck with that. your fetish, your thing! Deal?


text:
Philadelphia 76ers v New York Knicks
Jrue Holiday of the Philadelphia 76ers passes the ball to Lavoy Allen... Fotografia de notíciasBasquetebol,Basquetebol - NBA Pro,Bola,Cidade de Nova Iorque,Defesa,Desporto,EUA,Horizontal,Jrue Holiday,Lavoy Allen,Madison Square Garden,New York Knicks,Pablo Prigioni,Passar a Bola,Philadelphia 76ersPhotographer Jesse D. GarrabrantCollection: National Basketball Association 2012 NBAENEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 4: Jrue Holiday #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers passes the ball to Lavoy Allen #50 , while Pablo Prigioni #9 of the New York Knicks defends the pass on November 4, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)


text:
Lindsay Lohan began a 90-day stint in prison yesterday, after violating the terms of a 2007 drunk-driving conviction. A few months prior to the "shit hitting the fan," Lohan posed for a Complex Magazine cover story, with art direction by controversial New York artist, KAWS. The editors of the magazine chose to secure an interview with Lohan at a later date, which, in retrospect, was probably an oversight.
"As we go to press, it's late June—more than a month since we shot these pictures—and we still haven't gotten our interview. Emails have gone unanswered; the same for voicemails we left with her mom, Dina."
'Sif they shouldn't have just threatened to run the photos un-Shopped. Whatever.
[via Arrested Motion, Gawker]


text:
When it comes to running a successful Google AdWords campaign, there is one thing that you absolutely must do to succeed – research.
Research is a crucial component of all aspects of a Google AdWords campaign, from keywords, advertisement text and calls to action to reporting tools and targeting. With Google AdWords, not only must you be well-read in terms of all the rules to be followed but it also helps if you are qualified, in order to ensure that you have done as much research as possible.
The best way of all, particularly if you do not have time to research, is to outsource the running of your campaigns to Google AdWords managers who have done the necessary research already.
Either way, whether you are doing it on your own or you've hired an expert, here are a few areas of Google AdWords where research is absolutely critical: Read the rest of this entry »


text: Ladies and Gentlemen | IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information Official Broadway League sites: - sites - broadway.org broadwayleague.com broadwayfanclub.com kidsnightonbroadway.com stagespecs.org tonyawards.com Quick Search For: In This Category: All Show People/Org. Theatre Season The credits for this production have not yet been completed or verified. Ladies and Gentlemen Martin Beck Theatre, (10/17/1939 - 1/13/1940) First Preview: Total Previews: Opening Date: Oct 17, 1939 Closing Date: Jan 13, 1940 Total Performances: 105 Category: Play, Original, Broadway Opening Night Credits Production Staff Produced by Gilbert Miller Written by Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht; From a play by Ladislaus Bush-Fekete Staged by Charles MacArthur and Lewis Allen Scenic Design by Boris Aronson Cast Harry AntrimA BailiffFrank ConlanPurdeyConnie GilchristMrs. RuddPat HarringtonPatulloHelen HayesMiss ScottRobert KeithReynoldsWilliam LynnThe SheriffDonald MacKenzieHutchinsonPhilip MerivaleCampbellGuy MoneypennyGeorgeJacqueline PaigeMrs. MooreRoy RobertsWardJames SeeleyVan DurenJoseph SweeneyButterworthEvelyn VardenMrs. BradfordGeorge WatsonPettijohnEdna WestMrs. WolfeMartin WolfsonHerz © 2001-2015, The Broadway League, All Rights Reserved. (Copyright and Disclaimer)


