I want to make sure that I use a great buttercream for my next cake. I want one with a good flavor and great smooth texture.

I use the Wilton 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening buttercream and love it! Everyone loves it! And it is easy to make and use.

For a double recipe (which is what I usually make, you can refrigerate what you don't use):

1 cup (2 sticks) of salted butter
1 cup shortening
4 teaspoons of vanilla
5-6 tablespoons of water (I wing this as to what consistency I need)
2 pounds (8 cups) of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder

This is the only recipe I use and I can do anything with it. I smooths great with a hot spatula.
HTH,
Heather

You will quickly discover that "the best buttercream recipe" is subjective.

I like the whipped buttercream recipe in the recipe section alot. (It doesn't have any whip cream in it, it's just whipped and it becomes very smooth and light.)

Good luck on your quest.
Angie

Thanks Heather! I just used meringue powder on my son's birthdya cake and people told me they thought the icing was too hard. Will your recipe produce a hard icing?

Sorry I can't help you as I have yet to find a buttercream recipe (on this site) that I like. They are either too greasy, too sweet, not white enough, or taste great and the right color white but do not pipe well. Continuing on my neverending search.

Here's one that I find works real well.
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons water or milk


Cream butter, shortening, and vanilla. Add powder sugar cup at a time and blend to form stiff dry peaks. Beat in water or milk gradually till desired consistency.

I just recently made a cake using the same recipe as the 2nd poster (Heathermari I believe) except instead of 4 tsp vanilla I did 2 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp almond extract and got rave reviews from everyone. Just make sure people know there's almond in it in case there are those with nut allergies in the bunch. You never know these days.

There are some great BC recipes in Rose Levy Birenbaums book, The Cacke Bible." Most of them are IMBC or SMBC. The Mousseline BC is the one I use all the time. It isn't sweet so it doens't mask the taste of the cake. You need a thermmometer though to make it. I make a big batch and divide in containers and then when it's needed a flavor that is apropriate is added to it.

heathermari does that bc taste good with any flavoring?it seems very simular to frosting for FBCT but that one does not smooth good for me,I'm gonna give this one a shot tonight