Hey everybody. I'm a newbie and I've really had a lot of fun with this site and everybody has been super nice about my cakes...even the funky ones! Anyway, I have been using the Crisco and powdered sugar BC recipe and no matter what flavorings I add it just tastes like sugar to me. Is there a way to make this recipe taste less like sugar or is there another formulation that doesn't taste as much like sugar? I thought about trying the butter flavored Crisco in the recipe to see what would happen but I chickened out. Anyway....I can't wait to see ya'lls suggestions!! Thanks!
--Stacy

I just bookmarked a recipe where it's very similar to the wilton recipe, but it's 1/2 butter, 1/2 crisco and has FLOUR to temper the sugar!!!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2523-Julies-Less-Sweet-Buttercream-Frosting.html

I haven't tried it yet, but it would be good for when you don't want to make a cake that needs to be refrigerated.

Otherwise Italian and French and Swiss buttercreams are less sweet too, but are TOTALLY different in construction, but are pipe-able (if that's a word!)

Melissa

Try adding about 1/2 tsp. of salt to your recipe. It will help cut the sweetness and enhance the other flavors.

If you decide to go 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening, get the UNSALTED butter. Salted butter has about 1 tsp. of salt per stick (I think that's the amount, not sure).

Another way to improve the taste of frosting is to use milk, 1/2 & 1/2, or flavored coffee creams as your liquid.

Good luck and I hope this helped.

Michele

I am a newbie also and I have the same problem. I have tried different flavors, and also the butter flavor crisco and still didn't like it. The best I have tried so far is mixing in half salted butter half crisco. I would also like other suggestions!
Eva

i've been using the bc dream recipe and playing around with extracts to get it a little less sweet.

Really, once you try a European style buttercream, you will not want to have traditional American buttercream again!

Also, maybe you want to try a cream cheese frosting or a stabilized whipped cream frosting too.

But this recipe I linked above was talked about quite a bit and a LOT of people really like it and you can use it for all applications you use the regular buttercream.

Melissa

Okay, What's European BC? It seems like the trick here is to alter the fats I'm using since I'm seeing lots of stuff that reduces the Crisco. I'll try the Julie's Less Sweet for my next cake. I'm hopeful!!

I personally add more than 1 tsp. of salt but maybe that is because I use popcorn salt, which is finer.

You can always add more salt, just add a little at a time until you like the taste of your buttercream. Keep tract of how much you add so you will know the next time.

I have read where vanilla adds to the sweetness of buttercream. I personally prefer almond extract, so I don't use vanilla. You can also use some lemon extract, creme bouquet or a citrus type extract to balance the sweetness. Toba Garrett uses some fresh lemon juice in her buttercream.

darkchocolate

Hi, SIL! I agree with berryblondeboys. They make a European buttercream at the bakery where I work now (not the one where I was working when you visited) and it is so amazingly wonderful. The boss pooh-poohs bakers who use crisco (no offense!) in their icing and when you think about it, eating practically straight crisco is pretty darned gross! It's great for practice icing, though.

A stabilized whipped cream icing might also be a good alternative, if you like that kind of icing. It's different to work with, but it looks pretty when it's smoothed well.

By European buttercreams you mean IMBC and SMBC types right? Cause that was my first thought for a suggestion....

Okay, can someone give me a recipe for a European BC? I'd love to try one! I just used the crisco one as a jumping off point since it seemed sort of idiot proof! Links! people, Links!!

here's a link for a tutorial and recipe for the imbc

http://www.cakescanada.com/HowTo/

I havnt tried it myself but hope it helps you out

Go to the recipe section and look up under italian buttercream, swiss buttercream, french buttercream.... people rate them too for their "goodness" factor.

Just remember, you will HAVE to refrigerate european buttercreams as they are made from eggs and they have a different cosistency and you just have less "play" time with piping (you need to pipe, refrigerate, new bag of cold icing - pipe, refrigerate)

At least that I've tried too, there is no smoothing method like the viva paper towels or the foam roller. You put the icing on when it was warmer (not refrigerated yet (I think - that's what I've done!) and it's consistency is between a pudding and a mousse and you can get a very smooth even icing that way with a spatula - however you CANNOT touch it up later at ALL, so don't put it to chill until you have a layer of buttercream you are satisfied with. My chocolate cakes in the photo section are a Croatian buttercream (made with whole egg) and it is SOOOOOO yummy. I'm trying a white buttercream this weekend for the first time!

Melissa

Thanks so much everybody! You guys really are the best! I don't know that there could be a nicer group of people on the web.....(maybe it's cause you're all hopped up on chocolate.... ) I'm gonna play around with ya'lls suggestions this weekend! Thanks again!!