So, I know it's very last minute & I'm sure I'll figure it out by trial and error but I wanted to put it out there just in case I can get a couple pointers....

I am helping my cousin with some cakes for her son's cub scout party tomorrow. Yup, I know I seriously late, but I had a huge order through out the week and she asked me late.

Anyway, I want to try Charlottes Whipped Cream Buttercream recipe. I believe Leah_S has her own version. I was reading through it & saw that it crusted very lightly. This is fine. But, can I use the viva paper towel method on this?

I don't do cakes too much anymore but when I do, I normally, frost, smooth with a hot/dry offset spatula & then viva paper towel any imperfections. I'm getting better each time I do it. But, now I'm wanting to try this new recipe & am wondering if any of these steps would be a no-no.

Any opinions or experiences would be lovely! Thanks!

I used the full quota of meringue powder, and it crusted so lightly that I couldn't use paper towel, or roller, and it was so fluffy (they're not kidding when they say light and fluffy) that I couldn't get the air out even with a lot of defluffing with a spatula before hand. Tasty, but more like smbc in texture. Might have been our temps/humidity here but crusting didn't happen enough for it to be useful for me. HTH.

Oh boy, I hope I can smooth it out okay...

Thanks for the heads up! On the up side, I don't have to run out for paper towels!!!

I love, love, LOVE the taste of this frosting, but I cannot for the life of me get it to smooth. I, too, used the full amount of meringue powder and the viva paper towels don't work. I can't for the life of me figure out how to smooth it properly. Well, a hot spatula would probably work, but I did a frozen transfer with it and that is very hard to smooth out! Good luck!!!!

if you will p/m leah, she will kindly give you her advice. she has me ,several times, on anything i ask her. hth

Well, for some reason I got the impression this icing was like the cooked icing my mom used to make. (flour/milk cook to paste, cool. add to granulated sugar, vanilla, and shortening) But, if it's like SMBC I'm not thinking this is the right thing. I tried the actual SMBC & I did it correctly but I guess I'm not used the texture. I like the american buttercream or the nondairy whipped stuff better.

I originally wanted to try indydebi's BC. But, my cousin could not find dream whip. I think she was full of hooey, but I just didn't have time to stop and look for myself. Honestly, indydebi's recipe looks really similar to the frosting my mom would just eyeball in a bowl for thumbprint cookies. And, it did crust, with out the dream whip. Maybe the dream whip just gives it an extra creamy thing.

Bummer, I'd love to find a lighter whipped frosting. I guess I got excited when the recipe said it crusted ever so slightly. I thought you could still smooth it.

I'll just stick to what I know for now & maybe when I have some more time pm leah. Thanks a ton everyone!

EvMarie, it does not really taste like SMBC, although as mentioned above it doesn't crust for simple smoothing like a simple American BC, and is kind of airy too so it doesn't smooth as easy as SMBC either. But it's really GOOD! If you like American BC you may like it a lot. It works fine under fondant if you chill it first - I just iced my most recent cake in it under the fondant (there is a TON of icing under the fondant too)....are you opposed to fondanting your cake?

Several guests made it a point to ask me if it was a whipped cream icing. I love that!

Yep, the above poster said it well: it tastes like regular bc to me, with more the mouthfeel of smbc, and fluffy to boot. Lovely stuff, but to me, smbc is a novelty and I love it as is, otherwise I like crusting frostings.

Nope, I don't have to put fondant. This is really a couple of last minute bc sheet cakes. I just wanted to try something new. I have been running on empty for about a week now. So, I guess it's okay to try it next week. I have a few extra cake layers so I'll experiment later.

I did like the creamy type texture of smbc. I have only tried it once but it sat kind of heavy. So, I may like this new recipe. I guess I just have to get my patience back and I'll be able to try it when I don't have anything depending on it.

Thanks so much to everyone for responding. I appreciate you all sharing your opinions. Gotta check on my ganache cream!!!

I just made the creamy dreamy version of charlotte's whipped buttercream and it tastes great! I flavored it with vanilla extract, french vanilla, and buttery sweet dough emulsion I used the version posted in 2006-it called for 3/4 C meringue powder, 1 1/2 C gran. sugar, 3/4 C boiling water, 1 stick of butter and 1 1/2 lbs veg. shortening. I used Spectrum 0 trans fat shortening not even thinking that back in 2006 the shortening still might have still had trans fats in it The modified version states that it is heat stable and crusts but mine was very soft and I am afraid that mine will not hold up or crust because of the type of shortening I used. I do not plan to sit it in the direct sun.

I usually make SMBC so this type of icing is a new learning experience for me.

Has anyone had luck with this recipe using 0 trans fat shortening or the other versions of the recipe?

Hmmm . . . never heard of the creamy dreamy version. Charlotte's is 1 part meringue to 3 parts granulated sugar. It does not really crust, which is why I like it. I just never understood the whole paper towel thing.

I recant my statement about the Charlotte's Buttercream. It's actually very tasty with cake. I just might use if for the wedding cake I have to make.

Thanks for sharing the info about the recipe, Leah.

Hi - I have made this frosting a couple of times with success, but recently it just doesn't seem to fluff up like it used to, its kind of a thick runny frosting if that makes sense - kind of cake batter texture, and i am not changing anything. Any idea what could be the problem? i have added a little less powdered sugar this time as I am about 80g short and its too late to go out to the shops - could that be it?!