I used the Well Dressed Cake recipe for smbc. It was a lovely texture but I thought it tasted way too buttery. Plus im way intimidated about smoothing it. Is there any happy medium between american crusting buttercream and smbc? Those of you that use smbc so you alter the recipe at all, tips for that and smoothing.
Thanks
I add more sugar....I like it a little sweeter. I also use a stick or two of salted butter instead of all unsalted.
It's a different taste, and really tastes buttery when its cold.
I think getting it perfectly smooth just takes a lot of practice. Mine has never been perfect, but a heated spatula helps.
Jodie
I have found that salted butter in meringue buttercreams result in a much stronger butter flavor than unsalted butter. I prefer unsalted butter as I find the flavor of the salted to be overpowering.
As for smoothing. Well, practice. It doesn't crust, so you can't use any tricks, just your icing knife and a plastic bowl scraper should get it smooth.
JodieF - how much more sugar to you add? And is this IMBC or SMBC that you are adding more sugar to?
(different cooking technique, for those who wish to know why I asked. )
I have only made the SMBC, using the 1, 2, 3 recipe, 1 part egg white, 2 parts sugar, 3 parts butter. But, for example, with 1 cup egg whites, I used 2 1/2 cups sugar, and then 3 cups of butter.
I think, like anything else, you have to play with it a bit until you like the flavor. Of course, you could make a smaller recipe than that to experiment.
Jodie
Okay, that makes sense. I made SMBC and thought it a bit too bland, too much like butter. I think it needed to be sweeter. So I ended up mixing 1/2 WBH (which was kinda blande, too ) and 1/2 SMBC and it was to DIE for! And you know, my most critical taste-testers really thought that THIS was my best icing yet. So that made me feel better.
I would like to try a bit more sugar with your recipe. Thanks!
Combining IMBC and reg. buttercream:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-28824.html
HTH
Cool JanH, thanks! I tried getting the stuff to crust up, that was probably the biggest issue right there.
(BTW, you are always just a wealth of info at a touch of the keyboard, & I just wanted to say I appreciate it and THANK YOU!!!)
For smoothing MBC's I highly recommend antonia74's smoothing instructions. They are found by scrolling down to her third post on p2 of this thread: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=404613&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=15
Take a look at my Santa cake in my gallery if you want to see what you can do with her method!! I couldnt' believe how smooth I got it. First time ever that smooth! (And the top was perfect too, before I decided the design called for a rough surface.) I use the Cake Bible's Mousseline Buttercream (it's an IMBC) recipe.
Take a look at my Santa cake in my gallery.
I think I have seen smooth icing on this, but ... am I blind? your Santa? i didn't see a Santa.
No matter! Off to bed I go!
oops, I forgot, I did a collage so it's impossible to see which cake it is http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1296480
BTW this was not a shameless plug for my cake, but seriously meant as an example of someone who FINALLY managed to get IMBC smooth! I even sent antonia74 a thank you PM for helping me to get that cake like that. Happy sleeping! I think it's time for me to do the same
where can I find the tips for smoothing? Link please if you have it or do I do an article search?
oops, I forgot, I did a collage so it's impossible to see which cake it is http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1296480
BTW this was not a shameless plug for my cake, but seriously meant as an example of someone who FINALLY managed to get IMBC smooth! I even sent antonia74 a thank you PM for helping me to get that cake like that. Happy sleeping! I think it's time for me to do the same
I am all for shameless plugging for a cake! However, I know you didn't mean it that way!!
(I think I woke up on funny-side-of-bed this morning, I'm having way too much fun for this early for me on a Saturday winder morning!)
GREAT CAKE!!!! THAT cake is soooo smooth!!
where can I find the tips for smoothing? Link please if you have it or do I do an article search?
Hi momma28, I put the link in my post above --three posts above your post . It's not an article (though it should be!) - her tips were on p2 of a thread that was called "IMBC Photos For Inispiration Please!" She recently reposted the same text in another thread but I forgot which one that was
Ceshell - I had searched for an Article or a How To on that, also. Antonia74 technique is very good. I'm glad you led me to that post.
Here's a tutorial on how to smooth meringue based buttercreams:
http://www.make-fabulous-cakes.com/icing-a-cake.html
Hope that helps!
Okay, that makes sense. I made SMBC and thought it a bit too bland, too much like butter. I think it needed to be sweeter. So I ended up mixing 1/2 WBH (which was kinda blande, too ) and 1/2 SMBC and it was to DIE for! And you know, my most critical taste-testers really thought that THIS was my best icing yet. So that made me feel better.
I would like to try a bit more sugar with your recipe. Thanks!
What's WBH??
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