I just watched some videos on buttercream icing. Please what is viva towel? Is it the same as kitchen paper towels? Can anyone help with a good buttercream recipe that crusts and does not include shortening? Thanks in anticipation of your help.

Can't help with the icing, but viva is a regular kitchen towel but what makes it special is it has no pattern in it. So when pressed against the buttercream it doesn't add texture.

HTH

Judi

I use Sugarshack's icing recipe and it is fabulous! It crusts within seconds and can be smoothed with the Viva towel to look like fondant.

Using a 5 quart stand mixer:

5-1/2 c. hi-ratio shortening
5 lbs. powdered sugar
1 c. powder coffee creamer mixture (mix 1 cup French Vanilla Coffee Mate with 1 cup water. Combine until well mixed. Heat in microwave until hot as coffee)
4 T. flavoring of choice

Place shortening in mixer bowl and pour hot coffee creamer mixture and flavoring into bowl. Mix on low speed until shortening becomes creamy - about 2-3 minutes. Once creamy, mix on medium speed another 1 minute. Slowly begin adding powdered sugar, scraping bowl continuosly on speed 1. Once all powdered sugar is incorported, mix on medium high speed (speed 5 or 6) for 7-8 minutes. This will completely fill the bowl to the brim. Make sure to mix for the total 8 minutes.

Icing will be so smooth that you will be doing the "happy dance" all around your kitchen. There is a thread on here with all types of helpful hints on Sugarshack's icing. Just do a search for her. She is the greatest. She also has a youtube video on showing you how to make this icing.

Once you ice the cake, it will crust within seconds. Use the Viva paper towel and a fondant smoother or your hand to smooth the icing. Be careful not to rub too hard. If the paper towel gets icing on it, let that place recrust and use a new clean towel.

Good luck!

If you don't want the pattern to appear on your cake (and some use patterned paper towels on purpose as they can make some lovely designs) you can also use wax, parchment or clean computer paper as well. These will all have the same basic effect as the VIVA patternless paper towel!

Sorry, I don't have an answer for your buttercream icing question.

Thank you all for your responses. God bless you now I can try my hand on buttercream.