Ok, I just tried this out for the first time. Thought I would share...

Here's the recipe I used that was posted by someone on the wilton site:
2 T Dream Whip powder
1/2 C Hot Water + 1 t.
1.5 C shortening
2 t. Vanilla
2T flour
1/2 t. salt
2 lb conf. sugar

Combine the first 2 ingredients until completely dissolved and cooled to room temp. Add to all ingredients and mix slowly, adding 1 lb. of sugar at a time. After mixed well, continue mixing 1-2 minutes.

It does make for a fluffier buttercream. Not as dense as the regular wilton recipies. Of course not as light as a whipped cream icing...

I could make any decorations with it as regular buttercream except roses. It also made pretty good writing with tip 2 or 3. It crusted up pretty hard, this made for a really defined basketweave that won't droop for sure!!

I haven't used it on a cake yet, I'm going to use it for my July 4th cake. I'll let you know more info after the weekend...I'll let you know how it takes color, etc.

A few questions:
1. Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that there's raw flour in the recipe? You can't taste it, but...

2. Does anyone have a better recipe?

..nope, it's not odd to add flour...it acts a stabilizer in the icing!

Cool!

thanks for the recipe..I am thinking about using it on a cake tomorrow but was just curious if it was ok to leave at room temp?

I have this one customer that always wants to tell me what recipe to use...gets on my nerves! Anyway, she said she doesn't want buttercream on the cake I am making for their church this weekend but wants me to use "Seven Minute Icing"...which I've never made before, but I have my moms recipe. I don't know how it will hold up without being in the fridge, so that is why I am asking about your recipe!

Well the question about leaving it at room temp. or to refrigerate is a touchy one! Personally I would leave it out about 24 hours, but any longer I would refrigerate. The icing holds up fine, it doesn't break down (my house is about 78 degrees with AC). The only issue is freshness b/c of dream whip...

Here is the Dream Whip recipe that I use. It is wonderful... it's my main buttercream now. Everyone used to complain about the wilton buttercream (all shortening) I used, but I haven't had a single complaint about this one.

Dream Whip Icing

2lbs or 1 kg bag of confectioners sugar
1 pkg dream whip
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups crisco shortening
2 tsp clear vanilla flavouring
1 Tbsp clear corn syrup

Whip up till fluffy. No need for refrigeration but it is fine in the fridge as well. Tastes great, not so sweet and crusts well. I have tried so many and this is now my main buttercream.

Jan

I've never used dream whip. Is it something you can buy at the store? Or at a cake decorating place?? THanks.

Yeah, I thought it was a little strange the first time I made it that you put flour in it but you can't taste it and it really does help it to stabilize.

I had never used Dream Whip before either so it was new to me but I used it on my son's first birthday cake and everybody LOVED it. Nobody wants standard buttercream anymore.

iv used 7 minute icoing alot... if its left out it gets rubbery.... i dont like it to begin with.... i cant imagine it dried out and rubbery... yuck

I was practicing with this icing some more over the weekend. I really like how it pipes writing! Easier to control than all-shortening buttercream, even with small tips.

It stays stable when refrigerated and then warmed up to room temperature. It didn't break down or seperate. You could freshen it up a bit by mixing it for a few minutes, if you wanted.

MelissaBlack, thanks for the recipe. I'll try that next time and see how they compare.

I made the icing again this week and used 1T flour instead of 2. I like it better this way. It doesn't get too hard as it dries, but still crusts fine...

I didn't try mellisablack's recipe yet cuz I don't have corn syrup around. (I keep forgetting it at the store, arghh) I did try using more dream whip in my recipe, but I didn't see any difference. (one pouch dream whip is about 4T) So I'll just save money and use the 2T.

Also, the hot spatula method of smoothing doesn't work for this icing. It makes it stick more, lol! I use parchment after it crusts or you could probably use the paper towel method.

sorry for the rambling, just wanted to share my notes...

Has anyone tried adding chocolate to it? I wonder how that would taste.

Yes. I use dutched cocoa powder. Just add as much as you want to taste and color. It will, of course, get thicker. Just add some water to thin it back down...

Sorry I don't have the measurements.

Hey, I wanted to thank you for posting your recipes. I just made this this past week, using a combination of both of the recipes and I loved how it turned out! I think this is definatly my keeper butter cream recipe At first it seemed like it was going to be too soft, but as it set before I used it, it thickened to nice consistency. Here's the recipe I came up with:

1/2 cup boiling water
1 packet Dream Whip
1 1/2 cups Crisco
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter flavoring
1 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp flour
2 lb bag powdered sugar

Oh, forgot to add that I used the hot spatula method to smooth out my cake and it worked very nicely. I will add the cake to my photos so you can see. It will have a small basket on the top of it. This is the first cake we made in my begining decorating class.

