So, I'm on the search for a good base cupcake icing. I find ABC tooo sweet (the recipe I tried was 1/2 cup butter, 1 lbs icing sugar, vanilla) and, although I have not tried, don't like all the work that appears to goes into EBC or SMBC. I don't yet have a stand mixer so, looking for something that is made easily with a hand mixer.

I am making these for Easter:

http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/2011/03/hoppy-easter-printable/
and want a good icing for it. I was half tempted to just do a lime whip cream (so it isn't sickly sweet) but, think that it will probably not hold up well travelling to my inlaws and, would not be fun to pipe.

I had considered testing this one out:

http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/2008/02/my-favorite-vanilla-buttercream-recipe/

but it is still 2.5 cups of icing suger so, guessing it is still pretty sweet.

Oh, also, as if I am not being picky enough, would prefer recipes using butter vs. shortening. Hey, at least you can't say I'm being vain![/quote]

Whipped cream is not stable at all and will HAVE to be refrigerated. Not ideal for traveling.
2.5 cups of sugar is not at lot. In fact, that's almost half the amount you used for that "too sweet" buttercream. Have you ever considered adding a cup or 1/2 cups at a time until it's reached the right sweetness for you? I don't suggest using anything less than 2 1/2 cups for a non-doubled butter-cream recipe. You still want that butter to hold up since the sugar is what helps keep butter from going bad at room temp.

Thanks so much for your reply. I will definitely give that recipe a try and see what it is like. I want to have a good butter cream recipe to turn to.

I made a really nice whip cream icing tonight for my lemon/lime cake ... flavor was spot on what I like I wonder if I added gelatin if I could get better piping and have it look nice for cupcakes. I like having an option for people that don't like buttercreami used lime juice doubled instead of the almond extract to go with my cake)

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups heavy cream

Directions

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

That recipe looks similar to a cream cheese recipe I tried last year, but where it says white sugar, does that mean powdered sugar, or regular granulated sugar? Because I imagine granulated sugar would be rather gritty without cooking it on the stove top.
I also like to offer options for people who aren't fans of butter cream. But I still wouldn't send whipped cream items to travel by car unless you figured out a way to transport without them melting and eventually turning.
Maybe make whipped cream for the event and send your in-laws the butter cream cupcakes.

I like the cream cheese frostings for cupcakes and also the flour based frosting for cupcakes.
The flour based frosting is delish, there are 2 on CC I have used.

1. whipped icing III by Lenore
2. flour frosting by dizzymaiden
you should find both of these in the recipe section.

Haute_Mama, I used regular granulated suger and no grit. I did cream the cheese, sugar and vanilla for some time before adding the whipping cream. I think I am going to transport the cupcakes not iced and then the icing in the piping bag in a little cooler.

NanaSandy, I got it from all recipes:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/sturdy-whipped-cream-frosting/Detail.aspx
and one of the reviewers posted that they left a cake out overnight to test it. I don't know how I feel about leaving it out that long.

THanks BUGZY1, somebody just sent me a flour one to try so, I'll give that a go next.

if your looking for a icing more like a whipped cream.. have you tried Rich's Bettercreme, there is a thread here, somewhere, with all different ways you can change the flavor, and its stable enough for basic piping.