I can't get my IMBC icing to get mix up firm. i've made it dozens of times and it came out perfect but the last few times it will not get anywhere close to firm. i know it's not supposed to be like buttercream but usually it comes out stiffer than room temperature cool whip 
Any ideas?
Could be 2 things: 1) was the sugar/egg whites mixture cool enough? 2). was your butter too soft?
if your sugar/egg white mixture is still warm, it'll cause the butter to be more soft than it should be. If you leave your butter out for too long and gets too soft, that'll also cause the IMBC to be kind of soft. Try to keep your butter at about 68 degrees F. I've had this happen to me too, so these were the 2 main factors in causing my IMBC to be too soft.
I think it depends on the kind on recipe you're using to make IMBC. The recipe I use it tells you to pour a mixture of sugar and water (not egg whites... I think that other kind is called swiss meringue buttercream) to egg whites that you beat to the stiff-but-not-dry stage and then after beating for like 15 or 20 minutes and when the bowl feels cool to the touch, you add the butter that has to be soft although not too much. I think that if you put your buttercream in the refrigerator and let it firm up it should be fine.
Inma
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