So let me start by saying I am not good at math. If any mathematicians out there can easily solve this, please do.

I was trying to make buttercream.... for some reason I had part of it in my mind and was also trying to follow the recipe. Anyway, I ended up getting proportions mixed up. I was trying to make buttercream dream - well I got about half of that and about half of crusting buttercream. Here's the issue:

Buttercream Dream
* 1 stick unsalted
* 1 stick salted
* 1 cup of shortening

Crusting Buttercream
* 1 stick butter
* 1 1/2 cups shortening

Well what I did was put two sticks of butter and 1 1/2 cups shortening. I haven't gotten further than that... but I wasn't sure what to do. Can I salvage this at all? I know I may end up with some kind of combo to the recipes - but if I can at least make some kind of frosting out of it, I'm sure I could use it for something. I'd hate to throw all that butter and shortening away.

Thanks!

Nah--you're fine. I mean you can make buttercream from a jillion different ratios of fat to sugar to liquid.

I use Colette's formula--I use this buttercream to pipe decor--I ice with smbc--

Toss in the powdered sugar amounts for the Buttercream Dream --you're only off by a half cup of fat.

No worries--just keep going make it up a little--you're fine--just make it to the consistency you need.

you've got 2.5 cups of "fats" vs. the 2 cups total in either recipe ...

so that's 25% more fat than required.

so....add 25% more sugar.

both recipes call for 2lbs of PS -- so that means 2.5 lbs to keep the ratio

then adjust the liquids to get the consistency needed.

(interestingly the crusting kind takes more liquid then the dream kind

------
or

if want to maintain original proportions, just toss in one more stick of butter (suggest unsalted and then adjust salt by the pinch)

and then scale the liquids in the dream recipe by 25% more -

and you'll have 25% more dream recipe (remember on the cake, not tasted many times for quality control!)

Thanks everyone - and Doug, thanks for that extra note that the extra icing goes on the cake and isn't all for "taste testing" Although quality control is important.....