I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck achieving a metallic look with SMBC. I'm not talking about a true gold leaf look, just a subtle metallic or pearlescent shimmer. Perhaps by adding some lustre dust directly to the buttercream? I am receiving more and more requests for a metallic finish on cakes, and I tell brides the only way to achieve that true metallic look (short of metallic leaf) is to use fondant. Most reply they want nothing to do with fondant... TIA! 

I don't have any photos as I was just messing around experimenting with stuff, but I have used metallic airbrush paints on buttercream which gave it the look I think you're after.  I also sprayed the PME pearl stuff on it to give it a shimmer at the same time (same test cake, just a different side).  Yeah, it looked kinda funky with all the different metallics on it which is why I never took a pic   :)   but it does work.  Your buttercream has to be really smooth because it makes little flaws more noticeable, but it works.  I was playing around with a SMBC frosted cake.

Thank you! I will give it a shot. After I posted this, I remembered I had some if the Wilton pearl dust, so I grabbed a brush and gave that a shot. It worked OK, but I had to have a very gentle hand or the buttercream got marred. I was happy to see it was possible though!