Hi

I am new to the site and have a question, hope u can help.

I have never used buttercream to ice a cake but thought I would try as I hate fondant and Royal Icing is a bit much for a sponge cake. I have also never used any kind of shorteing in it either, just butter, is this what makes it white? or can u get a white food colouring, my buttercream is always a yellowy colour (butter).


Thanx Kirsty

I make swiss meringue butter cream, and find that the longer you whip it, the whiter it becomes. I know that wilton sells white food coloring, made specifically for making buttercream white (i just bought some, but have yet to use it) so maybe you could try that?

I believe the crisco & high ratio shortning are what makes it white. I do agree butter taste better but when it comes to having a super white buttercream I use crisco or the high ratio shorting. I have also used the wilton white coloring. It takes a lot to turn it white and then it makes the buttercream softer.

also - you could try using shortening (crisco) for whiter icing without having to use the wilton icing whitener... i never use butter in mine, or at most i use 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco. if i want a nice buttery taste i use wilton butter flavor, but i really enjoy mixing butter, almond and vanilla.
HTH and have fun!

i've tried the wilton white coloring and it works nice. you don't need that much of it. good luck!

I read a tip on here that if you put just a little bit of violet color into your buttercream - it will become white. I tried it this past weekend and it works!

I would add a tiny bit at a time until you are happy with the results. I made a double batch and I only dipped the toothpick in once and got the color I wanted.

Thanx for ur help, I will try both ways and see which works best for me.

This site is the best I'm addicted to it already after a week, I'm in England so translating what u call things to what we call things has been a bit tricky but definately fun!!!!

I'm learning so much from u all thanx again.

There is a wonderful recipe on Earlenes website for BC. As far as I knew, it always turned out white. I have never seen yellow or used butter. Shows what I know. I do know that you do not want to mix it to long. It will get so much air in it you will never get it all out.

Yes, the butter is what's making it yellow, but I agree that if you whip it a little longer, it loses some of the yellow. I think quite a few of us use 1/2 butter, 1/2 Crisco.

I've often used the Wilton White-White. Together with the TINIEST bit of violet it will appear very white, though it will never be pure Crisco white. I think it kind of keeps a creamy cast to it.

Remember that when you add these to your regular icing, you are in effect tinting your icing. Make sure you color enough for what you need. It's miserable trying to tint 2 different batches of any color to exactly match each other.

Also remember that when you have white accent pieces that are pure white (pillers, cake boards) the yellow really shows. If you have a blue board (for example) and the only white is your icing, the yellow becomes much less noticable. Good luck!

Hi and Welcome,

Your buttercream question has been answered.

But I thought you might enjoy this thread on English/American conversions, etc.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-45757-conversion.html