I'm using IMBC for the first time. Can it be made stiffer for piping techniques that call for "stiff consistency"? How do you do that? Can IMBC do all the things American buttercream can do?

IMBC doesn't need to be made stiff in order to pipe things such as roses. That's one of the reasons I love it, it works great for all applications without having to adjust it.

I just made the cupcake bouquet roses in my photos with SMBC. I was a bit nervous that it may be too thin so I popped it in the frig for five minutes to firm it up. The roses came out great.

I don't know why, EVERYTIME I use IMBC to frost a cake, it slides off the sides. Even if I freeze it and then put on the fondant quickly, the buttercream eventually sags inside and causes bulges between the fondant and cake. It is very frustrating that I can't even frost a cake properly, yet alone give it a clean look! HELP! I need suggestions. Oh, this is the exact same problem I have with cream cheese frosting as well. I keep getting a soupy consistency. Am I using the wrong recipe or am I just not good with this?

xiswtsawluiix -- I have only made SMBC but would try a different recipe. I tried several SMBC recipes and some were soupy also.

I had made my IMBC on Friday. When I took it out of the refrigerator last night, it looked a little clumpy and had some crystals. I said, eh, because I was just using it for crumb coat. After crumb coating it, I rewhipped the remaining IMBC back into a nice stabilized state (meanwhile the cake was firming up in the refrigerator). When I went to put the stabilized IMBC on the cake, the crumbcoat started sliding off! I'm concluding that it's really important to maintain that stabilized state, no matter what you're doing! All it took was a couple minutes on high in my KA.

Maybe you're not using enough butter or maybe you are adding the butter before the meringue is cool enough? IMBC is soft but it's very workable.

xiswtsawluiix - putting something in the fridge/ freezer will firm it up. take it back to room temp, and it will go back to what it was before you chilled it - in this case, runny.
try different recipes, try better ingredients, different methods - it may be imbc isnt your thing!
also, cream cheese bc doesnt always work well with fondant, a lot of people get problems - but some recipes are better than others.
you mention bulges, is it the crumb coat, or filling coming out?
xx

I used cream cheese icing under fondant and had no problems. Find the right recipe.

Most issues that arise with IMBC is overwhipping the egg whites. Take no more than medium peak. If they are taken any further there is a chance that they are over worked, and will break down. You what the merangue at less than 90 before adding the butter.

Mike

Thanks for the great tips everyone. I will give one more stab at IMBC and try adding the butter after the egg white and sugar cools down some more. I normally add the butter when the bowl gets to room temperature while the KA is beating the egg whites and sugar.

IMBC tastes soo much better than American BC made with Crisco shortening. At least in my opinion.

Does anyone have any good BC and cream cheese BC recipes that have been tried and true to them?

I would love to make a cake or two with those recipes before I admit defeat. It is so frustrating to make a yummy and moist cake and you think adding the BC would make it taste and look even better. Alas, it only looks worse and makes me not want to eat it anymore. I normally end up throwing the cake away and I feel so bad.

Also, what is the difference between IMBC and SMBC?

I use Martha Stewarts SMBC recipe and it comes out great every time.