drakegore - you can use pasteurized eggs in IMBC for safety. I've also read that some people make it with meringue powder. I don't know how to do this, but if you are still very afraid off egg whites that might be an option.
IMBC is my icing for everything. I've tried PS buttercreams a few times and hate the taste and texture. IMBC is just too tasty to pass up. I actually don't flavor mine at all. Just eggs, butter, sugar and water. Delicious!
jana... Can you share what recipe you use for the IMBC ?
Welcome to CC drakegore! As sayhellojana mentioned, IMBC is easily made using pasteurized egg whites. I have found that I cannot get Just Whites (or is it All Whites, I always forget LOL) to whip up, but I can get the generic supermarket brand to peaks, and also the kind at Trader Joe's. Powdered egg whites work well too, with an almost imperceptible difference in taste. I prefer IMBC to SMBC only because I have a hard time not scrambling the eggs 
, and also it is said to be just a teeny bit more stable at higher temps.
If you are having trouble using it to decorate, check out this great thread of photos of IMBC decorated cakes! http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-404613-.html
Fiddlesticks, I know you didn't ask me 
but I really like the Cake Bible "Mousseline Buttercream". You can find it on the web. There are other good ones around here but that one works so well, I've never had any desire to change.
The thread I just posted has amazing smoothing tips if you need them...they are on p2 or 3, from ShirleyW and Antonia74. I used these techniques on my Surfin' Santa cake and got perfectly glassy IMBC for the first time ever! Yay!
fiddle - I use "Classic Vanilla Buttercream" from foodnetwork. I know it has less eggs and more butter than the recipes used by Antonia74 and SherlyW
Hey jana ! I found a "Classic Vanilla Buttercream" On food network. Is it the one by Gale Gand?
Its like 4 ingredients, it sounds yummy!
thank you ceshell!
that was a terrific link! i love my SMBC but i do get frustrated that it seems too soft to do flowers. i think my next adventure in caking will be to try the IMBC if i can find the powdered egg whites or a Trader Joe's (i do have the meringue powder but the thread indicated this was not the best choice). i make a lot of cakes for kids (i get very excited when i get to make cakes for adults, lol). and i just cannot risk the safety issues with raw eggs so your suggestions are wonderful.
thank you ceshell!
that was a terrific link! i love my SMBC but i do get frustrated that it seems too soft to do flowers. i think my next adventure in caking will be to try the IMBC if i can find the powdered egg whites or a Trader Joe's (i do have the meringue powder but the thread indicated this was not the best choice). i make a lot of cakes for kids (i get very excited when i get to make cakes for adults, lol). and i just cannot risk the safety issues with raw eggs so your suggestions are wonderful.
You are most welcome! As I mentioned, as long as you don't get the major commercial brand (All Whites) you can use carton ew at the normal supermarket too. I can never remember the brand, but the generic (Albertson's, in my case) worked as did something like Sunnybrook Farms or something like that. Even though ALL of the cartons state that they will not whip up. I guess they have to cover their butts. Give them a try! I wouldn't use meringue powder either, for the reasons I'm sure you've already read about. Also to note, if have leftovers of the liquid ew, you can freeze them 
this is such a great thread! thanks for all the tips!
The "taste" section in my newspaper recently celebrated their 40th anniv, so they had a nearby bakery make a cake for them...the cake featured was frosted with a 50/50 blend of American and SMBC...the baker liked to mix it because she liked the taste and smoothness of it.
Anyways, I recently tried it with "Mai tai" mixture that proved to be too sweet for just american, and remained too buttery for SMBC...the result was incredible...I used it to frost cupcakes, tried to post a pix, put apparently it's too big to post. it's on my blog tho. putacupcakeinit. blogspot. com if you wanna see it.
AThis is a great thread. I'm looking to try the German Buttercream very soon. For Halloween I made French Macarons and French Buttercream for the very first time. I thought the buttercream was way too buttery and pretty horrible despite the nice texture. I filled the macarons with it anyway and took them to the party. 60 macarons gone in about 10 minutes and lots of raves! Shows you what I know about what tastes good I guess! lol
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%