text:
Maybelline Vintage Plum Color Tattoo Eyeshadow Review & Swatches
Maybelline Vintage Plum Color Tattoo Eyeshadow is another, matte Leather Color Tattoo Eyeshadow launching with the Maybelline Dare to Go Nude Fall 2014 Collection.
I recently ran across a display featuring all five of the new "Leather" Color Tattoo Eyeshadows for Fall 2014 and being as obsessed with them I'm quite happy they have five, new shades. A reader recently tweeted Maybelline about these and they replied they are indeed permanent. So I'm tentatively saying these will be around to stay so if you can't find them now, you surely will as we head deeper into Summer.
Vintage Plum is one of the four shades that happens to be matte in finish. So many fans will be happy these do not contain shimmer or sparkle of any kind.
Let's take a look!
Maybelline Vintage Plum Color Tattoo Eyeshadow is a dark shade of lilac. I really am tempted to call it a taupe-y lilac…..! It's smoky shade and quite reminds me of a gloomy, rainy day!
Maybelline Vintage Plum Color Tattoo Eyeshadow
Maybelline Vintage Plum Color Tattoo Eyeshadow Swatches
Something I noticed about the new Leather Color Tattoo Eyeshadow is a majority of the shades do look very similar to each other once applied. Creamy Beige, Deep Forest, and Vintage Plum sort of have the same smoky look to them once they are on my lid and they colors aren't terribly different so I have to question how unique a shade this is. Maybelline introduced some really great matte Color Tattoo Eyeshadows that were limited edition a few months ago. I have to admit those matte shades would have made a better permanent part of the collection because at the moment these newer shades are starting to run together a little bit for me, it's typically a smoky eye with a little bit of a color difference…Am I making any sense? Likely not
Vintage Plum has an excellent creamy formula that's not dense or dry. It applies and blends easily and sets to a soft, matte finish without any shimmer of any kind. It'll make a great base shade for a smoky eye look. On its own it's difficult to get complete intensity with the shade as it tends to sheer out as you apply even when building! I think the fact that most of the shades from this collection perform in a similar way is the reason why it's hard to see a major different between the colors! It just looks like I keep doing a smoky eye with smaller undertone variations each time I use a shade.
Sorry, hopefully I'm not being a killjoy here. This doesn't make me any less excited about the shades and new Color Tattoo Eyeshadows!
Maybelline Vintage Plum Color Tattoo Eyeshadow and all the new Leather Color Tattoo Eyeshadows are popping in stores now!
Anyone grab them?
What's your experience with them?
Do share!
This product was purchased
by the Muse for review purposes.
Read my full disclosure statement here.
6/12/14 19:26 Rhea W.:
What lipstick is that omg? I'm on a red quest. But you're right, all these shades look similar. Out of the mattes, I like creamy beige the best. Otherwise chocolate suede is awesome looking.
6/13/14 0:24 Christy:
Out of all of the new colors this is the one I'm most excited about. I was kind of excited about the Brown shade, but I'm afraid it might be too close to the one they released a few months ago. What do you think?
6/13/14 9:35 Christina D.:
My favorite color in the new collection. MUST GET BACK UP.
6/13/14 13:04 Dee:
I just got this one and the Creamy Beige color. Can't wait to try them! This looks really nice on you.
6/13/14 13:27 Kendra:
Looks like a pretty close dupe to Mac paintpot in stormy pink!
6/13/14 14:20 Miss D:
This is a VERY pretty look for you (the dark glossy lipstick and smokey eyeshadow). It's a bit of a mysterious and romantic look all at the same time- looking good, Muse!
6/15/14 22:31 Melody:
Me likey wantey! I missed last batch of mattes and will totes try one! Let the hunt begin! Speaking of I find here in Texas new drugstore brand releases are VERY hard to find esp LE items… idk why but it sucks
6/15/14 23:04 Melody:
Me likey wantey! I missed last batch of mattes and will totes try one! Let the hunt begin! Speaking of I find here in Texas new drugstore brand releases are VERY hard to find esp LE items… idk why but it sucks
Ps. Idk if this will post twice as my first one vanished
6/17/14 17:35 kellly:
I DEFINITELY want this color. It's iffy with me and purples b/c there's something in a lot of them that I'm allergic to, but the color tattoos work for me just fine. I like this subtle color. It seems a little more like a fall color to me, but it's different from anything else that I have (I have to avoid most pinks and purples b/c of the allergies) so for sure I want this to add something different to the purples that I can wear. Waiting for it to show up around here. . . . waiting. . .. (takes out wallet). . . .
6/18/14 20:30 Karena:
Wow,this one is a great look on you, Muse!! Very, very pretty!! I love the red lip with this! The eye is classic and clean, and not too much at all with the red lip. Great combo!! I found Just Beige and Nude Pink hanging out in the wrong color tattoo slot at CVS the other day – leftovers from the matte collection 2013. Score! I am late to the Color Tattoo party. I just picked up my first one three weeks ago, because I very rarely wear shadow, but I do use an eyelid neutralizer (UD Eden, Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essential, etc.)/ shadow primer just to lighten my lid. So, I thought I'd try Barely Branded as an eyelid neutralizer and it covers nicely. I was pleasantly surprised. Just Beige is my everyday color now, though. I love how all you need is a finger and a few seconds to do an eyelid color. This was the only color I was remotely interested in from the new Matte Leathers, so your swatch convinced me that it's a "go!" Hooray!!!! Maybelline would really give paint pots a run for the money, if they made the prior matte collection permanent, I think.
8/5/14 15:46 Ashley M:
Wahhh… I recently picked up Vintage Plum and as a NC15 redhead with hazel eyes, this is my new go-to eyeshadow. I'm so glad to have it!


