A friend of mine has been decorating cakes for over 40 years; myself 20. Often we bake and decorated together; not just to help one another but also, for the fellowship. We used different buttercreams; she, American buttercream, and myself, Italian Meringue buttercream. The trouble I am having is when she asks me to use American buttercream and make smooth sides and sharp corners without a border. Every time, I am unsuccessful. I do not understand. . . the Italian Meringue buttercream is soft but it holds forms wonderfully. However, when I use her American buttercream it almost, "droops", for lack of a better word. I have used straight edges, spatulas, off set spatulas, and I have even used the paper towel rolling method. What am I doing wrong? How can I be successful using American Buttercream? Oh, her buttercream recipe is :
2 Cups Quick Blend
9 Cups 10 X sugar
2 Tblsp Flavoring
Milk
Thanks in advance for all that is done.
Luv Y'all, CC fam!!!!

If she has 40 years experience, perhaps you can watch her do it. Certainly, she could answer your questions while showing you exactly what she does. An in-the-flesh "teacher" is better than a typed explanation any day!

Unfortunately she can't do it. She ask me to do it in hopes of achieving the smooth sides and shrp corners that I. Can gain with the Italin meringue.

You can't. Sorry, I know there are a lot of skilled people that use ABC, but if you look at their cakes then look at a cake with IMBC or SMBC, they are not the same. Sure, you can get ABC smooth, but sharp corners like IMBC? No.

wow. . . that is so discouraging. Thanks again CC fam. Have a wonderful week and happy Mother's Day!

You mean straight and with sharp corners and edges like this?

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1288558/monkey-bc

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2295077/pink-christening-cake

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2311255/green-and-pink

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/41551/boxes-for-1st-bd

Yes, yes, yes! That is exactly what I am looking for in American Buttercream. I noticed that the cakes are decorated by sugarshak and sugarpixie. Beautiful! So, how do I do that?