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Does everyone use butter in their buttercream?

post #1 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:13pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all! Does everyone use butter in their buttercream? I was taught in my Wilton class to use clear butter flavouring so that my icing will stay white. Doesn't butter make the icing a pale yellow? Please let me know. Thanks!
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post #2 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:21pm
IMHO, the Wilton class icing is NOT buttercream. REAL buttercream contains butter. The BEST buttercreams are the European style meringue-based buttercreams, such as IMBC and SMBC.

Yes, the butter does cause the buttercream to be slightly off-white, but NOT pale yellow. If a cake is done all in the buttercream it will look white, not snow-white, but white. This slight off-white cast does not interfere with coloring with gel paste food colorings.

I like to use as much natural ingredients in my cooking as possible. The Wilton class icing is almost all artifical, chemically engineered stuff. Yuck! Who wants to eat that?
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post #3 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:27pm
I used to, but now I use a recipe without butter and add a tsp. of butter flavoring. I can't tell the difference in taste, and I have cut my cost.
Debbie - US Army (Retired) --aka "The Cake Sarge"

Good Cake Ain't Cheap! Cheap Cake Ain't Good!
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Debbie - US Army (Retired) --aka "The Cake Sarge"

Good Cake Ain't Cheap! Cheap Cake Ain't Good!
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post #4 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:28pm
I use half butter and half shortening. I even use real vanilla, Not Clear, and it still comes out white. I've never had a customer complain that their frosting is not white enough.
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post #5 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:35pm
hi, i teach wilton at michaels and at a community college. i ask the studetns to make the class buttercream to work in class with. with the shortening , it is more stable. i tell them to use butter and shortening or all butter with the powder sugar .etc. if they want to on their cakes. but to use a crusting buttercream while taking the class. then , when they learn more.. and can handle making the rose good. then try other buttercreams. whether it is the buttercream dream recipe on this site or wherever they find one they like.. most students can,t hardly handle the class buttercream at first to do borders, roses ,etc.. i tell them about imbc, smbc . fmbc, etc. but to wait until they get thru class. lots of people don,t like imbc, smbc,etc. they say, it is like eating butter .. i tell them to try lots of recipes. i like the wbh imbc. it is the best i have ever made. i ask them not to use cans of store bought icing. they are not good tasting nor do they crust.. i want them to learn how to smooth crusting buttercream.. i tell them about cake central also. i even ask them not to buy and try to work with the cans and bucket of the wilton icing in the cake aisle. it is sticky.. i tried all this , so i could be honest with them all. but a few do come in with it , and they can,t make a thing. it is so sticky.
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post #6 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:38pm
In a pinch I have used 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening in the wilton buttercream. It doesn't really affect the color so much. It did have a better feel (less gritty) when eating it, but I found that it didn't work as well for decorating. If you want you can use the butter in the frosting and all shorting for flowers and such. That will at least cut some of it out!
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post #7 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:41pm
i use the whipped cream buttercream recipe i found here on cc, it doesn't use any butter, but i find that the people i make cakes for like it better than regular buttercream (which i used to use all the time)becuz it is not as sweet. and it is not nearly as exspensive to make. but since i usually only do cakes for family and friends, i imagine i could use either and they wouldn't complain.
let the frosting fly and land where it may
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let the frosting fly and land where it may
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post #8 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by prterrell

IMHO, the Wilton class icing is NOT buttercream. REAL buttercream contains butter. The BEST buttercreams are the European style meringue-based buttercreams, such as IMBC and SMBC.

Yes, the butter does cause the buttercream to be slightly off-white, but NOT pale yellow. If a cake is done all in the buttercream it will look white, not snow-white, but white. This slight off-white cast does not interfere with coloring with gel paste food colorings.

I like to use as much natural ingredients in my cooking as possible. The Wilton class icing is almost all artifical, chemically engineered stuff. Yuck! Who wants to eat that?



Yep...took the words right outta my mouth!
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post #9 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:46pm
I only use butter. YUMMO!!!! Unless it's just for dummies and decorating the cake board. Then I actually tell people that it is decorator icing and made with shortening, and that they can eat it if they want, but....

Oh, and please forgive my tag-line and booger-guy. You have to read the most controversial thread ever.
Eat Smart... Eat Cake!!!
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Eat Smart... Eat Cake!!!
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post #10 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:50pm
I use half butter half shortening and then after it is mixed together i then take violet colouring and put in a teeeny tiny bit (just a little tip of a toothpick) in and it whitens the icing to a much whiter looking icing.
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post #11 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:50pm
I use real butter in my bc. I may be a little more picky....but when I have gone to a wedding that used only shortening, I can tell. I don't like the taste, so much so that I scrape off the icing and just eat the cake. When there is real butter cream, I don't do that.
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post #12 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:53pm
[quote="mommyle"]I only use butter. YUMMO!!!! Unless it's just for dummies and decorating the cake board. Then I actually tell people that it is decorator icing and made with shortening, and that they can eat it if they want, but....

Oh, and please forgive my tag-line and booger-guy. You have to read the most controversial thread ever.[/quote]

Okay, I'll bite, which thread is the most controversial ever?
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post #13 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:55pm
Yes, it taste better. I actually use 1/2 & 1/2 of shortening if I'm frosting a cake. But if I'm using it for cupcakes just butter (sweet cream butter).
You can't just eat a piece of cake, you have to eat the cake to pieces! Marilyn
http://cakemelove.blogspot.com
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You can't just eat a piece of cake, you have to eat the cake to pieces! Marilyn
http://cakemelove.blogspot.com
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post #14 of 112
3/26/09 at 6:56pm
Does the whipped cream buttercream crust? Is it stiff enough to make roses and pipe stuff?
Debbie - US Army (Retired) --aka "The Cake Sarge"

Good Cake Ain't Cheap! Cheap Cake Ain't Good!
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Debbie - US Army (Retired) --aka "The Cake Sarge"

Good Cake Ain't Cheap! Cheap Cake Ain't Good!
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post #15 of 112
3/26/09 at 7:00pm
I use the wilton class recipe, but also use half butter, half shortening. I don't have a problem with any yellowing - but I have found that the older the butter, the more ivory the icing is. Thankfully, I live really close to the Cabot butter plant, and what's in the grocery store here is normally less than a week old.
"Laughter is the best gift that God gave us" From the queen of butter, Paula Deen.
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"Laughter is the best gift that God gave us" From the queen of butter, Paula Deen.
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