text:
Hidden El Paso Gem – The Northeast Plant World Edition
I'll admit it - I love to garden, but my house is where plants go to die. I mean, I can actually hear the plants screaming, "Not Tricia's house, NOT TRICIA'S HOUSE!", as I put them in my vehicle to take them home! But that doesn't stop me from trying or buying at one of El Paso's Hidden Gems!


text:
Please be aware that displayed prices are exclusive of all tax which may be payable in relation to your order. To keep things simple, we'll calculate local taxes and charges at checkout so there are no surprises when your parcel arrives. The currency selector is to be used as a guide only and in all cases you will still be charged in USD.
0 to 0 days
Will be calculated at checkout
Toning - Transparent
You must select a size
Mattifying Toner from Nivea reduces gloss and gives skin a beautiful matte look. Enriched with natural Ocean Algae and Hydra IQ that tones up the skin deeply and cleans. Hydrates the skin to retain its natural moisture balance and reduces excess oil from your face to prevent shininess. Dermatologically tested.
NIVEA, like Nelly.com, appreciates the friendships and relationships with its customers and therefore offers you the best and most reliable skin care products available. Since NIVEA Creme was born in 1911, they have become one of the world's most recognized and trusted brands for skin and beauty care. To make your skin radiant, healthy and beautiful, their gentle, effectiv...e and reliable products are at Nelly.com for you. Read more
Standard delivery 5-10 working days. Cost: $10 USD.
Express delivery 2-6 working days. Cost: $15 USD.
No reviews have been written yet.


text:
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has closed Matt Warner Reservoir in Uintah County to fishing due to a toxic blue-green algae bloom. Effective Sept. 16, angling for and the harvest of any species of fish or crayfish is prohibited until further notice.
Last week, the DWR posted signs at the reservoir following a health advisory issued by the Tri-County Health Department in the Uintah Basin. The advisory cautioned livestock owners to restrict their livestock and other animals from drinking water from the reservoir and advised people not to drink or swim in the reservoir.
Recent cattle deaths associated with a blue-green algae bloom (Microcystis aeruginosa) in the reservoir water prompted this health advisory.
As stated in the health advisory, reports indicate that some strains of Microcystis sp. produce toxins that might cause skin irritation and gastrointestinal discomfort in humans who come in contact with these particular algae blooms. Even though ill effects to humans from the consumption of fish from waters with blue-green algae blooms is not well documented in scientific literature, the DWR felt it was prudent to restrict water-based recreation (i.e., fishing and fish harvest).
Blue-green algae blooms are common throughout the country in waters with high levels of nutrients � primarily phosphates and nitrates. These blooms usually occur during the hot summer months, but dissipate during cooler fall weather. Drought conditions may intensify these blooms.
The DWR said it anticipates that it will rescind this emergency fishing closure later this fall, and will notify the public accordingly.


text:
To add items to your wishlist, simply click the "Add to Wishlist" link from any product page.
Don't see Wishlist items you've previously added? Create an account or login now on all devices to sync your Wishlist.
Collect your choice of gallery quality Giclée, or fine art prints custom trimmed by hand in a variety of sizes with a white border for framing.
A version of my original character Akuji. drawn in pencil, painted in photoshop.


text:
Elf, the popular holiday musical on Broadway, based on the movie, returns to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York City (November 9, 2012 – January 6, 2013). We've located a few ticket deals that might just curl your toes. Check out the offers from the roundup of ticket discount sources below. Then go with the one that's right for you.
"Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and his step-brother doesn't even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas …" ~Elf The Musical
DEAL 1: ELF on Broadway Discount Tickets 42% Off.
DEAL 2: ELF on Broadway Discount Tickets 40% Off.
DEAL 3: ELF on Broadway Limited Time Preview Pricing — From $86. Earlier show dates available. No added fees.
WHEN: November 9, 2012 – January 6, 2013.
WHERE: Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th St, New York, NY 10036 (between 8th and 9th Avenues).
SAVVY TIPS: ELF runs 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission. The show is appropriate for children 4 and older, and yes, your little elves will need tickets. Children under 4 will not be admitted.