Polishmommy, I made your Dream Whip Icing recipe today to do some cupcakes. I used just over 1 tbsp flour. Very good! I am impressed and I really like it. This is a keeper. Thank you for the recipe very much. I think the Dream Whip gives it a little bit of taste and it is not as sugary as the regular shortening buttercreams I have tried.

Off to play in frosting....

That recipe looks really good, Beebug! Glad you liked it. My next experiment is going to be to use 1/2 cup butter in place of the same amount of Crisco. Maybe it will be too soft...but I have to try it!

Ivanabacowboy, I got a laugh out of your location. I'm originally from Ohio. Glad you liked it. Feel free to experiment with it. I originally got the recipe from a Wilton site post and then tweaked it some. Everyone is going to need something a little different.

We were at a wedding this weekend (I didn't make the cake, no way!) and people I know said "I wish they used your icing on the cake." Hehe, that's how you know you're doing something right...

Polishmommy & Ivanabacowboy: what part of Ohio? I live in southern Ohio, so I'm sure that you too are feeling this heat wave lately..

How does his icing hold up in the heat and high humidity?

Thanks!

I am nothern Ohio-Cleveland area. Actually work in downtown Cleveland. The heat is something-that we have had so many days this summer over 90' lol!

As far as heat and humidity, no frosting is indestructible. Since shortening is the only fat, it it would holdup better than a meringue-buttercream or butter-buttercream. You may be able to add a little meringue powder to further stabilize it (or to do roses-it is like a medium consistency). But I think when it's 90' or better outside, all bets are off on any frosting surviving for long.

I'm now in MA but I'm originally from a small town near New Philadelphia, south of Canton. small world, huh?

Very small world!!

Thank goodness the weather is starting to either cool off or the humidity level is dropping.

I will have to try out Polishmommy and melissablack's recipes for the dreamwhip. I made it once using a recipe on here, but it was a little gritty the first day, but the next day, it was fine.

Ivanabacowboy--I'm originally from Ohio--north of Dayton--and will be travelling there over the Labor Day weekend. I hope the weather is cooler when I get there. It's hot enough here in Arizona. Would like some cooler weather for a few days. lol

This is my first post. I have tried all three of these and liked them all. The icing consistancy was great and crusted well. My only question did anyone else notice a bitter after taste. I couldn't help to think that the icing was great tasting it then after wards I had this bitter tart taste in my mouth. Any body else have this problem. Could it be the dream Whip? after taste or do I just have weird taste buds. Thanks for your help. I am on a quest to find the "perfect buttercream"

abcmommie

This is my first post. I have tried all three of these and liked them all. The icing consistancy was great and crusted well. My only question did anyone else notice a bitter after taste. I couldn't help to think that the icing was great tasting it then after wards I had this bitter tart taste in my mouth. Any body else have this problem. Could it be the dream Whip? after taste or do I just have weird taste buds. Thanks for your help. I am on a quest to find the "perfect buttercream"

abcmommie

I have tried Dream Whip in my cakes, especially my 3D ones!! It's so good and not too sweet! Any one else done this?

abcmommie, I haven't experienced a bitter aftertaste. Not sure what could have caused that. Do you use clear vanilla? Some people find that to have a funny taste...if so you can try pure vanilla. That's the only thing I could think of...

I have some new yummy variations for you guys:

Chocolate Dreamy Cream:
add 1 cup cocoa powder and 3T water

you can SMELL the chocolate in this, it made my mouth water when I re-entered the room with the iced cake in it!!!

Hazelnut Dreamy Cream:
add 1 cup Nutella and 1-2T water

this is really rich! but when I added 1/2 cup Nutella I didn't think the taste was strong enough..next time I'll try that again to see for sure...

Nutella! OH YUM!

I also have not noticed a bitter aftertaste, and have made a number of batches of the recipe, so it may be your vanilla. I have also added a bit of candy oils. Cheesecake, cherry, coffee and pina colada. YUM! (I had some leftover icing and was just testing out the flavorings to sample before endeavoring it on a cake lol!)

Another thing I like about the Dream Whip recipe is that one cake I made I then covered with a cake dome. Which of course seals in moisture. The icing 2 days later was very glossy and pretty-sort of like a meringue BC. But it still held the shapes and didnt "melt" or anything. Just looked really pretty.

I will try the chocolate cocoa variation this weekend. I like using ganache but covering a cake in ganache and filling it with ganach it ends up being verrrrryyyyy rich. I used a lot of ganache in my miniature pastries and a few "undecorated" cakes just garnished with chocolate curls and pirouettes (sp?). So I was looking for a lighter chocolate icing to use with ganache filling. I will try the Dream Whip in chocolate.

A big note: DO NOT use the cheapie Dream Whip substitutes. There are a few brands. I tried one. YUCK-it tasted like flour and cornstarch! ONLY Dream Whip brand.

what happens if i need a less sweet decoration.. and i add less milk in the dream whip powder..... do u think that wil help and keep it erect?