I would like to know how to make creamy butter cream. I like the Wilton recipe because it is easy to make and you don't have to refrigerate the cake. Any suggestions?

If you can find Dream Whip by kraft foods (it's found in the cake, sugar, jello aisle) make Indydebi's bc. It holds well to high heat and humidity, it crusts fast and it's delicious. Here's the double batch recipe (I'll explain later)

2 2/3 cups of shortening
2/3 to 1 cup of milk ( depending on consistency needed; some use half and half, I use heavy cream)
6 Tblsps. powdered Dream Whip
4 to 6 Tblsps. of vanilla (your preference)
4 lbs. of powdered sugar

Mix shortening with paddle for at least 15-20 mins. on slow/med. Scraping down sides.

Heat up milk ( in microwave, I heat mine on the stove)

Add vanilla, milk and Dream Whip mix well (dream whip is a whipped topping so whip it good)

Add powder sugar and put on med speed and beat the hell out of it 20-30 mins,

The reason why I gave the double batch recipe is because if your paddle is submerged all the way into the icing you get no air bubbles. This is Sharon Zambito's(sugarshack) technique. Check out her buttercream tutorial on www.youtube.com . HTH

try high ratio shortening. it absorbs the powdered sugar much better than regular crisco.

Hi ratio shortening all the way. I don't use regular shortening in my butter cream anymore.

When you say creamy do you mean non crusting?

Here is one butter cream that I have heard great reviews over the years. I haven't tried it yet because I am so dependent on crusting butter cream.
Chef Leah's adaptation of Charlotte's Whipped Cream Buttercream
This is a heat and humidity stable decorator's buttercream that can be used
successfully for outdoor receptions.

Single recipe
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup meringue powder
Mix in 1/2 cup boiling water
Whip to medium firm peaks.
Add in 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla, or your choice of flavorings.

Beat in 1 pound of confectioner's sugar. Whip to stiff peak.

Whip in 1 pound of vegetable shortening. The mixture will deflate and you
will think that it is ruined. It is not ruined! Just let the mixer
continue to whip and the volume will come back to where it was before the
addition of the fat.

If you have a few more minutes, change to the flat beater and mix on the
slowest speed to get out some of the air.

A very soft icing, light and fluffy, easy to spread and naturally smooth.
Minimal crusting, generally considered a non-crusting icing. Also very
repairable for those little "dings."

This is what they also had to say about this recipe. Will be very light and creamy. Cover. Do NOT
refrigerate.

Since no ingredient spoils, the frosting will keep for 3 months. (After that it
begins to break down and get watery.) Just whip again with a spoon each
time you use it to restore fluffiness. Save any left over colors for next cakes.

Here is one more that I have heard is really good.
THIS ICING DOES NOT CRUST
1 cup butter
2 cups Crisco
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 tsp. clear vanilla

I use the bench scraper and turn-table technique and can get the icing as smooth as silk. The key is to be sure the icing is very smooth to begin with. If you have lots of air pockets in it, it will never smooth.

To insure I have smooth icing, I place two cups of Crisco in the mixing bowl, beat it for a minute or so, then I MELT the cup of butter in the microwave, add it to the shortening, which makes a very fluid mixture. I add the entire 2 pounds of powdered sugar at one time [BE SURE TO SIFT IT FIRST!] and SCRAPE, SCRAPE, SCRAPE THE BOWL until all the sugar is combined.

BY THE WAY, ALWAYS MIX AT THE LOWEST SPEED POSSIBLE!!! High speed beats in air!!!
At first the mixture is very dry, but just continue mixing until it forms a very smooth icing. Then add two teaspoons of vanilla and combine well.

I usually let the icing set an hour or so [or over night when making wedding cakes]. Rebeat on LOWEST SPEED a minute or so before using.