text:
A Hall of Famer and three-time NBA titlist with the Boston Celtics, McHale earned the ire of NBA fans across the league when he seemingly gift-wrapped the 2008 title for his former club by trading former MVP Kevin Garnett to Boston in the summer of 2007. That the Timberwolves were willing to peddle Garnett was also testament to McHale's mistakes in the Minnesota front office, from where he and the team had been stripped of three first-round draft picks after entering into an unsanctioned handshake agreement to retain one-time free agent Joe Smith in 2000.
(Did we miss anybody? Send emails to email@example.com)
Photo: Greg Nelson/SI, Manny Millan/SI


text:
View other Techniques » Techniques
by Rick Dreher | 2003-11-18 03:00:00-07
Be sure to check our Gear Guide to LED Headlamps.
Turn night into day (use bright light), or preserve night vision (use low light)?
Because of the eye's physiology, it isn't possible to both use a bright flashlight and preserve your night vision. Our eyes go through chemical changes in response to light, and these changes take time to reverse. It can take as little as several minutes or as long as several days to recover maximum night vision following exposure to bright light. Note that each person's night vision potential is different, with age, presbyopia, smoking, medications and selection of parents among the many factors that affect how well anybody can potentially see at night.
In very dim (scotopic) conditions, when the cones aren't contributing to vision, we do not perceive any color or details. We can see objects in black and white only, like on our grandparents' TV. This is a common experience on starlit or overcast, moonless nights. As mentioned earlier, the eye responds differently to different parts of the wavelength. But it's even more complicated than that. The cones, which give us our acute and color vision (photopic), are most sensitive at 555nm (yellow-green). This is the reason, by the way, for the newer fire truck and ambulance colors - it's the color we see most readily during the day - not "fire engine" red. The rods, on which we rely for our night vision, are most sensitive at 505nm (blue-green). One result of this phenomenon is that blue-green light looks brighter at night than red. Unlike the cones, which can see all of what we humans perceive as the visible spectrum, rods essentially cut off all wavelengths greater than about 640nm, the red portion of the visible spectrum. What this means to us is that for all colors other than red, as they are gradually dimmed there comes a point - called the cone threshold - where color is no longer perceived but light still is. At this point only the rods are contributing to vision. With red, however, the cones and rods lose perception simultaneously, and the red light simply winks out.
How can the lightweight backpacker take advantage of this technical gobbledygook?
Most people think they want a flashlight that gives bright, even, white illumination to emulate daylight conditions as best as possible. This approach keeps us in familiar territory perceiving both detail and color after dark. The bright-'n-white approach, however, is not the most efficient one, either for power management or for making use of our eyes' natural capabilities.
For example, if you want to see the most detail possible you need to maximize stimulation of the cones because they provide detail along with color. Using yellow-green LEDs in your flashlight accomplishes this, while simultaneously using less current.
Or perhaps you want to use the least amount of light you can get away with for navigating in the dark while, again, using the least power possible. In this case you might want a blue-green light source that maximizes rod sensitivity..
The third approach is to do everything possible to maximize and maintain your night vision potential. This means either using no light at all, or sparingly using a very dim red light. If you must use a light, even briefly, covering one eye will protect that eye's night sensitivity while sacrificing the other's to the temporary "flash blindness." Flashlights sold to astronomers are universally red, despite some thought that green might be more effective. Rigel Systems makes a continuously variable LED flashlight, powered by a 9-volt battery, that's available in several color variations. The all-red or red/white light is marketed to astronomers, and green versions are sold to folks who use night vision gear. A simple thumbwheel adjusts the light output.
Red or Green-Yellow? The two theories might be summarized like this:
Astronomy groups generally forbid the use of anything but red lights after dark at star parties, so they've cast their vote. If you're interested in experimenting for yourself, Rigel can make a red/green dimmable light on special order. Note: a green light will not allow you to distinguish the wooded (green) areas on a topographical map.
