Hi,

Below is my SMBC recipe.  My 6 yr old ds says that it tastes too buttery (as does my dh), but my other two kids love it.  I have added powdered sugar to the recipe to lessen the buttery taste (which makes it a dream to work with as well - adds stability).

Comments?  Suggestions?  I find that SMBC is not a crowd pleaser - you either like it or find it too buttery and it seems that there is always someone complaining that it's too buttery, which quite frankly usually makes me want to hit them with a spatula - I'm kidding - a little ;) 

My egg whites are measured in cups because I use pasteurized egg whites - I know lots of people here don't like them, but mine whip up really firmly.

1.5 cup of egg whites (roughly 12 egg whites)

2 1/4 cups of sugar

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

6 sticks of room-temperature butter

1.5 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar (added at the end)

The recipe I have is a little too buttery, so I add more powdered sugar.  Mine is

1 cup egg whites

1 cup sugar

6 sticks butter

1 tbs vanilla

1 cup of powdered sugar

But I usually add about 2 cups powdered sugar ( I don't measure, just to taste).  Believe it or not, but it really does not thicken it up too much, and has a perfect blend of buttery and sweet.
 

AYou aren't putting nearly enough flavoring in it. Butter is a platform for flavor, and the beauty of SMBC is that it can hold large quantities of purées, oils, real chocolate, and booze.

Vanilla extract is not a flavoring, really. It's a flavor enhancer - but by itself or put too much and it tastes gross and like alcohol. I use vanilla bean paste, and per lb of butter I add around 2 tablespoons of VBP - which is the equivalent of about 2 vanilla beans. I add it to taste, and by the time I'm done it tastes like high quality vanilla ice cream without the frozen part.

To make strawberry I add at least a cup of strawberry purée.

Chocolate I do 10oz melted couverture bittersweet.

Anyway, nobody complains that my buttercream is "too buttery" and I use Plugra - 87% butterfat and the most buttery butter there is!

Good luck!

Ah - good to know.  I use a high-quality Bourbon pure vanilla extract.  I do have some VBP in the house but have yet to try it.

APersonally I would never add powdered sugar to SMBC, it kind of defeats the whole purpose of SMbc, just my HO :) I totally agree with FromScratchSF, you must add lots of flavor to even out the butter and get the flavor to come through

I make smbc and use different ingredients at the end. Crumbboss makes her smbc and she does use some powder sugar. She is a great baker and shares her knowlege. I have made her smbc also and it is delicious. I have made a full batch of american b/c and added that to smbc also. Saw this technique on c/c. That is very good also. So, we all like different taste and that is ok.

Here is the recipe I use. I found it online but dont remember where. It makes approx 15 cups of icing but you could cut the recipe in half if you wanted to. I dont think this recipe taste to buttery as I have used different recipes before that did taste to buttery. This recipe is bar far the best tasting SMBC I have ever made or tasted.

16 large egg whites or 2 cups of liquid egg whites

4 cups granulated sugar

5 cups (10 sticks) of UNSALTED butter, softened but cool, cut into cubes

2 TABLESPOONS pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

Edited to say: I found the recipe online at: https://sites.google.com/site/sweetapolitaprintables/sweetapolita-s-swiss-meringue-buttercream

margaret braun's recipe advises one tablespoon of vanilla to every three egg whites

(and 3/4 cup sugar-- butter is 1 1/3 cups which is 2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons)

so according to her formula that i have used forever--

op, you are lacking almost 3 tablespoons of vanilla to hit the mark (2.5)

you just need to punch up the flavor

i wonder where these weeny flavored smbc recipes come from--this problem surfaces frequently

that recipe is aromatherapy at the reception!!!  it's lovely-ness

AOmg - I guess I really have missed the flavoring mark. I have pulled out my vanilla bean paste and am not afraid to use it!