sorry you've probably been asked this loads of times but can anyone tell me how to make buttercream icing using uk ingredients. i know of white flora but find this very soft and it just doesn't seem to set enough. i've never covered a cake with buttercream and would love to try
thanks

Hi! I'm originally from the UK and I always just used softened butter - no shortening. The only issue would be if you wanted a pure white icing. You could try a white flora/butter mix to lighten it up some. Were you thinking of colored buttercream or pure white?

I'm from the UK too and I only use butter in my buttercream. I tried it with shortening and thought it was disgusting! (I'm sorry, I don't know what kind it was, it was supplied to us in clear ziploc bags when I did the Wilton I course).

Kelly

Yeah, I never use shortening alone and I never used it before moving over here! I really only use it if I need a pure white frosting.

I don't like the greasy coat it leaves on the roof of your mouth!

Nothing like a pure butter buttercream!

i was thinking of just a pure white frosting and wanted to know the uk name of a vegatable shortning.

I use something called Crisp-n-Dry for shorterning in my buttercreams. It works really well for me, and I don't find it turns out too greasy. In my store, it's stored with the butter.

I was advised to use Trex by someone on the board, and it turned out really good in the buttercream dream recipe. It is beside butter in the supermarket.

Hope this helps!