Daytime Strategies. Extensive research with pilots has ascertained that a day spent in bright sunlight can significantly affect night vision. Studies have shown that ten consecutive days of sunlight exposure cut our nighttime visual acuity, visibility range, and contrast discrimination in half. With enough daily exposures to sunlight, normal rod sensitivity may not be reached at all, something to consider if you're vying for the job as cabana boy at Club Med, Bora-Bora. Fifteen percent transmission sunglasses with full spectrum (gray) lenses are recommended to best protect night vision. An ironic note to summiteers and alpine fans is that high altitude negatively affects night vision, diminishing it a reported 5% at 3,500 feet, 20% at 10,000 feet and 35% at 13,000 feet. Tying up the package are the facts that advancing age and, for all you backpacking smokers, the carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke also degrade night vision. With all these factors working against us, it's a wonder we can see at all in the mountains after sundown, so you might want to take a light along on those two a.m. bathroom breaks to keep from wandering off that cliff.
"The Weird Science of Night Vision: Lighting Considerations for Lightweight Backpacking," by Rick Dreher. BackpackingLight.com (ISSN 1537-0364).
http://backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00202.html, 2003-11-18 03:00:00-07.
You must login to post comments.
Discussion of light-emitting diode (L.E.D.)-based flashlights and headlamps. The reader is referred to the following articles as basis for this discussion:
In addition, to provide context for the lightware that is currently available on the market, the reader is also referred to:
- The Weird Science of Night Vision: Lighting Considerations for Lightweight Backpacking
- Buying an LED Torch: Headlamp Design Considerations to Help Guide Your Purchasing Decisions
- M LED Lighting Technology: A Comprehensive Primer to Understanding the Design Basis of Light Emitting Diode-Based Flashlights and Headlamps
|Sort By:
Richard Sullivan
(richard.s) - MLife
Locale: Supernatural BC
|Re: AAA battery choices on 01/11/2004 18:10:14 MST
Happy New Year to all because...
Edited by richard.s on 01/11/2004 19:02:19 MST.
Richard Sullivan
(richard.s) - MLife
Locale: Supernatural BC
|Re: Aurora criticisms, etc. on 01/11/2004 18:21:37 MST
Further to my previous post, I was able to speak with the manager of the retail store which I mentioned. He noted that he had returned about 75% of the Auroras they had sold, less than 1% of the Tikkas, and no Tikka Plus models.
Edited by richard.s on 01/11/2004 18:23:00 MST.
Ryan Jordan
(ryan) - BPL Staff - MLife
Locale: Greater Yellowstone
|Re: Re: AAA battery choices on 01/11/2004 18:25:53 MST
FYI: BackpackingLight.com will be carrying the new AAA lithium cells as soon as they are released to us for distribution. Next week, we should also receive our first shipments of other lithium round cell batteries, including the AA lithiums already on the market, and for you Black Diamond Ion fans, the lithium L544 BP.
Richard Sullivan
(richard.s) - MLife
Locale: Supernatural BC
|Re: Headlamp Failure Modes on 01/11/2004 20:36:35 MST
Well you've pretty well nailed it!
David Spellman
(dspellman) - F
|Headlamps and Green lights on 04/22/2004 18:19:00 MDT
While aircraft and navy ships have, for years, used red as an optimum interior light to prevent night blindness, it seems that green is the new color on the block (as noted in the above article). I'm seeing more pilot chart lights with both red and green LED's, and even some tri-color (white is the third) units with a white lockout to prevent it accidentally being turned on.
Arapiles .
(Arapiles) - M
Locale: Melbourne
|Re: Re: Aurora criticisms, etc. on 05/27/2004 07:10:29 MDT
I bought a Princeton Tec Aurora last year and it is probably the worst piece of gear I've ever used. Mine was replaced under warranty but I threw the replacement into a corner and don't use it.
Edited by Arapiles on 05/27/2004 07:12:45 MDT.
Kevin Sawchuk
(ksawchuk) - BPL Staff - MLife
Locale: Northern California
|Re: Headlamps and Green lights on 09/08/2004 17:35:04 MDT
Please see comments on my 12/1 posting and Gary Lewis'12/16 posting about holding headlamps in hand while hiking/running. Yes it works much better.
Jeremy Best
(xtrem3djer) - F
|Why these big lights? on 09/10/2004 22:04:58 MDT
It seems no surprise that most people have overweight packs, because they can't give up the kitchen sink!
Roger Caffin
(rcaffin) - BPL Staff - MLife
Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe
|Battery Choices - single AAA on 10/09/2004 02:56:13 MDT
The reason many headlights use 3 * AAA is to get enough volts to power a white LED, which needs between 3.0 and 3.6 volts.
Mike Storesund
(mikes) - F
|LED Choices on 01/17/2005 23:23:05 MST
I really like the Petzl TacTikka with 3 'AAA' Eveready Lithium batteries (2.3 oz. total). It has a red lens, so night vision is not impacted, that can be flipped down to offer white light when needed.
Kevin Shuster
(drshuster) - F
Locale: Northern Arizona Alpine
|LED lights on 10/07/2008 23:50:07 MDT
I used the Princeton TEC that uses 2 lithium CR123, for over a year. I recognize that this is a relatively heavy peice of gear BUT.. It seems all thorns need to be removed after dark, and fun reading happen in the middle of the night.


