Hello.  I have a client that wants less sweet buttercream.  The other catch is the cakes will not be refrigerated, they don't have enough space.  Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance.

Some people think adding salt helps.  I suggest using this recipe:  https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/22469/2-icing   If not just up the amount of flavoring you use in your recipe.         Most recipes call for only 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  I say that is WAY too little and the whole taste will be improved if you up it to at least 1 Tablespoon.  Flavoring/taste is very personal.  I was taught many years ago that using at least 3 flavors makes a much more complex taste.  Mixing together vanilla, butter and 1 other extract will improve your icing a lot :)  The 3rd can be almond (what I use) or lemon or orange or anything you want. 

Oh and also there is no problem about not being able to frig the cake unless it's like 100 degrees F :)  Cake will be fine at room temp for at least 36-48 hrs.  maybe even up to 3 days.

Thank you so much, I will give it a try!  I appreciate your help!!!!

Ditto everything kakeladi said!  Most of the time I use vanilla, butter and almond and for fairly large batches of frosting, I use a tablespoon of each....plus popcorn salt.  The popcorn salt is much finer and dissolves more readily.  BTW, always listen to kakeladi, 'cause she knows about what she speaks!

Thank you Sandra!  Will take both recommendations!!!  

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous.  You are seriously going to change your tried and true recipe for one lady who apparently cares about a few extra grams of sugar?  Tell her you'll "do your best" and make the same icing you always do.  I guarantee you she will love it.

THAT is ridiculous. People can't have different tastes? I can't stand American Buttercream. I find meringue buttercreams much less sweet and far prefer them. I've stopped getting cakes from the "best" bakery in town because they use ABC, instead I make my own.

I would be furious if I paid them $$$ for a different buttercream and they lied about it.

Why do you think she would love it?

my little deal is similar to erin's -- i did not change my stuff for a client -- if they didn't like it they could chose a different something else i offered or go elsewhere -- and offering french vanilla buttercream is a great idea as is a swiss meringue buttercream already mentioned --

http://www.wilton.com/french-buttercream-icing/WLRECIP-181.html

no egg yolks ^^^ easy peasy i used this forever on my cakes

there's tons of swiss meringue recipes -- here's the one i use -- but food & wine magazine is wrong it's swiss not italian :

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/vanilla-buttercream-braun

here's another idea for the idea pot:

https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/61811/white-balsamic-american-buttercream

best to you

I used the recipe kakeladi suggestion and she loved it.  I really like it as well!  Thank you !

awesome

Glad to hear it worked out well for you.  Yes we all have different taste buds!  What one person won't like (snake or monkey meat anyone?) someone else will think is great!  What is spicy/hot to one is not to another....   I have only tried meringue b'creams once.  To me one might just as well eat a stick of butter -- YUCK!  Give me good old ABC any day, anytime!! :)

i mostly like all the icings -- got the cellulite to prove it hahahaha

I have never tried swiss meringue buttercream but I was looking at the below attachment which does have a whole lot of butter (6 sticks) in it. That is a lot of butter but maybe it makes a lot of frosting. Won't know till I try it one day soon.  It looks easy and I love EASY!!! Years ago, I used to buy Public cakes for my son and I loved their frosting they had but not sure what kind of frosting it was. Back in those days, I was too busy working to be baking cakes!!!

Maybe I have eatenSwiss meringue at someone's wedding and did not know what kind of frosting was on the cake. Has anyone tried this particular recipe below?

https://www.sugarhero.com/the-easiest-swiss-meringue-buttercream/

i've made a similar non-cooked swiss that i used for dummy cakes -- it came out more glossy -- but it was made with granulated sugar -- so a little different -- but the powdered sugar in yours will tamp down the gloss with the bit of corn starch in it -- a good thing in my book -- should be a good formula -- i bet you'll like it