In a thread I was recently reading, someone said that the meringue powder had nothing to do with the buttercream crusting. So what purpose does meringue powder have?

It will be interesting to find out ...... I never knew what people used MP for until I came to CC and saw folks put it in their cake icing. I'd made cake icing for 25 years and never saw a need for it.

I would say the Dream Whip, although probably not included in the recipe for that reason, does the same thing as the mp does....I'm having difficulty with the word and locating it...but it's supposed to act as sort of binding agent between the liquids and the fats in the icing and supposed to help with color retention (although, I can not prove it one way or another)

I have read that meringue powder is put in buttercream icing as a stabilizer for hot/humid areas.

I used another icing years before using Dream Whip and never used MP, but you're probably right in that it could be a factor. I just never heard of using MP and never have.

Can you help me understand how the Hershey Choc Icing crusts really well with no MP? What's the secret ingredient in that one? Maybe we can adapt it?

The meringue powder "adds strength & duabilty for better decorating & prevents colors from bleeding" according to Wiltons info. The ratio of fat to sugar is what makes an icing crust ie. less fat more sugar better crusting.

I don't think the mp has anything to do with the crusting as touted by one company. There are recipes generations have sworn by that contain an egg per batch...some whole, some just the white.

Although I still use it in my basic buttercream, I don't think it's a necessary ingredient....

for me, change comes slowly and most times, reluctantly....

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm trying to decide if I want to use it or not and I'm out right now.