When people say they are using a butter cream - are they actually using butter or is it primarily the all shortening version? If you use any butter - how do you get a white frosting?

Butter will always make it an off white shade... you can add wilton white to make it whiter...but for perfect white, no butter...... unless anyone else knows something I don't

I think some add a touch of purple to neutralize the yellow.... but yeah a little off white is just the way it is

Thank you. Off white it is going to be. I guess all the cakes I see in the photos that are so white are all shortening or fondant. Can't bring myself to eating the all shortening frosting. Even with the high ratio it doesn't taste good. I may have to experiment with some other recipes until I get one I like.

If you don't enjoy the taste of all shortening and want a bridal white icing you can look into a cream cheese buttercream which uses cream cheese and shortening.

I use all butter icing. I beat the butter alot before adding the milk and icing sugar (in 2 parts). Then I beat and beat and beat. The icing gets whiter the longer you beat it. I use 200g of butter per 1kg of icing sugar (not sure what the cup measurements would be) and about 3/4 cup milk (slightly warmed). Even so, it's still not pure white.

YUP!! Just keep beating. The longer you beat it the whiter it will get