HI there! I am making a cake for my son's birthday this weekend and I'm stumped as to which buttercream I should use for his cake/cupcakes. I traditionally make a standard American buttercream (butter, confectioner's sugar, etc) but made a cake for Thanksgiving with Swiss Meringue buttercream (had never made it before) and it was divine! 

My dilemma is that the meringue buttercream was used on a complex cake flavor (apple toffee crunch) so the more subdued and less sweet flavor worked well. For this cake I'm just doing a basic chocolate and yellow (layered) so I'm not sure if I should go with the sweeter buttercream. Thoughts?

Also, if you've worked with both buttercreams before, does one decorate better than the other? I'm making a layered ombre cake with a few decorations (potentially a drizzle, some sprinkles, and a few toppers). Will one hold/mold/work better than the other?

I have only made Meringue icing once.....not sure now which one :(  BUT....... I did not like it - to me one would just as well just eat a stick of butter - plain....yuck :)     This is a descission you will need to make depending on your families tastes.   Personally I think for a child's b'day I'd use this recipe:  https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/22469/2-icing    It's perfect in every way....taste, consistency, pipes well and to me has the best taste :)

I typically make italian meringue buttercream (similar to swiss) and have used it on your basic yellow/chocolate/white cake and have found the flavor combinations to be perfect.  I prefer the IMBC due to it being less sweet (at least to my taste buds) then an american buttercream.  I also enjoy the the texture of it more.  But kids love the sweetness so an american buttercream would definitely be well received.  

So really it comes down to whatever you want to make.  Maybe ask your son which frosting he prefers and go with that.