I buy it from the cake decorating store, which is probably 100X more than it should cost. Does anyone know of a place that sells it at a reasonable price? I use it in my BC recipe.

TIA!

You don't have to use meringue powder. Trust me. I learned how to make buttercream originally by making it with meringue powder. And I had the same frustration as you. Then I looked up some BC recipes on here and there are plenty that work perfectly that don't use any meringue powder.

Jewelykaye, I totally get what you're saying. But there's no way I'm trying anything else. I LOVE my recipe. It's just that I'm a slave to the freakin meringue powder! It's like a drug at this point! Always running out, always paying top dollar, ahh!!!!

Since I'm allergic to eggs, I have never tried meringue powder and I'm sure I never will. More dangerous for me than baking a cake with eggs, you know.

But, I've tried many, many wonderful crusting buttercream recipes and I think that you shouldn't be afraid to try a new one...sometime. I know how it is when you are making something special...you don't want to take a chance. But maybe sometime when you just want to make something small you could give it a go. I bet if you try a great recipe you'll be so glad you did!

I do not use meringue powder in my buttercream either! Haven't for years!

have you tried egg white powder instead?

Any recipe useing powdered sugar will crust. I agree with Jewelykaye I stopped useing it soon after my wilton classes were complete.

More than likely you can use your same recipe and just leave out the mp. If it is a buttercream that uses butter/crisco and powder sugar it should crust the same with out the mp. Why not give it a try on your next cake that you can play a little with.

I only use it on BC roses, and that's ONLY if I'm going to be doing a ton of them. If it's just a few, I don't bother. I can't even tell the difference.

I feel your pain. I believe that any recipe with shortening or karo syrup or powdered egg whites (I found at the grocery store, called just whites) works to.

Our WalMart sells the Wilton meringue powder for a better price than Hobby Lobby or Michaels. However, you can get it from HL or Michaels when they have their 40% off coupons and save that way too.

Well, if I went to Michaels and bought the largest can of MP, it would cost more than buying the same amount from Kitchen Kraft AND paying the shipping, AND paying in USD. But then again, I don't really have any volume to speak of, so even KK is probably more expensive than what you get. I guess I'm not really much help. Sorry.

Walmart is the cheapest place to get it in my area.

If you are using Meringue in a buttercream recipe that uses butter, shortening and powdered sugar, you really dont need it. If you dont use it, it will not effect your icing at all. It is kind of like a stablizier. the only time I may use meringue in my icing is when i am doing an outdoor wedding and it is hot. It helps to keep the icing from breaking down from the heat.

If you are using Meringue in a buttercream recipe that uses butter, shortening and powdered sugar, you really dont need it. If you dont use it, it will not effect your icing at all. It is kind of like a stablizier. the only time I may use meringue in my icing is when i am doing an outdoor wedding and it is hot. It helps to keep the icing from breaking down from the heat.

I was also a slave but got tired of buying it so I tried it w/o the meringue powder and honestly couldn't tell a difference. I used my same reicpe, just left it out.

I started thinking, anything that I really don't need is just more profit for me!

I have to agree with everyone else. I used it at first but stopped soon after my wilton classes were completed. It just seemed to be yet another expense that I felt I didn't need. I've tried many bc recipe's without it and some were better than others but all were really good. HOWEVER- if you really really don't want to give it up- I get mine from a locally owned grocery store with an in-house bakery. They sell it in bulk and it's pretty cheap. You could go that route or even see if you can get it in bulk from some place like sysco. They sell a lot of food products to stores, restaurants and bakeries and also sell to the public. I believe they have a few warehouses around the country and they may be able to tell you where the nearest one is if you called their corporate offices. And finally look in your yellow pages for bakery supplies/wholesale. I get lots of stuff from these types of stores like the fruit filling sleeves, disposable decorating bags etc... for a better deal than the usual retail stores. Sorry- looong I know. But good luck.

a lot of people here use dream whip powder ala indy debi...

i personally think wilton put int in to make you buy more useless stuff.

National Flavors sells meringue powder in bulk.

www.nationalflavors.com

HTH

Been making cakes for 25 years .... had no idea what MP was or why it was used until I read discussions on it here on CC (landed in CC less than 2 years ago). I use my BC for icing, borders, flowers, roses, everything. The only time I use MP is for cookie icing ..... sometimes.

I am a Wilton Method Instructor and explain to my students that MP is a stabilizer and ask that they use it when making their class buttercream for Course I. After that, it's totally optional. It doesn't add to the taste, it doesn't make it crust better. I've never used it for my own frosting and never will. The only time I personally use it is when I make Royal Icing.

But.....everyone has their own ways.....many options.....personal preference.............and I tell my students this.

My 2 cents......

Gayle
SE Michigan

Thanks, everyone! Thanks, JanH. I'm going to check out that website. I love my butter cream recipe. It's not Wilton's. It has granulated and powdered sugar. I'm afraid that if I skip the meringue powder the colors will bleed. Doesn't it help keep them from bleeding??

Tell me, Debi - do you know if your b/c frosting is solid enough for sugar cookies? Using the 1/3 cup milk or cream in your recipe makes it perfect for cake, but seems too soft for cookies. Thickening with powder sugar good enough, or do you know of another way to b/c frost cookies?

I only use MP for cookie icing and RI. Other than that, I try not to use it unless absolutely necessary, because it is so expensive. Haven't used it in my buttercream in years, and haven't missed it.

Amber0717,

I would love to hear your recipe. Would you be willing to share?

Amy

I find that MP keeps my icing from breaking down and keeps the colors from separating. I tried it both with and without in my recipe, and it's just not the same without it. So I guess I'm a slave to MP too!

Sure, I'll share my recipe. Actually, I just added it to the recipes section. It's called Supreme Butter Cream. I don't think it's showing up quite yet, so I'll PM you the recipe for now.

Also, I have used this Butter Cream on sugar cookies. Once it crusts, it's fine to even put them in cellophane bags. It doesn't smear or anything.

I don't use the MP in my buttercream receipe either and have not in a long while I could not tell any difference. Try it ans see if you can tell any difference.

I haven't read all the responses, but if you want meringue powder, check WalMart. My has it in 2 sizes. I actually use it in place of egg whites in my WASC cake. I hate having yolks leftover!