text:
Credits & Info
- Uploaded
- Aug 23, 2011 | 12:43 AM EDT
If you liked this, check these out!
Author Comments
Rated 3.5 / 5 stars
i love the sound the hippos make when they get a melon ''am nam nam nam''
Rated 5 / 5 stars
I like it but you did't create this game right? why are you thaking that someone told yah that nice graphics etc or u really make this game because i see this from other website but i played it here because it loads fast
Rated 5 / 5 stars
really good
loved this game would buy it if it were for sale on console
Rated 5 / 5 stars
Very Well
Cool games! i've played in it and I was so pleased! Great!
myplayyard responds:
Thanks :-)
Rated 5 / 5 stars
Worlds cutest Hippos! XD
myplayyard responds:
Thank you :-)


text:
Two suspicious males
Via Facebook, the New London Police Department was on the trail of two suspicious male hanging out near First Street.
* * *
Ghost Tour Menu
Via Facebook, courtesy of Main Street Norwalk and Berry's Restaurant:
* * *
Donnelley lays off in Wisconsin
A Greenville, Wis. printing faciility operated by RR Donnelley is closing its doors, leaving 47 workers without jobs, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
* * *
Scholarship application deadline
Via Twitter, Firelands Electric has issued a reminder that the deadline for its scholarship program applications is Feb. 1.
* * *
International recognition
Via Facebook, the Glasgow, F.L.E.A. (Furniture Looks Exciting Again) a furniture, fashio, fabrics, film and fragrances firm in Glasgow, United Kingdom, is touting furniture from Take Two Interiors in Norwalk.


text:
it's here! my new book! chairs : a polaroid collection
my new book chairs : a polaroid collection arrived last friday! the size is same as my first polaroid book with jen victoor (W O R D), and it feels so good in my hands!
within are 30+ chair photos, all taken with the last production batch of polaroid film. i'm so sad that my film stash is very, very low, but i am so glad i put this book together so i can share my favorites!
chairs : a polaroid collection is available in my etsy shop! and to celebrate, i've dropped the price from $19.95 to $14.95 until friday the 16th. treat yourself! buy 2, buy 3!


text:
Join Now
Join ePHOTOzine, the friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more for free!
ian57 | Send a Private Message
I take Photo's that i like , if others like them then that is a bonus. Hope you like what you see.
ian57's Portfolio
Current Filter:
No tag filter applied


text:
Houston Astros v Minnesota Twins
Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins is out at second base as Jonathan... Nieuwsfoto'sAmerican League,Brian Dozier,Double play,Honkbal,Honkbalstation Target Field,Horizontaal,Houston Astros,Inspanning,Jonathan Villar,Minneapolis,Minnesota,Minnesota Twins,Ninth Inning,Sport,Sportwedstrijd,Tweede honk,Verenigde StatenPhotographer Hannah FoslienCollection: Getty Images Sport 2013 Getty ImagesMINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 2: Brian Dozier #2 of the Minnesota Twins is out at second base as Jonathan Villar #6 of the Houston Astros attempts to turn a double play during the ninth inning of the game on August 2, 2013 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Astros 4-3 in thirteen inning. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)


text:
Instant "Members Only" Coupon Codes Emailed NOW When You Sign Up for FREE Membership!
You are already an existing user.
Do you want to opt back in?
Please check your email inbox for a confirmation message.
Just click the link to complete your subscription and receive your coupon codes.
Popular Destinations
- Mexico
- Caribbean
- Las Vegas
- Orlando
- Hawaii
- Florida
- New York City
- Costa Rica
- New Orleans
- San Francisco
K-Pop Hotel
With a stay at K-Pop Hotel in Seoul (Gangnam), you'll be convenient to LG Arts Centre and COEX Convention and Exhibition Center. This hotel is within close proximity of Seolleung Park and Yearimdang Art Hall. Read More About K-Pop Hotel
K-Pop Hotel Deals & Specials
- 24-Hour Front Desk
- Coffee Shop
- Dry Cleaning Service
- Sauna
(+) = Additional fees may apply for the use of these amenities.
(*) = Free, some restrictions may apply.


