Has anyone tried this recipe?
http://cakecentral.com/recipes/7381/italian-meringue-buttercream-imbc
I just made it and it used 1 1/2 lbs (6 sticks) of butter! It sounds like so much to me! But it made a fairly large batch of IMBC. I've never made this before, so maybe this is normal...??? It's very yellow, but still silky and smooth. I guess what I am asking is- how can people eat this knowing you're probably eating a whole stick of butter on your cake slice? Yikes!!! I guess regular shortening/butter buttercream isn't that much better...
I'd rather eat a few tablespoons of butter than shortening, any day.
Me too! I love IMBC! 
I eat that much butter on my pancakes in the morning There might be more butter but think of all the extra sugar a shortening based buttercream has.The recipe I use calls for 5 pounds 
I made that IMBC recipe recently as well, and what I wanted to know is how do I make it thicker? I tried refridgerating it and then freezing it. BIG mistake! I'm pretty sure the sugar and butter separated and it looked horrible! It was late and I had a cake due the next morning so it had to do. It looked disgusting, but still tasted delicious. When we were transporting the cake the syrup started oozing out of the bottom! It was gross 
Any ideas on how to prevet this? Is this not a good recipe to use under fondant?
I made that IMBC recipe recently as well, and what I wanted to know is how do I make it thicker? I tried refridgerating it and then freezing it. BIG mistake! I'm pretty sure the sugar and butter separated and it looked horrible! It was late and I had a cake due the next morning so it had to do. It looked disgusting, but still tasted delicious. When we were transporting the cake the syrup started oozing out of the bottom! It was gross
Any ideas on how to prevet this? Is this not a good recipe to use under fondant?
IMBC refrigerates and freezes quite well (and I only use meringue buttercreams under fondant), although i am not familiar with this recipe in particular. I can say that after refrigerating it you might bring it back to room temperature and then BEAT THE HELL OUT OF IT with the paddle attachment on your mixer--seriously, beat it within an inch of its life, and then beat it some more... it WILL come back together.
So that quantity of icing only made a cake that serves 6 people for you? I'd say cut down on the size of the slice!
I'd rather eat a few tablespoons of butter than shortening, any day.
Lol, no 
The recipe used 6 sticks of butter! I just hadn't made it before so it seemed like a lot. It's at least double the butter I use in my buttercream. But I am thrilled with the taste! I would rather eat butter than shortening too!
I eat that much butter on my pancakes in the morning
There might be more butter but think of all the extra sugar a shortening based buttercream has.The recipe I use calls for 5 pounds
True... I didn't think about all the sugar that gets left out!
I made that IMBC recipe recently as well, and what I wanted to know is how do I make it thicker? I tried refridgerating it and then freezing it. BIG mistake! I'm pretty sure the sugar and butter separated and it looked horrible! It was late and I had a cake due the next morning so it had to do. It looked disgusting, but still tasted delicious. When we were transporting the cake the syrup started oozing out of the bottom! It was gross
Any ideas on how to prevet this? Is this not a good recipe to use under fondant?IMBC refrigerates and freezes quite well (and I only use meringue buttercreams under fondant), although i am not familiar with this recipe in particular. I can say that after refrigerating it you might bring it back to room temperature and then BEAT THE HELL OUT OF IT with the paddle attachment on your mixer--seriously, beat it within an inch of its life, and then beat it some more... it WILL come back together.
PINKZ is dead on. This can happen and just beat it up again before using. It will be gorgeous. The only thing I do different on SMBC is add 1/2 C. more sugar and use 1/2 C. Vanilla/Flavoring. This seems to really make the flavor pop and the as for more sugar, I just like a sweeter SMBC. Also, I use 1/2 Salted, 1/2 Unsalted butter....
My issue is the decorating part. Does anyone add anything to there decorating SMBC/IMBC to make it stiffer and hold up better? 
PINKZ is dead on. This can happen and just beat it up again before using. It will be gorgeous. The only thing I do different on SMBC is add 1/2 C. more sugar and use 1/2 C. Vanilla/Flavoring. This seems to really make the flavor pop and the as for more sugar, I just like a sweeter SMBC. Also, I use 1/2 Salted, 1/2 Unsalted butter....
My issue is the decorating part. Does anyone add anything to there decorating SMBC/IMBC to make it stiffer and hold up better?
1/2 C of vanilla/flavoring??? Are you buying it in bulk??? But thanks everyone for responding. My old mixer broke and for now all I have is a little handheld one 
but it gets the basics done!
I did a little math with the 3 IMBC recipes I've tried:
http://cakeoricandothat.blogspot.com/2010/03/imbc-math.html
Personally I don't like a lot of butter in my food. I mean, it does taste great and I love to cook with it, but I do get weirded out by the sheer quantity of it that goes into caking.
Definitely try using less if you like. The recipe ends up a little thinner? slippier? with less butter, but it can still work within some bounds.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%