I am reading one of the stickies about buttercream and have some questions, please. Is the Angel White Icing Base desirable to use? It sounds intriguing, but I don't want to spend the money if it's only so-so. How is it better than any other icing, or isn't it?

Also, where should I buy Sweetex? I don't want a 50 LB block.

I don't know anything about the Angel White icing base, but if you have any cake shops or restaurant supply stores nearby, you may be able to find Sweetex or another brand of Hi-Ratio shortening there. Failing that, you can look around on the internet, just search for "Hi-Ratio shortening" since, as I just mentioned, the product you find might not be the Sweetex brand.

The only cake supply store in the Harrisburg area that I know of is no longer in business, so I buy everything off the net (except for the few items in the big box stores). Is there an acceptable brand other than Sweetex?

I just got two (2) 4 lb buckets of TBK hi ratio, which I saw in another thread is Sweetex, from The Baker's Kitchen. With shipping (to NY), it was under $30.00. I hope the link works:

http://www.thebakerskitchen.net/shortening-for-buttercream-icing.aspx

I made my first batch of BC (1/2 shortening, 1/2 butter) with it and it was wonderful to work with and the taste was to die for.

HTH

Toni Ann

8 pounds of hi-ratio for $30?

Damn, I'm in the wrong business.

on Kitchen Krafts website they have a 3-lb tub of Hi-Ratio shortening for $*.95

sorry -- that's $8.95

They kill us little folks on the small quantities of hi-ratio. The local cake supply shop by me buys it in bricks and then portions it out into 1lb tubs at $4.95 a tub. Yes you heard me: $5/lb. I noticed the 4lb tub at Baker's Kitchen is really only $9...it's the shipping that gets boosts the price up. Either you pay it if you order on the internet, or they factor it in to your price if you buy local.