Tonight I was having an awful night. I haven't done a cake in a few weeks, just too busy (I'm sure all of you can relate). The first cake I make sunk while baking - not salvagable!!!! 
Thank God cake 2 turned out ok. Then I went on to try something new, the house buttercream recipe from the whimsical bake house. I've never done a cooked BC before. I followed the recipe to the letter, especially the part about the sugar syrup boiling for 7 min. To my continued anguish, the second I took the syrup off the stove it began to crystalize. I was scooping chunks of sugar into my egg whites just praying it would come together.
Eventually it seemed to be ok, but what did I do wrong? Do I need to use a candy thremometer to watch temp instead of time?
And then when all was said and done I wasn't totally impressed w/ how it smoothed out, LOTS of air bubbles. Did I do something here too?
Please any suggestions would be appreciated.
Kate
sorry i cant help you here...however I have found that using a candy thermometer helps me avoid the crystals.... maybe that is the problem..but until I get the book I couldn't help ya. sorry...perhaps someone can.
What you want to do is use a dampened in hot water, pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan while the syrup is heating, this is to stop the crystalizing. It can be done fine without a candy thermometer, but these are always a good investment.
Well air bubbles are from beating at too high a speed for too long. Sorry, don't have the recipe handy, I don't use it, but a lot of icing recipes develop air bubbles from being beaten at too high a speed or for too long a time. To combat some of the bubbles, let it rest for about 30 minutes, then stir out the bubbles vigourously with a spoon, that will help.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Ok, just looked at this recipe, I do believe that the reason folks like it is because it is so whipped and airy, hence the long length of whipping time for an icing with butter in it. The air bubbles are a characteristic of this icing, so it makes it not so easy to smooth as others. You could cut back the whipping time, I must admit I would soften the butter before adding it and not follow that part of the instructions if I were making it and I would really cut down the whipping time to avoid all of that trapped air.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Thanks for the tips, the only step that I didn't follow was washing the sides of the pan w/ a pastry brush. If I try it again I will see if that helps. I agree about the high speed and the time, but I thought well these guys cakes look great, it should turn out pretty good. I also was thinking that maybe they were considering high speed of a hand held mixer and not a kitchen aid? Thanks again for the ideas. The cake actually turned out pretty, just not as smoothe as I'd like it. I'll post pics as soon as I can, but DH has the digital at work so I had to take pics the old fashioned way 
Kate
Yes, the dampened pastry brush is an old trick used to stop sugar from crystalizing.
Kiddiekakes uses this Whimsical Bakehouse recipe a lot. I will ask her to respond to the air issue. I thought the icing was supposed to get like that. Actually, I think they are using a stand mixer such as a Kitchen Aid, for that recipe. I know Kiddiekakes does.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Hey Montana kate,
I'm not sure which WBH buttercream you are referring to...I use the House Buttercream all the time but it doesn't require any cooking over the stove.You add a cup of hot water to the icing sugar and mix,then add the shortening and butter and whip for 15 minutes...Hmmmm..which recipe from the book are you talking about??The recipe I have used many times is on page 36
Laurel 
A candy thermometer is the best investment. I never use the washing the sides of the pan trick though. For me the important part is just not to mess with it when it's cooking. Don't stir it or swirl it or anything. I mix the sugar and water and stir it a tiny bit, turn the heat on and HANDS OFF.
When looking for a thermometer be sure to find one that doesn't need 2 inches of liquid to get a read out. That's a big pain and you won't get an accurate read out.
I had sugar crystalize once on me many years ago and since it's just sugar and water, I threw it out.
Also make sure the butter is cold. If it's not the hot tempature of the sugar will melt it and you'll have soup, not frosting.
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