Hmmm... I have a wedding cake to make this weekend and am truly sick or regular buttercream icing (the Wilton recipe)... so I would like to try IMBC or SMGC... but having never worked with it before, I'm a little afraid I won't be able to get the same smooth results I get with my crusting buttercream... Would you say that most of you use IMBC or SMBC for your wedding cakes? And does the "towel smoothing" method with the fondant smoother stll work with this "non-crusting" icing?

We shall them both patiently await a reply to this question! ;o) In the meantime, I think I might just give one of these recipes a try and see what I think tastes best! As far as the smoothing, if I have time to test out that theory as well, I'll let you know of the results I find!

Yes, I use IMBC on wedding cakes. It is the only kind of buttercream I use.

No, you can NOT use the techniques to smooth the icing that you use with crusting buttercream.

The good news is that you don't need them! Meringue buttercreams are incredibly easy to smooth. All you need is a spatula and a thin plastic bowl scraper.

prterrell... I usually always heated my metal "bench scraper" in a pot of boiling water to smooth my buttercream icing... it made it extra smooth... any benefits to doing this with IMBC?

I just use a heated spatula or a spackle smoother thingy I got from the hardware store, works perfectly, a bench scraper should be great too.

SMBC fanatic here, and I am insistent on the smoothest sharpest corners and glass like surfaces. Won't settle for less.

Get a handle-less bench scraper like this one, meaning the handle does not extend out preventing you from lining it up on it's side perfectly straight against your cake: http://www.palmerwholesale.com/images/lgk3620.jpg

If you are familiar with Sugarshack smoothing method, this is what I do, omitting the steps using paper/paper towels, as meringues don't crust so it wouldn't work.

If you are patient and practice this, you can get the shiniest smoothest surfaces with sharper than sharp edges. Perfection, in my opinion. SMBC is my bestest friend, next to my bench scraper and pot of hot water when I'm working on a cake.

JustToEatCake-PC uses ganache. That is the other way to get sharpitty sharp. I do that sometimes too, but SMBC is so easy and quick for me, it's my preferred route.

I am VERY familiar with Sugarshack's method and have the exact bench scraper she uses so I know exactly what you mean! I've noticed some of you use SMBC and some use IMBC... what's the big difference if any??? Also, using the search engine on this website, I was only able to find one recipe for SMBC and IMBC... are they all pretty much the same? Thank you so much for all your feedback! I am learning soooo much!!!

The only difference between IMBC and SMBC is in the method by which they are made.

You can use the heated spatula/bench scraper method for smoothing both. I don't as I find it smooths perfectly for me without it.

I just wanted to add to this thread my experience today. I made IMBC using grocery store brand "all whites" pasteurized and they would never whip. I whipped them with KA mixer for 15 minutes and all I could get was a spongy cream, pourable. So I am not sure what kind of eggs you all are buying but I wish I could figure it out. After the failure I dumped it and started again with real egg whites and had no problems whatsoever.

Exactly Just ToEatCake--stick with real eggs and you should never have that problem again. Save the yoks for breakfast/dog food addition and citrus curds.

Jamie - I did find that one! Thank you so much! I hate having to try 5 different recipes to figure out which one is the best, so thank you for that! I did copy and paste the URL, but I'm not sure if I did it right... for you! Thanks again!

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/5453/the-well-dressed-cake-swiss-meringue-buttercream-with-variations

PROBLEM! I think? While warming the egg & sugar mixture over the pot of boiling water, eggs are cooking and making small chunks of egg whites... is this supposed to happen?

And make sure the water isn't too close to the bottom of your pan of whites/sugar. Water doesn't have to be at a raging roiling boil either.

You guys are awesome! THANK YOU!

Can you use Sweetex instead of butter to get a whiter color icing and use butter and vanilla flavor?

When I first tried SMBC I didn't do something right, it didn't turn out. I tried IMBC and had sucess on the first try. while IMBC seems like a lot to do your first time results will be right on.

Make sure you use unsalted butter -- otherwise it turns out tasting like lightly-sweetened butter instead of frosting (I learned this the hard way!).

How are these icings under fondant! How long if using fondant over them can they sit out. I usually put my fondant on 2 days before delivery. I made cupcakes this weekend for a bridal fair and use The Well Dressed Cake recipe for French Vanilla Buttercream and it is fantastic. I had so many raves about it, it was unbelievable. Anyone used this icing under fondant???