text:
By Barry Miller. CREATED Oct 17, 2013 - UPDATED: Oct 18, 2013
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Fort Myers Police are investigating a shooting incident near Fort Myers High School.
Police say shots were fired around the campus of the High School but no one was injured.
A Deputy at Fort Myers High School heard gun shots at a park next to school.
The deputy ran towards a group of people who were running from the park.
Two people were arrested,
One person from the group ran into the high school as he was being chased.
The JV football game going on at the school had to be canceled because of the incident however the volleyball game going on inside the school's gymnasium continued.
- Latest


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
Forgot Password? | Not a User? Sign up
Writing a business plan is a daunting process to many entrepreneurs, but one that will help find financing and keep a new or existing business on budget and on schedule for growth and development. And it's worth it — studies show that business owners without a formal plan are three times more likely to close their doors.
A plan can clarify how much money is needed to open a business and help the owner determine where to find capital — whether from a bank or relative — to keep it running. Established businesses are in equal need of a plan in order to stay on track or to make crucial changes, particularly with the state of the economy in mind.
Business plans are from 15 to 150 pages long. Any business plan should contain the following:
Executive summary: A precise and persuasive plan will condense the business concept into a statement that includes intentions and requirements of the business, either new or established.
Business description and/or history: This describes in detail the business concept — and in the case of existing businesses, successes and anticipated milestones.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Los Alamos Monitor, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
If you are new to the award winning Los Alamos Monitor and wish to get a subscription or simply gain access to our online content then please enter your ZIP code below and continue to setup your account.
|ZIP Code:


text:
(STOCKBRIDGE, Ga.) -- Another "office creeper" is stealing wallets from women's purses in Henry County.
This time it's a woman and she's targeting medical offices, according to Henry County Police.
Police said the thief knows her way around. She walks into medical offices as if she belongs there and finds purses sitting on desks.
"She may have worked at one of these agencies or is doing some kind of nursing or care," Sgt. Joey Smith said. "She's familiar with going into these offices and knowing where to look."
Police were able to tie three separate thefts to the woman who they are trying to identify because she captured on surveillance video at two local businesses using a victim's credit cards.
"She immediately goes and makes a transaction before the cards can be deactivated," Sgt. Smith said.
So far she is tied to thefts at Piedmont Henry Hospital,the Laurel Park Rehab Center and theEagles Landing Diabetes and Endocrinologu clinic. All three locations are off of Eagles Landing Parkway in Stockbridge.
"We have thee cases but it doesn't mean that it's only three," Sgt. Smith said. "(Other) victimsjust maynot have realizedit yet or just haven't reported it yet."
The surveillance videos are from a Best Buy store in Morrow and a Walmart in Stockbridge, where the suspect purchased an iPad with a stolen credit card. Witnesses said the woman drove a white SUV.
Police are asking anyone who knows anything about the thefts to callCrime Stoppers Atlantaat 404-577-TIPS(8477).


text:
Chicago Bulls v Brooklyn Nets - Game Five
Gerald Wallace of the Brooklyn Nets blocks a shot by Nate Robinson of... Nachrichtenfoto2013,5. Spiel,Barclays Center - Brooklyn,Basketball,Block,Brooklyn Nets - Basketballmannschaft,Chicago Bulls,Ganzkörperansicht,Gerald Wallace,Korb werfen,NBA,NBA Playoffs,Nate Robinson,New York City,Play-off,Profi-Basketball in der NBA,Sport,Trefferversuch,USA,Vertikal,ViertelfinalePhotographer Bruce BennettCollection: Getty Images Sport 2013 Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NY - APRIL 29: Gerald Wallace #45 of the Brooklyn Nets blocks a shot by Nate Robinson #2 of the Chicago Bulls during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 29, 2013 in New York City. The Nets defeated the Bulls 110-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)