I didn't like the taste of it This is my second time making SMBC. First time I made a lot of mistakes and it came out very runny. On my second attempt, everything worked out perfectly. Then I tasted it and it just tasted blah and buttery. My boyfriend liked it and said it was very light and fluffy. Maybe I am just a fan of sweet, rich & thick BC

Just wanted to share

How much and what kind of flavoring did you add? My recipe calls for a couple of tablespoons. You really need as much as you can get.

Also, I don't like it by itself. It must be paired with cake to get the sweetness that I feel meringue BCs are missing. But paired correctly with cake, I love it. I get more raving reviews when I use that icing than any other. Try some variations of it, peanut butter or caramel (this is what really sold me on it).

Edited to add...

Also, you're not serving it cold, are you? It needs to be at RT.

Hi! Thanks for your tips! I did use a few tablespoons of vanilla and I had a piece of left over cake and smbc at room temp. To me it was a bland combination of yellow cake and smbc but I was asked to make that cake so I didn't argue with them.

I just needed to vent b.c I like being happy with the cakes I make and I was just not thrilled with that SMBC recipe. I am happy that I was able to make it and the consistency was right.

which recipe do you use? some recipes use more butter than others. Some have more flavoring than others also. I use a 1/4 more sugar in mine. You can also add a little powder sugar in the icing once it is done.

I like smbc becuase it's less sweet but with vanilla flavour it's a bit too buttery for my taste, but I just made some with McCormic (sp?) Raspberry extract and it's really yum! It cuts the buttery taste really well and just tastes like raspberry cream!

Hi Julzs, I don't know the name of the author of this smbc recipe I used but I do know it called for 6 sticks of butter and didn't call for powdered sugar, only regular graulated sugar. But I will definitely take your advice and add more flavoring and some powdered sugar. I hope that makes a difference.

Do you or anyone out there have a very tasty and awesome smbc that they truly love working with???

THANKS!

I love Eliza Strauss' recipe for SMBC from "Confetti Cakes". For years I only made IMBC until I found this one. It is so much easier and comes out perfectly every time. I always flavor mine with real vanilla and melted white chocolate. The white chocolate makes a huge difference in the flavor; also it gives a beautiful ivory color. I use more than is suggested, maybe 5-6 oz . Add it as the very last step. If it is too warm and the BC gets too soft, then put it in the fridge for a while then remix; it will come right back.

Hi Kats! I used Eliza's SMBC recipe on my very first attempt and it came out very runny for me. I actually liked the flavor but didn't know where along the lines I messed up in the recipe for it to come out that way. That is why I tried a new recipe. This recipe had very detailed instructions on how to make a SMBC and I was so happy that everything came out perfect, until I tried it and had that "blah" moment

I may have to try Eliza's again now that I know a little bit more of what I am doing. Thanks for the suggestion!

I use JKalman's recipe and it only calls for 3 sticks of butter. Try cutting the recipe down a couple of sticks. I know someone has substituted a 1/2 cup. shortening for 1 stick butter so see if that might help.

As for charging, I am only doing it as a hobbyist right now but I think charging more for meringue makes perfect sense. PS and Crisco are pretty cheap compared to butter and eggs.

Also, to make PB SMBC, substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar and cook as usual. (This is caramel SMBC but I think it needs more caramel taste). For PB, add it at the end.

I'm trying some white chocolate this weekend and I can't wait!

Anytime you get a runny result with a real butter BC, just put it in the fridge, or freezer if you need to hurry, and let it get completely cold so the butter solidifies. Then take it out and mix it with a paddle attachment. If you have time to let it warm up a bit great, but if not, just go ahead and mix. It will turn into the ugliest mess and you will think it is ruined, but keep going; it will come back together and be perfect.

So that is what must have happened Thank you so much! I am not going to give up on SMBC and will give Eliza's recipe another shot. In the end, even tho, mine came out all runny, it did taste really good

Thank you!

aswartzw -

Are you using light brown or dark brown sugar for the caramel SMBC? Try using dark brown - it has more molasses in it. Or you could heat the light brown sugar until it melts and turns a shade or two darker.

Also, how much PB do you use for your PB SMBC?

Thanks -

Theresa

Try using Jans SMBC. It is just like Shirleys IMBC, it uses only 3 sticks of butter. It taste way better than american bc. I have tried smbc with 5 or 6 sticks of butter, i did not like that at all.
It taste more buttery with salted butter so use unsalted. When you get done taste it and add powder sugar if you like. I also add a little more flavorings.
When the icing goes on cake it taste a little different, so if you have scrap cake try a little on that first.

HTH
If you try it write me back on your success.

After trying lots of icings with my family members, I'm convinced one is either an American Buttercream fan OR a European Buttercream fan.

For example, my SIL *loves* American Buttercream, made with PS and shortening. Others of us really dislike the sweetness of it.

In contrast, the ones who hate the sweet taste of American Buttercream *love* IMBC. And guess what? The American BC lovers think it's "too buttery-tasting."

I think it's funny, and merely a matter of figuring out which side of the Atlantic you're on, in terms of taste of Buttercream! There's just no pleasing everyone all the time...

Thank you all for your insight and suggestions.

This weekend I worked on my "blah" buttercream, whipped it up again, added a bit more vanilla and some powdered sugar (like a few of you suggested I do) and voila! It totally changed and it is delicious!

So Dawn, I like I am an all american bc type of gal even though I really like the texture of smbc...I will just have to find a middle ground

Thank you all!

Ok, I have been reading all the posts on the different buttercreams. Now, I feel like I am missing something Everyone makes it sound as if the merangue based buttercreams are easier and the shortening based are harder. The PS just seems soooo easy to me . The merangue ones scare me They seem harder. Also, do you worry about the raw eggs (whites) in them?

rudoo............you can always mix the 2 together. I've done that a few times and it's really good. You can stock up on BC and freeze it (for 6 mnths?), and just pull some out when you need it to add to the I/SMBC.

The powdered sugar bc, definitely is much easier to make. The smbc or imbc is a bit more difficult IMO because you have to make sure the sugar/water is at the right temp and that the egg whites are at the right stiffness to go and mix them together. That to me is the hard part.

There is no need to worry about the egg whites big raw or not cooked because when you combined the hot sugar/water into the mixture the heat will take care of that.

You ladies could also try mixing some of your powdered sugar icing into your smbc that cuts donw on the butteryness and make it sweeter too!! just an idea..that's what I have done because no matter what recipe I tried it just tasted like whipped sweet butter to me...lol.

If you mix SMBC and reg powder sugar b.c. can you make flowers etc ?

Fiddle
I cannot answer this one..although I know it makes it thicker. As, I cannot pipe a flower to save my life!! LOL

Maybe someone else could help you with that question.

I made JKalman's SMBC for the first time yesterday and I wasn't thrilled with the taste either - too buttery and too much vanilla and I felt like it was too soft. Maybe I didn't get the meringue stiff enough or heat the egg whites and sugar until they were hot enough.

Mandica12182.. Thanks for the reply !