Whimsical Bakehouse House Icing Pros And Cons
Decorating By countrykittie Updated 31 May 2007 , 7:06am by idoweddingcookies
I just finished my first 2 tier cake...and I have some pros and cons about this icing.
Pro-it works well, covers well...really easy to work with and get your cake nice and smooth, seems to hold it's shape. 
I really liked how my cake came out and it is less sweet and it made alot...like I still have enough to cover a regular cake with no decorations ...however...
Con-it is less sweet but greasier in taste 
...I actually added a bit more icing sugar to it just to sweeten it up a bit and it is still less sweet and still kinda greasy tasting. I love the way it worked but it doesn't seem to crust up either. I was alittle worried about using it between my layers, but it seems to be holding up. Let's see how it goes with transport.
Would I use it again...yes, only because it seems to work really well, and I am less apt to eat the leftovers because I really don't like it. I made the cake for a friend at work that is retiring and I thought I would experiment with making a two-tier cake, cornelli lace and gumpaste flowers (I made daisies...figured they were the easiest to make on short notice). I will have to tell everyone tonight at work that if they don't like the icing to scrape it off...Maybe it will go over great and maybe it tastes better with the cake too...I didn't try that.
So what do you think? Would you use an icing that you personally didn't like but maybe others did or would you make the kind that you like. I know I won't be eating my leftovers so maybe there is reason enough right there to make it again. 
I've posted a picture but it says that it will take about 30 minutes to upload...
The picture is in my pictures now. A cake of firsts for me.
Are you referring to their House Buttercream that has the large amount of shortening? I actually do like it and I use it for my whipped frosting. A high-ratio shortening would work best as it has a less greasy feel and taste. Did you use crisco?
Julie
I didn't use crisco...I used a common brand. I didn't realize that that might make a difference. I will try the crisco next time. Thanks for the advice.
I made the icing and had some of the same feelings as you. It did not crust, which I do not like because I want to be able to smooth it out better. Also, I made it and added the vanilla or flavoring it said to add, and I felt like it had no taste at all. I added a lot of butter vanilla and creme bouquet and that added some flavor but I was not overly impressed.
Your cake is beautiful and looks very smooth. I think I would have to go with taste first because the client doesn't really care what you have to go through. And a good looking cake doesn't make up for a terrible tasting one. I personally can't stand that "slick" greasy tasting icing. If a client requested an icing I didn't like then I would use it because the customer is always right (even when they are wrong) but otherwise I would go for what I thought tasted best.
I've only made this icing once and I love it! I used Sweetex Hi-Ratio shortening. I thought it was a lovely, light tasting icing with no greasy feel whatsoever. And it does make alot! It doesn't crust, but I found using the hot knife method worked pretty well.
This was a "just for the family cake" and here are the results:
Loved it: Me, Mom, Sister, Brother, Daughter
Hated it: Hubby, Other daughter
Maybe try it again using Hi-Ratio. I think it might make a difference in the greasiness of the end product.
Cris
i make a icing similar to the WBH and I use hi ratio as well
I have made this several times with Hi-Ratio Shortening with GREAT reviews all around. After working with 5 or 6 icing recipes (shortening based), this one came out on top with all of my tasters.
I personally enjoy the taste, lighter and fluffier than others, and smoother, less grittier, less sweet texture (at room temp anyway, straight out of the fridge it's a bit gritty).
Anyway, I'm wondering if the people who use High-Ratio get bubbles in their icing VS. people using Crisco or store brand shortening.
And also, how long do you beat it at what speed?
I've having trouble with bubbles in this icing, maybe you all making the same recipe can help me out, as I noticed that countrykitties cake is just GORGEOUSLY smooth and bubble-free!
Icing update:
I got many good reviews about the icing...I think having it 'with' the cake as opposed to by itself made a difference with me as I got to taste it as well. It is much lighter and fluffier than regular BC. However, still had that greasier after taste...so, I will have to locate some hi-ratio shortning...I haven't been able to find any as of yet. Do they say hi-ratio on the package? Or, do you have to guess? I'm no good at guessing.
czyadgrl: I beat mine slowly at first (I only have a hand mixer) and then gradually increased the speed because my arm was starting to tire...LOL. I think I beat it for about 15 minutes. I also added some meringue powder and 1 extra cup of icing sugar. It called for 1 tsp of extract, but even though I added 1 1/2 tsp, I still couldn't taste the extract (almond) It is sooooo smooth....I actually used the 'hot' knife method to get it pretty smooth before putting on the cornelli lace. If I had an imperfection, then I just put some of the lace on it to cover it...LOL.
Icing update:
I got many good reviews about the icing...I think having it 'with' the cake as opposed to by itself made a difference with me as I got to taste it as well.
That's exactly the conclusion I had come to after making this icing for the first time. I tasted it out of the bowl, and thought "bleah, seems kinda bland!"
So I added some creme bouquet, which seemed to help. But once it was on the cake (I put it on banana cupcakes) it was dreamy! I took the cupcakes to work, and everyone raved about the icing - how light the texture was, and how it wasn't too sweet. It really complemented the banana cake.
Would I make it again? Yes - I don't think anyone who tried it on the cake didn't like it, including my kids, who certainly let me know when they don't like something.
Icing update:
I got many good reviews about the icing...I think having it 'with' the cake as opposed to by itself made a difference with me as I got to taste it as well. It is much lighter and fluffier than regular BC. However, still had that greasier after taste...so, I will have to locate some hi-ratio shortning...I haven't been able to find any as of yet. Do they say hi-ratio on the package? Or, do you have to guess? I'm no good at guessing.
czyadgrl: I beat mine slowly at first (I only have a hand mixer) and then gradually increased the speed because my arm was starting to tire...LOL. I think I beat it for about 15 minutes. I also added some and 1 extra cup of icing sugar. It called for 1 tsp of extract, but even though I added 1 1/2 tsp, I still couldn't taste the extract (almond) It is sooooo smooth....I actually used the 'hot' knife method to get it pretty smooth before putting on the cornelli lace. If I had an imperfection, then I just put some of the lace on it to cover it...LOL.
Thanks for the update! I think I'm going to try a little slower speed with the whisk attachement in the Kitchen Aid, maybe that will better replicate what you did! Thanks for the info on that!
High-ratio shortening is rarerly labeled exactly as such. Most common names are Sweetex and Alpine brands. If you have a cake supply shop nearby, they will probably have it, or I imagine you can order it online using either of those brand names.
The high-ratio will definetly have a less greasy aftertaste, I'd almost say no greasy feeling is left in your mouth at all, if you're only using the high-ratio, on this recipe anyway.
I'm glad this came up, I just bought this book the other day! 
I posted a thread about this the other day, I needed to know if it crusts, found out it didn't.
I too thought it was greasy.. I used Crisco and when i first made it, I thought wow, I've finally found the buttercream of my dreams.. But then when I tasted it, same as all of you.. not really alot of flavor and no sweetness to it at all. I also added an extra cup of sugar and more vanilla. Tasted better, but when I got some on my hands I went to wash it off.. ugh, I had to get the dish soap out.. it was way to greasy.
I'm off to the cake decorating store tomorrow, and will pick up some of the high ratio and make it again and see if that makes a difference.
I thought maybe I had done something wrong, so glad to hear that I'm not only the that thought that it was greasy.
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