I have been using a non crusting buttercream recipe (I think it is the Swiss buttercream) and everyone loves it but I have so much trouble getting it perfectly smooth. I hear all the techniques used with the crusting buttercream that I was thinking about switching. Which buttercream do you think is better (texture and taste)?

Jackie

I love the smoothness and taste of the all-butter italian meringue BC... I'd never go back to the crusting version!

I love a good light-crusting BC that's also creamy and buttery. I feel like it's the best of both worlds.

Hi,
Forgive my ignorance, but whats the diffrence? Can u pipe designs/borders using non crusting or italian meringue?
thanks!

I don't put butter in mine either I use 100% crisco and I like the taste but I can't get it as smooth as I would like to. I guess I will stick with it because everyone does love it I'll just keep keep practicing. just wanted to know what you guys thought.
Thanks
Jackie
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I prefer the crusting buttercream icing...I find it easier to work with and get it really nice and smooth! I subsitute part of the cricso with butter, but I don't go as far as 1/2 and 1/2...I find the 1/2 and 1/2 to be a little too soft for me!

Smoothing...what's the problem with smoothing? Smoothing is easy, just got to hold yer tounge right.

Dale...you are too funny!

I use both at different times for different reasons.

If I'm making a buttercream covered cake that really has to have a very smooth perfect surface (mainly because it won't have a lot of added decoration), I use a thin coat of the all Crisco crusting buttercream. I no longer use that in between layers because I think other icings taste better for torting.

I use a light or non-crusting buttercream under fondant because the fondant needs some moisture to hold it to the cake. The icing I prefer for this is Wilton's Extra Special Buttercream--it tastes delicious because of the whipping cream in it, it's fluffy like IMBC or SwissBC--and if necessary, you can pipe with it. If white isn't an issue, I use 1/2 butter flavored crisco and 1/2 butter in the Extra Special and it is, in my opinion, delicious. This can be "whitened", if necessary, by adding a drop of violet color to the icing while it's in the final stages of being beaten. It won't be a bright white but it will no longer be yellow.

Rae

You not only have to hold your tongue just right, but you also have to wiggle your nose at the right time, too. The wiggle helps to prevent the itch that always happens in the middle of a squeeze on the icing bag.