Hello. I'm very new to cake decorating and I've been browsing around this site getting different opinions on buttercream so I'm very confused. I've done a buttercream transfer using Dawn's buttercream recipe. I am now looking to do a graduation cake (Wilton's The Future Looks Great) and wanting a good buttercream recipe for icing the cake and decorating. There's not a lot of decorating on the cake, just some small flowers and borders around the different layers, but the flowers need to be clustered off the cake then put on the cake so I need it to be stiff enough so it doesn't fall apart. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

There are a lot of different recipes... so many to choose from ! I just use one that was given to me by a lady who is now retired from her bakery (her son now runs it) .. it's very simple and I can smooth it really easy using Viva papertowels, I can make flowers with it just fine .. it does crust after sitting ...

2 cups of Crisco (I will only use this kind)
2 pound bag of confectioners sugar
4 to 6 tablespoons of warm water
2 teaspoons of clear flavoring

I mix this really well and store in an airtight container.

There are a lot of really good recipes out there .. I'm not saying the recipe I use is the best at all .. I do want to try the recipe with butter in it too .. it sounds really yummy

Hi JoJo,

It is very confusing with all the buttercream options. I think a lot of what determines the best recipe is what you are using it for and where you live/climate. I love the taste of Dawn's recipe but even if I add meringue powder it never crusts for me (I am in Texas). I think Wilton's all shortening recipe is easiest to work with but does not taste as good.

As I get more practice I am starting the vary the recipe for the decorations I am doing. I have started using 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter to frost the cake but using the all shortening for making roses and decorations.

I hope this helps a little.

Cindy

I love using Dawn's recipe for icing the cake, although it's not quite right for decorations-such as roses. I had to star out a character cake in class last night and used her recipe. The icing started to seperate before I got half of the way finished, so half of my colors were muted. My hands are hot, too, so that doesn't help.

But, you just can't beat the taste of it-it is the best in my book. I think she has a recipe for decorations. This is it...

2 cups shortening
1 stick butter
2 tsp flavor (your choice)
2 lbs powdered sugar

I think this is right but I haven't used it yet. If it was her's, I'm sure it's tasty.

Wandootie

crp7

I use Wilton's Buttercream, using 1/2 crisco and 1/2 butter. It works great for frosting cake and decorations. I add merengue powder to the batch for roses and flowers and they turn out beautiful.

Jenn

The recipe I use to frost cakes is this:
1 cup butter
1 cup crisco
8 cups powdered sugar
1 tblspn mexican vanilla
6 tablespoons of water
This recipe tastes great and people love it!
For decorations try this:
3/4 stick of crisco
1/4 stick of butter
4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp of mexican vanilla
2-3 tblsp of water
This recipe is more stiff for decorations, but still has a flavor people like.
Hope that helps!
Traci

what is mexican vanilla I've never heard of it.

Thank you Traci! I'm curious about the mexican vanilla to!

I found Mexican Vanilla online - what type of flavor does it have??

The flavor is much better than Wilton or artificial extract. It is a stronger flavor. The absolutely best brand is Danncy. You can buy it online in brown or clear. I always get clear so that I can get my icing white. You can also find other brands of Mexican vanilla in grocery stores like Fiesta or Heb. They also have a great flavor. Try it...I know you will like the taste!
Traci

Jojo

I use water to thin the icing, but not as much as the recipe calls for because I have noticed that the butter tends to thin it a little bit.

For the merengue powder, I use 1 Tblsp per 1 lb of powdered sugar

1 Cup Crisco
1 Cup Butter
3 Tblsp water
1 tsp clear vanilla
1 tsp clear almond
2 lbs powdered sugar (I use C & H)
2 Tblsp meringue Powder

Mix all the wet ingredients first, then add the dry.

To thin to med consistency add 1-2 tblsp water

Thin consistency 2-3 tbsp water.

This is the recipe I got in class and have had rave reviews about it from everyone I have baked cakes for.

JoJo,

I just got the chance to get back on. I use the basically the same recipe as Jennkrem although I usually use all vanilla instead of the almond. You can use whatever flavoring you like.

I use water to thin mine, also. One trick I learned in my Wilton class was to make the frosting on the stiffer side then if you need to thin it get a blob on your spatula and just run it under the faucet to wet it. Then go back and mix the rest of your batch with the wet frosting. This makes it easier to thin without suddenly getting it too thin.

Cindy

I know this might sound silly, but it adds flavor to my frostings, I use the coffee mate vanilla flavored creamer. You know that stuff you buy in the milk section of the grocery store. I add a little bit of that to thin out my frosting and it adds alittle bit of an extra taste of vanilla and beleive it or not I haven't had it go bad on me. I love it in my coffee and the family loves it in my frostings. Try it sometime you will be surprised.