I've been reading a lot on here about Sam's Butt-r-cream frosting and whether it works or not. I finally decided to try it! They only had the 5 gallon size bucket so I bought that. It was $30. It tasted very good in fact I gave my hubby and kids a blind taste test using that and the Wilton and they all chose the Sam's. My hubby said it wasn't as sweet which he liked about it. I would say the consistency it medium to a tad thinner than stiff. As far as crusting...well I will have to give you a follow up on that.
Being a newbie I hadn't considered that turning off my air and opening all the windows would effect the crusting. After realizing that and turning the air back on it started to crust. I am also using makeshift cake dummies so that may have effected it as well. I ordered real cake dummies so once I get those and use them (and keep the air on) I will give you a more definitive answer on the results. Just thought a few of you would like to know.... Hope this helps.

I have been using it for about 2yrs and I love it. It isn't as sweet and it also crusts fine for me.

Sharon,
So far so good. I am very excited about being able to use because I HATE making the icing! lol

But-R-Cream sounds more like a hemerroid treatment than something edible!!

So funny you should say that...I accidently titled the original post BUTT-R-Cream and had to hurry and change it before anyone noticed!! Laughing my BUTT off!

Funny that Mensch describes it as a hemorrhoid treatment. Because I've seen a batch of that stuff that didn't get mixed up properly and it does look like it's made from some kind of an ointment.

I've only been doing this for a couple years and just a year ago I started making my own stuff from scratch. Now I can't get over the chemical taste in any kind of premade anything.

I guess everyone has their own unique tastes because I actually prefer it and so does my "taste-tester" husband and kids. I made all 4 of them close their eyes and test each and they all chose Sam's. My husband likes it much better because it's not so sweet. I did three practice cakes with it over the long weekend and having it on hand and ready is priceless! lol I will say after working with it over the weekend I did find that it doesn't crust as well as the other. It does crust just not as much. I'm not yet sure how to get a stiffer consistency either.

I always use Sam's. If you are having trouble getting it to crust, pop the iced cake in the fridge for just a few minutes. I have gotten a couple of batches that were really really stiff and then a couple that I had to add pwd sugar to. In both cases it is better than making my own !!! They also sell pre-mixed colors which is wonderful for those colors that are difficult to achieve like red and black.

Thanks bunches for those tips. I have cake class Thursday and I need stiff so I will try adding PS too.
When I went to Sam's to get I also saw smaller tubs of colored icing behind the counter but when I asked the lady how much they were she said they didn't sell them?? I'll have to ask again..sometimes the answers all depend on the person your asking.
Patti..just remember should you purchase it and don't like it you can always take it back. I certainly understand you not wanting to spend the money and hate it.

In desperation I bought my brother's B-D cake @ Sam's Club. As award winning bakers my mum & I were not impressed with the icing flavor or texture, so I looked it up:

"Ing: Sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean and/or palm oil), water, corn starch, mono & diglycerides, polysorbate 60, salt, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, artificial flavor, potassium sorbate and sorbic acid (as preservatives), citric acid, propylene glycol, dextrose. **Contains: Soy Ingredients.

Last Changed: 3/26/2013"

The FDA began their main banning of hydrogenated oils in 2007! It was supposed to be off the market & out of our diets by the end of 2015.

Disgusting.

BUT, for artistic use in teaching basic to advanced decorative skills, well, THAT'S THE TICKET! Great potential, just think of it as a sugary clay -- look, don't eat!

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm372915.htm

"FDA is providing a three-year compliance period. This will allow industry to gradually phase out the remaining uses over a three-year period, or seek food additive approval for those uses."

So yeah, the ban didn't originally include partially hydrogenated oils. You want it out of your diet, then stop eating it. It's that simple, stop making  the big guy the enemy when you have a choice whether or not to buy it (unless someone was force feeding you, then that's another story).

Trans fat is what helps icing hold up in the heat. Use all butter down here, then go outside. In 5 minutes you'll have a mixture of sweat and icing. Ain't nobody got time for that! (it's still kinda gross either way though)