Well I made the Fluffy American Buttercream recipe here posted by BakingJeannie and I'm very happy with it, although I coudn't find pasturized egg whites and had to pasturize them first.

Anyway, it is SO much easier to ice a cake with non-crusting buttercream! When you use a crusting, you can really only go over an area with a spatula once or twice before the spatula starts picking up the bc on the cake and leaving little pit marks everywhere. With the non-crusting you can go over as many times as you like with the spatula and then put it in the fridge for a bit and do it again. Yay!

I'm so happy to have finally found a non-crusting bc that I like! I always found SMB and IMB not sweet enough and the American Buttercream too sweet, so this one is perfect. Thank you Baking Jeannie!

How did you pasturize the egg whites?
Gotta try this recipe. Even though it doesn't crust, does it still hold up to decorations?

I can't find the recipe - could you post it?

It's right there actually, look over to the right-------->

I also use a non-crusting bc. I have never understood why people like crusting bc. It can crack and I think it's impossible to smooth. Non-crusting is way easier to work with.

thanks!

I use both a crusting & non-crusting recipe.

I like the non-crusting for cakes that will be fondant covered and I like the crusting for cakes that need a really smooth BC finish.

The crusting BC works better if you just get it fairly smooth & then finish it with a Viva paper towel. Don't keep going over it with a spatula--& I NEVER use a wet spatula.
If it gets dinged, let the ding sit for a few minutes & then re-smooth with the Viva.
My recipe doesn't crack readily because I use heavy cream and it's more "flexible" even when crusted over.

Everything has it's place.

Rae

wow. i did not know that non crusting buttercream is easier to smooth. question: before you stack the cakes icing with non crusting buttercrean, do you put them in the freezer ot harden first before you stack?

No, I don't freeze. I just refrigerate.

But, remember--It may be easier to use just for some people. That can be a function of experience & the recipe used.

No matter what, it'll take practice to make it work for you.

Rae

thanks

The_Sugar_Fairy, please tell how you made this same recipe that is posted and how you pasteurized the egg whites. I have made this recipe(mike mccarey's) and like it, but i had the pasteurized whites from the carton. I make smbc and imbc ,(using real egg whites) but you have to cook these egg whites(2 different ways , depending on the recipe). Is cooking these egg whites(anybody) pasterizing these whites.? If so, i didn,t know that. Please help me understand. tia

I too would like to know how to pasteurize please.
I started with the wilton classes and they encouraged us to use the crusting butter cream. I was so used to using this style that when i heard of the non crusting it took me a while to mentally get ready. I now love the non crusting bc and ganache. I live in Tx so i have to use the crusting in the summer since the butter would melt

How-to Pasteurize Eggs ::
www.howtobaker.com Techniques Baking Techniques
A tutorial with step-by-step pictures on how-to pasteurize eggs.

Thank you beck60 for the info. I like the site you have given. I have never heard of this before since i have been baking and decorating.

A long time ago I saw a video from Dyann Bakes on You Tube where she tells you how to pasturize the egg whites for Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Here's the video:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+swiss+meringue+buttercream&docid=4911909803851899&mid=279D8309AE221DD210FA279D8309AE221DD210FA&view=detail&FORM=VIRE8

I remembered that video. So I pasturized the egg whites (I used real egg whites) that same way Dyann did. I even used the granulated sugar so I'd know when the egg whites were hot enough (but just half of the granulated sugar she used). It took a couple tries though... I accidentally cooked the first batch, lol! The key is to have the water boiling then turn down the heat to about 1 or 2 to simmer, do not let the water touch the bowl above, and constanly whisk - it should take about 4-5 minutes. I did check the temperature at the very end (after the sugar was melted) and it was 140 degrees (it was too hard to check the temperature during because you need to keep whisking).

By the way, I don't think that extra bit of added granulated sugar to the egg whites made much of a difference to the recipe.. and it helped me to know when the eggs were hot enough.

But... now I've found pasturized egg whites at Walmart, so the next time I make it I won't have to do this, yay! We ate the cake tonight and that buttercream is so so yummy! And I got very sharp perfect corners on my square cake using the upside-down method and it was quick (I should have taken a picture of it, but I forgot)

Okay that link that Beck60 gave us... that looks A LOT easier than the way I did it! Are the eggs still easy to separate, the yolk from the white? Has anyone tried it this way? I'll have to try that next time instead (if I don't have the pasturized egg whites on hand).Thanks!