looking for you best butter cream icing recipe. Not "sugarshacks" please. One that crusts nicely for smoothing but will be creamy enough to eat. One that can stay at room temp. And one that works well for decorating. THANKS!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I use Kalama Gal's No Fail Buttercream Frosting which is posted in the recipes section here

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-7257-Kalama-Gals-No-Fail-Buttercream-Frosting.html

I love it!! It crusts nicely, works great with the Viva method for smoothing, holds up great and tastes wonderful!!!

Hope this helps, and good luck!

I posted this identical thread a few weeks ago (see "Worlds Greatest BC Recipe) I know, false advertisement but I had to get peoples attention. Anyway, I got lots of response & I think the most recommended recipe was Indydebi BC that uses Dream Whip instead of Merengue powder. I have switched to that recipe & I love it. I have made a substitution though. Her recipe calls for milk, but I use water instead. Your recipe is only as good as the products you put into it & since milk expires, so will your icing. I like to make up very large batches of icing & freeze it for later use & I am not comfortable knowing that the milk in my icing may have expired already, you know? Look for her recipe in the recipe section. I also like it cause it yeilds a larger batch than my old Wilton recipe.

HTH

My most reliable crusting bc recipe:

1 c. unsalted butter (if using salted omit the salt)
1 c. shortening (hi-ratio if possible)
3 t. cream boquet
1/4 t. salt
8 c. pd. sugar
1-6 T. whole milk

I like the buttercream dream recipe in the CC recipes section !
I also like the Indydebi recipe.

wow. thanks a bunch. cocobean...what is dream bouqout?

Lolobell,

Creme bouquet is a flavoring, it is a mix of several flavors combined.

where does one get the cream bouqout

You can buy creme bouquet or make your own. I got a recipe from a member here but I can't remember who. (credit goes to them)

1 T. lemon extract or lemon juice
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
1 t. butter flavoring
Mix altogether.

I mix it up a few ounces at a time.

The minute you mix this up it will smell like you just made a batch of bc!

Just a personal opinion about Creme Bouquet...I bought CK brand and thought the flavor was ok...then I tried Magic Line brand and fell in love.
It's amazing.

I purchased Magic Line's from globalsugarart.com

I don't use creme bouquet, but I flavor every batch of BC with vanilla, butter, almond and bit of lemon. For a batch I use:
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1/2 t. to 1 t. butter (I add 1/2 then taste. Sometimes I think it needs more)
1/4 t. good lemon extract

I know it sounds obsessive, but it hides the super-sweet flavor of ABC and compliments the smooth texture of IMBC, depending on what I'm using.

I looove indydebi's buttercream, it works really good, it is the best buttercream I ever tasted and work with.

thank you all soo much for your help.

my only problem is I cannot find Dream Whip. Well, being a holiday I could only try Meijer's but stilll..........I need to make this icing today so can I use MP instead???? And with milk in it, can I leave it out at room temp?

thanks a TON once again for all the help. don't know what I'd do without you all.

2 cups butter (not margarine), room temp.(1lb or454 g)
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp almond extract ( I sometimes even add another tsp after it's all mixed if I want more almond flavor)
1 tsp salt
3 lbs confectioners sugar
3 Tbsps meringue powder
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbspn. Heavy whipping cream

Cream butter and shortening at least 3 minutes on medium, add flavorings and salt.
Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time. I always sift.
Add meringue powder. it will appear dry
Add whipping cream and beat on medium to med/high for 5-8 minutes. Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
I always check a bit of frosting between my fingers, I rub them togethar to see if I feel any grit. Hard to explain!!

Storage. Store the icing in an airtight container and freeze up to 3 months.

This is a tweeked Toba Garret recipe. I changed the flavoring a bit and use heavy whipping cream instead of water or milk. It is fluffy and crusts great, with little to no air bubbles.
I am not a fan of sweet frosting, my friends know when I'm baking and show up with spoons in hand. I can't get anyone to try other frostings on their cakes because they like this one so much. It smooths great with viva paper towels and colors beautifully. I've taken some out of the freezer that I've had in there for 6 months and just stir it up and it performs just like the day I made it.

