I just made buttercream for the first time. I realized that I have no idea what it's supposed to taste like. I don't like things crazy sweet, so I was hesitant to use the full two pounds of confectioner's sugar. What does your BC taste like when it's done? Thanks

American buttercream can be really sweet. I actually only use it for kids' cakes. If I want a less sweet buttercream I use an Italian Meringue. If you made it with powdered sugar, chances are it's going to be pretty sweet.

american bc is extremely sweet, imho. That is why I prefer SMBC, not as sweet, or ganache. I won't eat american bc but most of my customers want it, I guess it is what a lot of people grew up on. HTH

I agree with the other responses that American Buttercream is very sweet. For piping though, it's a good choice for my cakes. I've used Sugarshacks recipe, and substituted sugar free coffee creamer for the regular and had great results that didn't increase the sweetness to an unpalatable level.

Kat

It's got an aftertaste that I'm not sure is in my imagination. Almost a tangy aftertaste. I knew it was sweet to begin with but I wanted to learn this before I try IMBC.

If you enjoy working with American BC but don't want the sweetness, you can add some salt to tame the sweetness. Also, I find using 1/2 butter instead of all shortening adds its own flavour and helps.