So Tired Of American Buttercream - Blech.
Decorating By dukeswalker Updated 5 Mar 2012 , 8:11am by scp1127
I am so incredibly tired of American Buttercream. Tired of the shortening. Tired of the sickening sweetness. Tired of the grease & the grit.
I am IN LOVE with SMBC. Love absolutely everything about it.
I also live in AZ where our indoor temps during the summer months hover around 80-83F. Our outdoor temps? Above 100F. Even in the winter, our indoor temps are 65-75. I use SMBC or IMBC when I am making a cake for dear friends and it comes with explicit instructions on keeping their cake C.O.O.L. I would love to begin offering it to my every day client but I am scared about how it will hold up to our warm temps & especially under fondant. I do refrigerate my fondant covered cakes without issues (I think because of our near lack of humidity).
What have your experiences been with SMBC & IMBC and warmish indoor temps? When do things start to head south in terms of quality? Do you ever have issues with it under fondant? What about under fondant and warmish temps?
I do a 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening....but oh how I wish I could forgo it all together. Today I was actually at the party where the cake was served (rarely do I get that chance anymore) and all I could think was "damn. This is sweet."
I do a 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening....but oh how I wish I could forgo it all together. Today I was actually at the party where the cake was served (rarely do I get that chance anymore) and all I could think was "damn. This is sweet."
I still do American buttercream sometimes and I always use all butter. But I also don't live in a hot state.
Today I made cooked flour frosting because I heard it's less sweet and I wanted an alternative to SMBC - not because I don't like it, but just because I like testing recipes! I know the feeling of eating your cake and thinking it's too sweet. We filled and frosting my mom's cake in ABC and my whole family jumped off the ABC bandwagon instantly. Now I only make SMBC for my family.
The cooked flour frosting is not too sweet. But I doubt it would hold up any better than SMBC 
if i am going to use IMBC in a cake in the summer/fall, it will be as a filling and then I will use a ganache outside layer on the cake before fondant. I just can't keep my kitchen cool enough (and i'm not so sure that I can work fast enough) to do the fondant over MBC without it melting. I also have a stipulation in contracts going over outside heat and A/C requirements for certain fillings and frostings.
You can use it but refrigerate it until close to serving. I am one of the few that offers all cream cheese/butter frosting. In every situation, if the client chooses the flavor, they adjust for its temperature needs. They just can't have the cake out for hours. Instead, the cake makes a grand entrance about an hour before cutting.
Dukes, I'm with you on the whole shortening issue. I refuse to use it. I sincerely believe that if the general public knew what they were eating, they would not be happy about it.
Dukes, pm me and I'll give you my fantastic recipe that will solve your ABC problem if you absolutely can't use one of the European buttercreams, such as no refrigeration available. I promise you will be happy with it... no shortening.
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