White SMBC? Is it possible! - Page 3

ok, So i've heard, here on CC, that if you put a little violet it cancels the yellow.  any thoughts? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by didavista 

I am no expert, but I had that happen to my smbc if and only when I smoothed it with a hot spatula or if I cool it and try to smooth it more while it is hard. I asked about it in another thread and it was suggested to me that when the smbc was coming in contact with my spatula that was warmer then the smbc (so even room not heated is the smbc is cold or frozen) that it will do that. Since then i do the upside down smoothing method, get the sides the best I can with my bench scraper, freeze, pull off top, then leave it alone as far as smoothing it. I never had that yellowing effect or streaking since. Just my thoughts.

Now that i think of it, that's probably the reason why some of my cakes are more yellow than others.  I thing you are right on that one

Coincidentally, I had to make some SMBC last night so I decided to try a new recipe.  The result was quite a bit more yellow than I'm used to.  This morning, I made my regular recipe which is much more white.  I put the two side by side (really should have taken a picture for you guys!!) and the difference in color was huge.  I ended up mixing the two together so I can use it on my cake.

The recipe that ended up whiter uses almost twice as much sugar as the other one.  Makes me wonder if sugar is the key to a nice white (or close to white) color?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennicake 

Coincidentally, I had to make some SMBC last night so I decided to try a new recipe.  The result was quite a bit more yellow than I'm used to.  This morning, I made my regular recipe which is much more white.  I put the two side by side (really should have taken a picture for you guys!!) and the difference in color was huge.  I ended up mixing the two together so I can use it on my cake.

 

The recipe that ended up whiter uses almost twice as much sugar as the other one.  Makes me wonder if sugar is the key to a nice white (or close to white) color?

Out of interest, what were the two receipes you were using?  Just curious.  

I use Sweetapolia's recipe, and it's not too yellow, but definitely not white.  I guess you could call it "ecru", or even "beige".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annabakescakes 

That is really yellow! I have never seen SMBC that color without a lot of brown vanilla in it. Very curious...

My SMBC also comes out that yellow all the time  I buy my butter from Costco. ----SMBC is delicious, but that's the part I don't like....and I just purchased the class Modern Piping with Joshua John Russel and he mentioned that if you want SMBC to be white you would have to use shortening

Quote:

Originally Posted by KathleenC 

 

Out of interest, what were the two receipes you were using?  Just curious.  

 

I use Sweetapolia's recipe, and it's not too yellow, but definitely not white.  I guess you could call it "ecru", or even "beige".

I can't recall where I came across these recipes (I typed up the ingredient amounts into a Word document I keep my recipes in), but here they are!  

Recipe #1:

454g butter

200g sugar

175g egg whites

Recipe #2 (the one that turned out whiter):

454g butter

454g sugar

230g egg whites

FromScratchSF says to add a bit of violet to the icing to clear it up and cancel the yellow. I do it all the time and it works perfectly.

However, my icing is never that yellow to begin with. You either got a weird batch of butter or melted the butter with that hot knife. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennicake 

I can't recall where I came across these recipes (I typed up the ingredient amounts into a Word document I keep my recipes in), but here they are!  

 

Recipe #1:

454g butter

200g sugar

175g egg whites

 

Recipe #2 (the one that turned out whiter):

454g butter

454g sugar

230g egg whites

Thanks jenni!  I see recipe #2 has more egg whites to the same amount of butter, which would give you more meringue, which (in my wee mind this makes sense  , but I could be wrong) would give you more "white" before you put the butter in, so I'm wondering if that's why #2 is whiter?

Quote:

Originally Posted by KathleenC 

 

Thanks jenni!  I see recipe #2 has more egg whites to the same amount of butter, which would give you more meringue, which (in my wee mind this makes sense  , but I could be wrong) would give you more "white" before you put the butter in, so I'm wondering if that's why #2 is whiter?

You are likely right.  Looking at those proportions now, that would result in almost twice as much meringue... if the proportion of butter is lower, then the amount of yellow would be lower too.  Good eye :)

OP - what proportions are you using?

I haven't tried it, but I've heard that violet cancels yellow - just a drop though.  Also, i haven't tried this either, but what about shortening instead of butter, and you can add a little butter flavoring?

WOW! What great responses to this issue...I thought for sure I was the only one:)

I started this forum for a wedding cake I did on April 6th. I ended up having to use American Buttercream (with just a little butter) because the bride was set on a white cake (I didn't want to take any chances).

This is the recipe I used that turned out so yellow initially:

1 c. liquid egg whites (or 4 large egg whites)
2 c. sugar
6 sticks butter (half salted, half unsalted - Land-o-Lakes brand)
optional - tiny pinch of salt
flavoring

I did use another SMBC icing recipe on the cupcakes that I made for the same wedding. After many 'trials', I used Walmart brand butter (not quite as 'yellow' as the Land-o-Lakes brand I usually use) and the Wilton White coloring. I tried the violet; but I thought that it gave the icing a 'gray' tint...that's when I decided to just go with ABC. The bride and the MOB were very happy with the results (you can view it in my photos).

Thanks so much for all the many responses...they were a tremendous help to me!