H1! My daughter got married a week ago and I was supposed to bake and decorate her wedding cake. Not only planning her wedding and reception,my husband was just diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer. I taking him for treatments 5 days a week,plus trying to tie up all the loose ends. My solution to my wedding cake problem was to have a local bakery bake the cake and I decorated it myself. Weeks ago, I candied tons of violets, violas and pansey's. The wedding was nature-inspired and there were bird nests and toparies everywhere. The 4 tier cake was on a piece of wood with bark around the bottom of it. It took me over 2 hours to decorate it with the bakery doing all of the baking and icing of the cake. I know with everything I had to do I could have never had the time to bake it and ice it myself. Don't forget your daughter's wedding reception is the largest party you will ever host! Good luck! Alanna from Pa

Not particularly humid. I would say average. I just made it yesterday, and it was a fairly nice day. I am guessing the crystalization of the powdered sugar has something to do with they process.... ie... Heating the chocolate too much before adding the sugar, or... Heating the chocolate and sugar mixture too much.... or... not heating the chocolate and sugar enough. The "Heat just a little" part of my mom's recipe has always been the most vague to me.

This should do it: Quick Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Icing from the cookbook, Here in America's Test Kitchen Makes 8 buns. Melted butter is used in both the filling and the dough and to grease the pan; melt the total amount (8 tablespoons) at once and measure it out as you need it. 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for pan cinnamon-sugar filling 3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz) packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) granulated sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/8 tsp salt 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted biscuit dough 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for work surface 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/4 cups buttermilk 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted icing 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened 2 tbsp buttermilk 1 cup (4 oz) confectioners' sugar 1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pour 1 tbsp melted butter into 9-inch nonstick cake pan; brush to coat pan. Spray wire cooling rack with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. 2. TO MAKE CINNAMON-SUGAR FILLING: Combine sugars, spices, and salt in small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and stir with fork or fingers until mixture resembles wet sand; set filling mixture aside. 3. TO MAKE BISCUIT DOUGH: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and 2 tablespoons melted butter in measuring cup or small bowl. Add liquid to dry ingredients and stir with wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed (dough will look very shaggy), about 30 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy. 4. Pat dough with hands into 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Brush dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with filling, leaving 1/2-inch border of plain dough around edges. Press filling firmly into dough. Using bench scraper or metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Starting at long side, roll dough, pressing lightly, to form tight log. Pinch seam to seal. Roll log seam-side down and cut evenly into eight pieces. With hand, slightly flatten each piece of dough to seal open edges and keep filling in place. Place one roll in center of prepared nonstick pan, then place remaining seven rolls around perimeter of pan. Brush with 2 tablespoons remaining melted butter. 5. Bake until edges are golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes. Use offset metal spatula to loosen buns from pan. Wearing oven mitt, place large plate over pan and invert buns onto plate. Place greased cooling rack over plate and invert buns onto rack. Cool about 5 minutes before icing. 6. TO MAKE ICING AND FINISH BUNS: While buns are cooling, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy cleanup); set rack with buns over baking sheet. Whisk cream cheese and buttermilk in large nonreactive bowl until thick and smooth (mixture will look like cottage cheese at first). Sift confectioners' sugar over; whisk until smooth glaze forms, about 30 seconds. Spoon glaze evenly over buns; serve immediately. The buns are best eaten warm, but they hold up reasonably well for up to 2 hours. Here is a link that might be useful: Joyful Baker Blog

Thanks Annie. I am sooo paranoid though and get nervous that I could "hurt" someone with something out of code, esp. since we won't have the cake til tomorrow and nothing is being cooked. The light cream worked out perfect and I am so happy that I turned to you all for guidance as I would have just used my Betty Crocker tub (and I didn't want to use it for this special cake). I learn so much from all of you, even though I mainly lurk and post once in a while. Thanks again. (o: