I am beginning to experiment with different buttercream icing recipes, and was wondering if I could take a poll to see what some of your favorite recipes are, or if you swear by only one, etc. Please feel free to share your recipes and/or opinions.

TIA

Lainee

you might do a search for "favorite Buttercream" This one has been discussed many times. One perfect for some is hated by others. It really is a matter of personal preference and experience.

I tried to search and couldn't find it. Maybe I mispelled something. Thanks, will try again.

this is a biggie on the forums -trying to find the best buttercream, one that's not so sweet, etc. - you'll probably just have to research a bit in the past posts to see how the recipes turned out and such. good luck and hope you find what you're looking for!

Thanks pinkopossum. I have searched for several minutes and have decided to give up. I will just stay tuned, as I'm sure someone will eventually post an amazing recipe... and I will just continue to try the recipes I have. So far I've only tried two, the Wilton class buttercream, which I thought was delicious until recently when I tried a new recipe. So I'll just try the recipes I have and maybe I'll post my results in the near future.LOL

Thanks again everyone,

Lainee

What is the other recipe that you use that you like besides the Wilton Class Buttercream? The one I like is almost the same as the class recipe except I use 1/2 crisco and a 1/2 butter, I do everything else the same. I think this tastes mush better, not such a pure shortening taste!

Here is the recipe that I like. It tastes a kind of like whipped cream and has a really smooth, creamy texture.

In a saucepan add

1 cup milk
3 Tablespoons flour

cook and stir until thick and bubbly; remove from heat and cover until cool

In a mixer bowl beat

1 cup butter for 30 seconds

add 1 cup granulated sugar; beat until fluffy.

Add cooled milk mixture; beat until fluffy.

It's really light and fluffy.

Limit the search to favorite buttercream icing in the recipe requests forum. There are quite a few that people have loved.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the White as Snow Buttercream from this site.

I have been trying different ones on and off.

I like the recipe from Witlon that uses Whipping Cream. Its creamy and tasty but I only make it on special occasions.

I also like the Wilton 100% Crisco buttercream because of its stability and its great to work with. I use this one almost 100% of the time.

I tried a recipe with only 1/4 of cup of Crisco to 3 cups of confect sugar but didn't like it because it crusts too quick and is dry.

I am going to try another one next that calls for 1 cup of Crisco per 2 lbs of confect sugar.

lainee,
I made some yesterday. It came out to be alot but it was a bit messy to make with all the powdered sugar. It tasted good and lite.

1 lb. crisco (if you use butter flavor your bc will be pale yellow)
1 lb. butter
3 lb. powdered sugar
1 T plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract (use clear for white buttercream)
2 tsp. almond extract (use clear for white buttercream)

Beat at low speed until smooth.

I used the butter flavored crisco which I think added to the good flavor but changed the color along with the extracts I used.

This is a recent one I have tried; it makes alot, but it is kinda creamy smooth, and not as greasy as class buttercream -

2 cups (1 lb) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup vegetable shortening, hi-ratio
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice OR 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract, pure vanilla extract, or almond extract
3 lbs 10X confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup PLUS 1 TBSP (4.5 ounces) water, milk, or clear liquor
3 TBSP meringue powder
1 tsp salt

Cream shortening and butter; add flavoring and salt. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time. Add meringue powder (mixture will be dry). Add liquid of choice, and beat until light and fluffy (approx 5-8 mins).
It won't quit be stiff enough for roses, I don't think, but its really good!

I just love the WHIPPED CREAM BUTTERCREAM . It's light, fluffy, and not too sweet.......I use the "one bowl" version that I found on another post, not the one in the recipe section....

Chef Leah's adaptation of Charlotte's Whipped Cream Buttercream
This is a heat and humidity stable decorator's buttercream that can be used
successfully for outdoor receptions.
Single recipe
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup meringue powder
Mix in 1/2 cup boiling water
Whip to medium firm peaks.
Add in 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla, or your choice of flavorings.

Beat in 1 pound of confectioner's sugar. Whip to stiff peak.

Whip in 1 pound of vegetable shortening. The mixture will deflate and you
will think that it is ruined. It is not ruined! Just let the mixer
continue to whip and the volume will come back to where it was before the
addition of the fat.

If you have a few more minutes, change to the flat beater and mix on the
slowest speed to get out some of the air.

A very soft icing, light and fluffy, easy to spread and naturally smooth.
Minimal crusting, generally considered a non-crusting icing. Also very
repairable for those little "dings."

I have been using the Whipped Cream BC lately cause my family likes it better than the Wilton BC, but I can't seem to smooth it for the life of me! Does anyone have any tips for it? I've tried the hot water and the Viva method.

i have tried the buttercream for the frozen transfer on here and it seems to work best for me, i havent done lots with it but for what i have it holds nicely, the texture and taste is good, friends have said it is good. just a personal like over all

I like the recipie that uses shortening along w/ butter, but i use 1/2 unsalted butter and 1/2 salted. I also use a flavoring from CK which is called creme bouquet, has a light almost floral taste, taste awesome. I am trying the alpine shortening recipie to cut down the greasiness.

Buttercream Dream recipie from this site!!!!

They say you can store for up to 3 months at room temp, but I usually use it up within a couple weeks or so.....

I tried a new one the buttercream Dream recipe off this site...
I LOVED LOVED it... SO smooth and the flavor was PERFECT. DH hubby loves SWEET SWEET icing so when he got in last night after flying for 5 hours I was shoving it in his mouth taste taste it.. He was like Its ok but I like your regular one better its sweeter.. Well thats what I wanted to hear. I used a cream cheese filling in the cakes so I wanted a icing that was sweet but not so sweet that it was gonna be overbearing.... I loved how it spread as well.. MUCH smoother so if you havent tried it.. I would give it a shot. Here's the link

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipes_rate-2123-5.html

I have one very fluffy vanilla frosting recipe Squirrelly Cake gave me this amazing recipe.

4 cups confectioner sugar
½ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons whole milk
1-tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Blend it together until fluffy.

Thanks
Nitu

How is the "buttercream dream" icing for doing roses? I keep trying different recipies to get a not too sweet one, but they all seem to be too soft for a good rose. the old wilton standby seems to be the best for roses, so far......

I, too, would like to know how the Buttercream Dream recipe holds up for decorating. I have a teapot cake I will be doing soon, and will be using the star method (at least that's the plan so far!). I would love to know how this recipe holds up!

Tina

Wasn't going to make any roses but I will make some just to see for you and Ill post picture later today.... I have an extra little cake that needs a little decorating to.. so be perfect to do with... Post it later

Add more sugar and make your icing stiff.
I made roses with it and they are beautiful.

Thanks
Nitu

As far as adding more sugar to make it stiffer...I'm sure that would make stars look better, too, but I would think it would defeat the purpose (my purpose, anyway, of covering a cake with stars) of looking for a not-too-sweet icing. Does anyone know how well the icing, made per the recipe, holds up for this type of decorating?

Tina

ok, I am in the minority here, but I don't feel my buttercream is sweet enough! I use 1 c shortening, 1 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla & 8 cups powdered sugar. Is it better to sift, then measure it out into cups or sift the whole bag & add?
edited to say that I would like a sweeter icing like from the bakery..does anyone have a recipe similiar?

I really like the Whimsical Bakehouse House buttercream! Awesome! Light, fluffy, and not too sweet!

So if you want the buttercream dream a little stiffer for roses and don't want to add more powdered sugar (making it more sweeter) then what about adding merigue powder? Please advise.

Partsgirl-Everyone in my family really likes my sweet buttercream recipe which is similar to yours, though I sometimes can add another 4-8 cups of powdered sugar. I use butter and vanilla flavorings plus approximately a cup of half and half (sometimes cream) which makes it thinner so you can keep adding more sugar. I hope this helps you.

I don't care for the powdered sugar buttercream varieties, maybe in a pinch, but they are way to sweet. The best buttercreams I have ever tasted have been the Italian meringue buttercreams or the classical/neoclassical ones like this recipe;

http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/1999/0811817687_4.html

P/S The butterscotch variation is extremely, lick the bowl until it is clean, good.