I don't know what I did wrong with Sugarshack's icing yesterday but it was very gritty and not at all smooth. I need a more smooth, better tasting icing. I did read something about someone using shortening for SMBC for it to be whiter, is that something I should try? I did SMBC for the filling.

Thanks for any help.

Danielle

wonder if your liquid wasn't hot enough. I always make sure mine is nice and hot to help "melt" the powdered sugar and all.

I have used the brite white icing from this site. It is a nice icing as well and it real white.

The best icing is Indydebi's buttercream. I've tried them all and this one is the easiest to make, the easiest to smooth, and the taste is awesome.

I have to agree with the last posters, Indydebi's is the best one that I have found. I also, love, love the fact that I usually have everything on hand to make it. I did have to buy several boxes of Dreamwhip to keep some sort of supply, but other than that, i usually have everything. I make a double batch each time I make it and I adjust the milk and sugar for consistancy, and I have had great results. By the way, it crusts beautifully!

HTH

Here you go.....

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-6992-indydebis-crisco-based-buttercream-icing.html

I use SugarShack's recipe all the time and haven't had a problem, but my KitchenAid is getting sluggish, so I am going to try this recipe now- sounds good with the Dream Whip!!

Thank you so much, I am going to give it a try!

Sugarshack's icing turns out perfectly for me every time. Nice and white and smooth. I do agree that a cold liquid coffee creamer would probably not help. You need to make sure you are filling your bowl and adding things in the right order.

Indydebi's is easy to make but I find it way too sweet. I know icing is supposed to be sweet but that one is too much for me. If a client wants sweet+ then I make it.

Sorry to hijack, but I have a question about indy's recipe. If you leave out the dreamwhip what happens?? Does anyone know? I have meringue power that I could sub, but I don't know if that's even considered something similar since I don't know what dreamwhip is!

Jennifer

It wont turn out the same without the dream whip since crisco changed their formula. If you use hiratio it will work fine without it and you dont need the meringue powder with hiratio.

Okay, I got it to not be so gritty by adding some really hot liquid. It was hot yesterday, but not super hot, so maybe that was my problem. It is much better.

Thanks, guys,

Danielle

Jennifer,

Dreamwhip is a powdered whipped topping mix. It is really easy to find, Wal-mart, Brookshires, ect. It is usually on the aisle with flour and sugar and such.

It makes the icing smoother and crust better. I tried without by subbing meringue powder, it just wasn't the same and it didn't crust as well.

HTH

Is there a icing that i could use real buttercream instead of crisco that crust well?

I've run into the gritty problem before, but I think it was due to a bad batch of powdered sugar b/c that was the only batch I'd made to turn out terribly. I used it for kid's cupcakes