My buttercream frosting only seems to taste less sweet and more buttery if I don't put a full 2 lbs of powdered sugar as most recipes call for. I did add all the sugar for a recent cake to get the stiff frosting for under fondant but it was WAY too sweet...any solutions?

You can try adding a bit of kosher salt dissolved but honestly...when you use that much powdered sugar it's hard not to have it sweet!I have customers ask sometiimes if I can make the icing less sweet

ya, some salt

Try a little cornstarch instead of more PS.

If you do a search on here under recipes for BC, you should find what you're looking for. It depends on what you want to use if for. Is it just going under fondant? If it's going under fondant, I would recomend a whipped cream icing. There are several recipes on here and it goes with any cake. If it's not going under fondant and you want a good taste, try IMBC (it tastes like you're eating butter if you don't add flavor, so make sure you add extract to it!) it is delicious! Anyway, just do a search for buttercream and I'm sure you'll have more than enough to choose from! Hope this helps!

umgrzfn - I'm making a "barbie" cake for this weekend so it will be frosting then covered in fondant. Any issues with a whipped cream frosting sliding off something like this under the weight of the fondant? I just don't want to have to redo the cake over a few times but then again, this is practice for my daugther's doll cake. Since its for a friend birthday, I sitll don't want a mess Thanks!

thanks everyone else too! I didn't think of salt and corn starch! I'll give that a try in my buttercream!

Fondant and whipped cream icing does not work
The very nature of icing is to be sweet......I'm sorry but there isn't any way to make it less sweet *except* as has been mentioned - adding some salt &/or subbing a bit of cornstarch for some of the sugar

kakeladi - I was afraid that might be the answer....I just dont' like that it taste just like I put a spoonful of the powdered sugar in my mouth! I wish I could figure out the store frosting! Not as grainy and not as sweet! anyone have that kind of recipe??

Try adding some melted white chocolate. I add about 1/2 cup of melted white chocolate chips to my batch of buttercream and it cuts the sweetness while adding more depth to the flavor. It's fabulous!

Newmansmom2004 - can you tell me your recipe? I love that idea! thanks!

Try IMBC. Whipped icings will ruin good fondant work, especially because most need to be refrigerated. I use "Classic Vanilla Buttercream" from the food network site. It's easy, not soo sweet, flavors wonderfully, and never tastes like a stick of butter.

KimmieJ, the "store frosting" is probably Rich's Bettercreme. And yeah, it's yummy.

as the others have said, I use some salt, but I use popcorn salt, it's superfine, so you add it 1/8 teaspoon at a time and taste, also try about 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar, you won't taste it,but it helps cut the sweet and helps with any cracking after crusting

Ditto on the popcorn salt and vinegar! Makes a big difference!

Mellee- Where can you buy Rich's Bettercreme? Does it come in a variety of colors?

To cut down on sweetness I add dairy - a bit of cream cheese really helps

I've never understood what "too sweet" meant. It's made of sugar, for cryin' out loud.

When someone asks me if I can make the icing less sweet, I just tell them, very simply, "No. It's made of SUGAR, ya know!"

And this is what my icing tastes like. I don't go to the Dairy Queen and asks them if they can make their ice cream taste like Ben and Jerry's. Don't ask me to change my icing for one order. It's not going to happen.

THIS RECIPE IS LIKE "STORE ICING"
It's really good. And it crusts nicely.

I copied and pasted this from the recipes area of CC. I am not taking credit for it.

Julie's Less-Sweet Buttercream Frosting

Serves/Yields:
Prep. Time:
Cook Time:
Category: Frostings
Difficulty: Easy

This is a buttercream that I adapted from my usual buttercream frosting, with a suggestion to add flour to cut the sweetness. Make sure you whip it for at least 6 minutes once all the powdered sugar is added to make it fluffy and light. It's become my standard buttercream frosting after MANY tries at other recipes.
This yields ALOT. I'm not sure how many cups, never measured, but this yields enough for probably 2 - 8" cakes (2-layers). I have frozen this with no problems. Enjoy!

2 c. butter, softened to room temp.
2 c. shortening (I use Crisco)
4 t. vanilla extract
2 t. almond extract



1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 lbs. 10x confectioner's sugar
2-4 T. milk



Cream butter, shortening, and extracts until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.

Add flour to creamed fat mixture. Beat until thoroughly combined. Add powdered sugar, about 1/2 lb. at a time, beating until combined. When all sugar has been added and combined, add 2-4 T. milk, depending upon consistency desired. Beat for an additional 6-8 minutes on medium speed.

I use my KA Professional 600 for this and it works fine. Recipe can easily be halved.


This frosting is a crusting buttercream and can be smoothed using the VIVA method.


(If you don't need it to crust...I use an old fashioned recipe for buttercream where you cook the flour and milk, chill overnight, then mix butter, sugar, shortening and extract (let me know if you want quantities). I love it. It is NOT too sweet.)

I use Indydebi's BC and everyone loves it and they say it isn't too sweet.

Where do you find Popcorn salt? My local grocery store doesn't have it.

I will have to try vinegar b/c I do have trouble with cracking sometimes.

Bake me a cake: Do you know if Julie's Less Sweet BC holds up in high heat and humidity? It's only May here but the muggies are back already!!![/quote]