Hi All,

I am completely new to cake decorating. The first problem I have is that Wilton has us do the American Buttercream on everything, but my husband can't stand it.

I want to try the SMBC or IMBC mentioned in posts here, but don't know the consistency. Will it work for decorating the same as my ABC in my Wilton courses I'm taking?

I doubt it. I took the Wilton classes and have been hobby decorating for a couple of years. I have never made IMBC or SMBC however I have read numerous recipes and posts about both.The reason that type of icing is used in the Wilton classes is because it crusts so you can have a very smooth iced surface to your cake and so you can make decorations like roses that will not flop but will crust and keep their shape. Also it is capable of being made in 3 different consistencies to make it possible to pipe different things easier.

We use the Wilton Decorating Icing made with crisco in classes because it holds up better to the repeated use and holding the bags. In my classroom at the store, I have a feeling IMBC or SMBC would be a dripping mess, one because our room stays very warm and two because my students icing usually gets soft from warm hands anyway.

If a student asked me about it, my suggestion for them would be to ice their cakes with what ever they wanted, but to please use the Wilton recipe with crisco in class for the practice. After the classes and while at home, you can practice and play around with the differnet icings. But for class use it works better if we use an icing I know how it works. If you come in with a different icing, and it is too soft, the instructor may not be able to help fix it and make it workable for ya.

You can most definitely decorate with IMBC or SMBC, BUT it's not good for a classroom setting. IMBC and SMBC are temp-sensitive and in class, you're usually focused on the technique at hand and holding the bag, waiting for instructing, etc. like Texas_Rose says.

Your class may require stiff vs. medium vs. thin consistency icing, depending on what technique you are practicing. If you come to class with the wrong consistency of Wilton icing, you can correct it with some extra powdered sugar or water ... with IMBC and SMBC, you cannot change the consistency on the fly.

Definitely venture into making IMBC and SMBC at home, but for class, follow their recipes because that's what the curriculum is expecting.

I've used IMBC in wilton classes since I never plan on using ABC. Might as well figure out the right technique for piping what you intend to use on your cakes from the get go.. I've had good luck with Shirley's recipe in the recipe section. It pipes pretty much the same and you can thin it if you need to with any liquid. IMBC is more stable so I'd recommend IMBC. Just don't overfill your bag and don't hold the bag unless you are piping. It is a good thing to learn to be mindful of if you plan on working with IMBC or SMBC.

I'd bring extra. I've never tried reusing IMBC after it has been piped.

While I prefer IMBC, and tend to use it almost exclusively, I would not recommend it for a newbie to use in the Wilton class for all the reasons listed above by other posters.

The purpose of the class is to learn the techniques and give you a starting point to build up your own skills. Nothing about the class compels you to stick with ABC outside of class. I say use what the class calls for in class, and at home use IMBC/SMBC/FBC whatever you like.

One other thing is, your instructor may be unfamiliar with IMBC/SMBC and how to handle it properly, so if you were to run into some difficulty or need some guidance she might not be able to help.

Besides I can not imagine why i would want to waste such velvety goodness on Wilton stuff that almost always (in my case) ended up in the trash after practice.

I'd bring extra. I've never tried reusing IMBC after it has been piped.

To heck with it, how about bring both. Learn the technique along with the rest of the class w/ the Wilton stuff. If you got the hang of it, switch bags and try it with the IMBC / SMBC.

^^ I like that idea

I have made IMBC once, so I can say that yes if a student brought it into class then yes I would not know how to help fix or adjust it.

I have seen students struggle with their icing and can see how frustrating it can be for them. And if it is a large group I don't have as much one on one time to work with everyone, so that can make it worse. If it is the class icing, then we can quickly add powder sugar or water or piping gel to get it workable rather quickly.

I also can not imagine an all butter icing being used in my classroom. Not with how hot it is and how much it is handled. We had three fans going last week and it was still warm in the room.

If students ask me about other icings or even using butter in the Wilton recipe I always suggest they try it, at home or that they ice their cake with it. The point of the classes is to learn the techinques, and the class icing works great for that. Once you learn them you can translate them into other icings.

Now this is just my opinion. I can only speak from my experince, and when someone brings something other than what we ask them to, then they have often times had problems with it.