I made a vanilla cake with strawberry filliing and want to use a frosting that can be colored red, white & blue. I don't really want to use buttercream but it needs to hold it's shape when decorating. Any ideas/recipes? Does canned frosting work well for this?

canned frosting does not hole it's shape well, especially after adding color. There are dozens of different 'buttercreams'.

If you are using an all shortening version, try replacing some of the shortening with butter for better flavor.

Red and blue requires a lot of color. If you don't have Americolor Gel, the red could taste awful.

The recipe I have is for !/2 shortening and 1/2 butter. It tastes okay but it needs more/better flavor. Any easy flavor suggestions that would compliment the strawberry & vanilla? The food color I'm using is from Wilton, it's worked really well in the past for me.

Thanks for your help!!!!

Tanya,
I usually always add a bit of almond extract to my buttercream, in addition to the vanilla. Also, a touch of salt - it helps get rid of that powdered sugar taste.
Good Luck!
Jen

I really like Toba Garett's French Vanilla Buttercream - with milk, butter and whipping cream its less buttery than IMBC or SMBC and no powdered sugar.

I searched for that and I can't find it. Do you know where it is?

i dont see it posted online anywhere but it is available in her book The Well Decorated Cake

The whole book is an excellent resource and I would recommend purchasing it.