I'm looking for a recipe for icing that's good to decorate with, that won't be too sweet! Not sugar free, but I find the buttercream icing way too sweet. Any ideas?

I had the same problem! My Mom kept wanting something not so sweet - more like the grocery store!!! I have tried the Buttercream Dream recipe and love it!! It is not bright white since it has the butter in it, but we had 3 taste tests, and this one always won! Here is a link:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2123-Buttercream-Dream.html

Hope this helps you!! BTW, it does beautifully on the cake and crusts nicely. It really is a good icing!

Ditto on the buttercream dream! Yummy! Not too sweet and I just tried adding creme bouquet to it! Very delicious!!!! (my first time with the creme bouquet and I find myself putting it in everything! LOL)

Thanks! What is Creme Bouquet?

Oh, you must, must, must try either Italian Meringue or Swiss Meringue buttercream!!! My preference is the Swiss Meringue because there's no messy syrup to deal with. It is not sweet, but it is rich, SMOOTH, and is a great friend when you're looking for a sturdy structure. It is just what you'll find in many true European pastries. Mmmmmm.

The recipe I use is Elisa Strauss', and if you go to www.baking911.com you can log in and get the recipe.

Yes, it does require refrigeration, but you can pull the cake out a couple of hours before serving and is perfect. And if it gets "soupy", just keep blending. I have trouble getting the meringue as cool as is instructed but I get it cooled enough and then let my Kitchenaid beat in the butter until it comes together. Patience will get you there. And just buy pasteurized egg whites for the job.

And the best part: it takes flavouring beautifully!

Creme Bouquet is a flavoring that you can use in icings, cakes and I even use it in my cookies! It comes in 2 oz and 8 on bottles. I get mine from a local cake decorating supply store but you can purchase on line. Here is a link so that you can see what it looks like.
http://www.kitchenkrafts.com/product.asp?pn=FL0936&bhcd2=1188864290

I made the Swiss Meringue buttercream (Toba Garrett) and loved it...however, it wasn't sweet enough for others. I'm too new at the baking game to have recipes of my own and still afraid to waste food by playing around with ingredients!

So....does anybody know if I can I toss in a cup of powdered sugar to sweeten it up a bit OR will that change its consistency/taste in a bad way?

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions on how I can get a medium sweet icing that will hold up are GREATLY appreciated!

I'm so happy you liked it! But yes, sometimes it's not sweet enough for others. I guess we've just trained ourselves to expect a sweeter frosting and sometimes it's hard to break away from that.

Anyway, I have read another recipe that does include adding some icing sugar, I think to help with the crusting effect. Why not try it in a small batch?

That's a great idea!

I usually divide it up into different bowls for different flavors (to top cupcakes), so I'll try experimenting with one little batch.