I forgot to add the Meringue to my Buttercream frosting (crisco based). What is the difference? I tasted it..it tasted fine, the same really. I checked for crusting..it crusted just fine.

So do I really need to add it to my crisco based buttercream???

I believe someone said it helps with humidity/heat is a factor .. I live in the deep south where heat and humidity are a HUGE factor.. I've never had any problems with my icing but then I haven't had them for any outdoor events... everything I've done my cakes for has been inside only ..

You don't have to add the meringue powder. The buttercream recipe on the back of the wilton pan pamplets I have doesn't even call for it. haven't had any problems but I havent had one of my cakes outside. I have traveled to places with them on an average of about 30 minutes and they have been fine

The only function of the meringue powder is to stabilize the icing. It is perfectly fine without it.

WOW...i thought it was needed to make the BC crust...if that is not the case i may take back the can i bought last night. i find it darned expensive compared to the other things i need to buy to support my addiction. i plan on making a few batches of BC right now so i'll try some without and see how they act for me! i'm in AZ and there is virtually no humidity and everything is AC'd so no worries about heat (except from the house to the car and car to class).

I have made several batching of BC without the meringue. The one thing that I did notice that was different was that it didnt come out as smooth. I live in Southwest Texas where its humid one day dry the next and hot then raining so that may make a difference. MC

Thanks for the feedback!!!! I may never use meringue in my buttercream again!!

My son can't have eggs...so this is so cool!!!!


Thanks again everyone!!!!

I used it till I became a member on CC. Now I never use the stuff. You do not need it~ The only reason why your icing melts when outside it because it's hot LOL!! The only difference to me is that it is cheaper to make BC with out meringue powder~

I have a question.. I use the 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco recipe.. Would the meringue powder have any benefit to this recipe and how much would I use?

I would love to know the answer to that question myself. I hope someone has the answer

I made a cake on Fri. for a party yesterday...made bc and used merigue powder for the first time. I noticed that my bc was easier to smooth, much easier. And for me, in south Alabama near the beach, it did help to keep it from softening and beginning to melt quickly. Here I have to keep an iced cake in the fridge until the last minute or it will begin melting very very fast - it gets super soft and really shiny. In a totally ac'd, very cold, and very well sealed house, I'm sure bc w/out meringue powder would probably hold up fine. But my MIL's house (where the cake was yesterday) is right on the water and it's an older house, so it's always just a tiny bit humid even inside. We even have to put rice in our salt shakers here to keep it from clumping up from the humidity - if it clumps it won't come out of the shaker!! lol Very frustrating! lol

I'd be curious what kind of icing big bakeries use....like grocery stores and wal-mart, etc. It tastes like doo, but I've never seen one start melting, even in the heat down here outdoors!! lol If someone knows, maybe we could take the base recipe and tweak it a little to get the stuff more palatable/tasty??!! lol

Jennifer

Don't need the egg white stuff for crisco based BC. Works just fine without it but then again our humidity isn't over 80% here in So. CA. so it may behave differently in your neck of the woods.

I like the Buttercream with cooked syrup, then added to whipping egg whites, it comes out very smooth, and does not melt or go flat easily..It does not feel like there is "Sand" mixed in it ..