Maryj, how does this hold up in the summer with all that butter? Do you use this same recipe for roses and such? Sorry one more okay two more questions; you use whipping cream, do you store this in the fridge? Lastely butter store bought or butter from the cake shop? Just curious, I don't like sweet either but it's hard to find a stable recipe for the heat with all of that butter.

Thanks,
Kat

I'll throw mine out there as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLcCbN2I4xI&feature=channel_page
Mine crusts well (I use the viva method), is fine at room temp (I never refrigerate), creamy, and very tasty
It's actually close to maryj's recipe and I can say mine holds up just fine in the summer time hers probably does too.

Yup, holds up just fine. I've never refridgerated the iced cakes after they are frosted and have never had a problem. I've let many cakes, for personal eating pleasure, iced with this recipe sit out on the counter, covered of course, for up to a week and have never had any spoilage. I store left over frosting either in the fridge or just pop it into the freezer. I store in ziplock bags and just snip a corner off and squeeze back into a bowl to remix after it has come back to room temp. The only problem I have ever had with it, is the frosting getting too soft in the piping bag if I'm holding it for a long period of time. But then again I'm "hot handed", so I just pop the bag into the fridge for a couple minutes and it firms back up again. And lastly I'm not sure what you mean by a butter store. I buy what ever butter is on sale at the grocery store, typically Land O lakes but I'm from minnesota and that is a brand they sell here, not sure about where you live. It's a fabulous recipe, tastes great, you can alter the flavors by using different extracts, it crusts quickly.

Yup, holds up just fine. I've never refridgerated the iced cakes after they are frosted and have never had a problem. I've let many cakes, for personal eating pleasure, iced with this recipe sit out on the counter, covered of course, for up to a week and have never had any spoilage. I store left over frosting either in the fridge or just pop it into the freezer. I store in ziplock bags and just snip a corner off and squeeze back into a bowl to remix after it has come back to room temp. The only problem I have ever had with it, is the frosting getting too soft in the piping bag if I'm holding it for a long period of time. But then again I'm "hot handed", so I just pop the bag into the fridge for a couple minutes and it firms back up again. And lastly I'm not sure what you mean by a butter store. I buy what ever butter is on sale at the grocery store, typically Land O lakes but I'm from minnesota and that is a brand they sell here, not sure about where you live. It's a fabulous recipe, tastes great, you can alter the flavors by using different extracts, it crusts quickly.

Yup, holds up just fine. I've never refridgerated the iced cakes after they are frosted and have never had a problem. I've let many cakes, for personal eating pleasure, iced with this recipe sit out on the counter, covered of course, for up to a week and have never had any spoilage. I store left over frosting either in the fridge or just pop it into the freezer. I store in ziplock bags and just snip a corner off and squeeze back into a bowl to remix after it has come back to room temp. The only problem I have ever had with it, is the frosting getting too soft in the piping bag if I'm holding it for a long period of time. But then again I'm "hot handed", so I just pop the bag into the fridge for a couple minutes and it firms back up again. And lastly I'm not sure what you mean by a butter store. I buy what ever butter is on sale at the grocery store, typically Land O lakes but I'm from minnesota and that is a brand they sell here, not sure about where you live. It's a fabulous recipe, tastes great, you can alter the flavors by using different extracts, it crusts quickly.

Thanks MaryJ and Serious cakes The cake stores in Michigan sell a butter margarine vegitable mix. (Sounds yummy huh, I believe this is so it doesn't turn your frosting yellow) That's why I was wondering. Yes Landolakes is sold here to, it's gotten pretty pricey if I don't say so my self. I think I will give these a shot. I love my recipe but would love to try to smooth one without using water. Serious I just watched your how to smooth a cake and not water at all. Impressive Can I use the high ratio with either of these recipes?

Try mine.
Jibbies white velvet buttercream
It's in the recipe section.

Jibbies

I haven't tried hi-ratio with mine