I have never used anything other than buttercream, but I am making a simple sheet cake and want a good tasting icing. Something really yummy like safeways icing, just not the wipped icing from walmart it tastes a little too plain. Our bakery back home has this very yummy sweet but light frosting. It dosn't smooth the greatist but the taste is so good you could care less. Something like this.

Oh hon......taste is soooooooo hard to explain. I have no idea what Safeway's nor WalMart tastes like
Have you tried SugarShack's b'cream? Have your tried Rich's Bettercreme or Frostin Pride?
You mention the whipped icing from Walmart tastes too plain. You can always add more flavoring - extract etc. The amounts & kinds of flavoring in an icing recipe are just a guideline. They can be 'fussed' with Add more or less, change the flavor (leave out almond; add almond, use lemon etc) whatever your taste wants

If someone told me my icing tasted like grocery store icing, I'd break down in tears.

It's a difficult question.... what's good to one is disgusting to another. kakeladi gave great advice .... play with the recipes and tweak it to make it your own.

I think buttercream is the best tasting icing. My customers rave about it. I use a 4lb bag of confectioners sugar, 2 C shortening, 1/2 cup water and 2 tbsp. of vanilla.

BC colors easily and is a good texture for decorating.

Maybe you'd like Italian Meringue Buttercream as opposed to shortening + powdered sugar "buttercream". Never had cake from Safeway. In all honesty, if the cake is from Wal-mart, I don't eat it.