I have always used buttercream dream which I love! But decided to try my hand at something different for my sons 1st Birthday this weekend. I made IMBC yesterday and I could eat it with a spoon. I am not usually an icing person I prefer warm plain cake....which I will be having as soon as I trim up my cake....ummmmm! This stuff tastes like whipped cream it is so light and not so sweet as most icings... I haven't used it yet as my cake is cooling right now but I'm sure it will work well since I see so many people on here that use it.
As an aside.... What is the best way to smooth this type of icing this is my first time using a non-crusting BC
I love it too! I use Shirley's recipe and it is my favorite! (you can find it under Frosting in the recipe section - search for "Shirley")
I use a hot flat metal spatula to smooth it. I've heard that some people do that, then put it in the fridge to get cold and harden, then smooth with a hot spatula again as necessary.
I know exactly what you mean! It is absolutley scrumptious!
I am making some IMBC tonight and will flavour it with praline powder - so awesome on chocolate cake!
I have also added banana liqueur, Grand Marnier or Frangelico. Nutella also makes for a nice change. You can have a lot of fun with it...
Man, how did I miss the boat so badly!! I have tried IMBC and SMBC and FBC and they just taste like whipped butter to me. I guess I like the traditional sweet icing. It makes me jealous when people rave about how good they are because I think maybe I am really missing out! Hahaha! I am glad you found something you really like! That always makes a person happy! 
It's all I use too.. well I make SMBC, but it's pretty much the same in the end.. :LOL: . I use a warm bench scraper to smooth it. It's so much easier to get smooth than the normal powdered sugar based buttercream.
If you love it plain you HAVE to try some variations. Chocolate.. to die for.. strawberry (just add some strawberry puree) is like eating strawberry ice cream and you can do raspberry or blueberry or cherry too. Lemon is really good too.. just add some lemon curd. Peppermint is WICKEDLY good too.. I add peppermint oil to taste and add some crushed peppermint candies and on chocolate cake it is AMAZING.
I love the stuff.. it's just so easy to work with.
I like SMBC too.......but I still cant figure out why I have so many BUBBLES in it!! 
I actually have had a hard time smoothing because of all the air. I wish I could figure it out.
I tried IMBC for the first time yesterday.
Didn't like it at all. I think it was the texture? It's not like anything I've tasted on/in a cake before. It's not used in the UK very much at all (in fact, I only heard about it here on CC).
I made a chocolate IMBC, but tasted it before the chocolate went in, too.
I think it would make a lovely mousse, though. Although, you couldn't eat too much of it.
However, I wonder.... could you put it in an ice cream maker/churner? Bet it'd be nice frozen, LOL!?
I like SMBC too.......but I still cant figure out why I have so many BUBBLES in it!!
I actually have had a hard time smoothing because of all the air. I wish I could figure it out.
I made a batch recently that seemed to have a lot of bubbles, realized that I was in a hurry and had the mixer up higher than usual . Mixing at too high a speed beats air into the icing, whereas mixing at a slower speed makes icing creamier.
Hope this helps .
I just tried it this week too. I made a chocolate cake with caramel IMBC to fill. It was our 6th anniversary cake. We LOVED it! My husband raves about it every time he has a piece.
The peppermint mentioned above sounds incredible! I'll try that next!
I notice that I get a lot of bubbles too, but I just take my torch to the side of the bowl and mix it on the lowest speed until it smooths out. Almost no bubbles and easy peasy to smooth. HTH's
I made my first meringue buttercream today--there must be something in the air! I've had some egg whites left after a yellow cake, but honestly some of the recipes looked awfully intimidating. Then today I caught part of Cupcake Week on Martha Stewart. The ladies from "How Sweet It Is" in NYC made SMBC and I used their recipe and omitted the chocolate:
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-buttercream-frosting?lnc=38f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_tv
it was a breeze to make and I love the texture! It's very buttery, but I haven't added flavoring yet. I also read somewhere to use brown sugar instead of white and I will have to try that soon.
I can see that I will still have uses for Buttercream Dream, but I can't say I missed the powdered sugar mess!
Yay, I love IMBC converts!! 
Melvira, have you added enough flavoring (vanilla, whatever) when you tried it?? One tbsp can make all the difference between "whipped butter" taste and "scrumptious". But I am sure you already know that - it's still a different texture and some people just prefer a more traditional icing. I have a gal that prefers Kroger cakes cuz she LOVES that shortening icing, so I do think everyone is entitled to their preferences. Try it w/chocolate added, that definitely doesn't taste like butter!
Anyway someone just asked a question about smoothing IMBC, and I put a few great IMBC links in that thread http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-581389.html
One of the links has Shirley's and also Antonia74's smoothing techniques, it also has Antonia74's preparation techniques in order to get the best possible consistency.
Oh man, I am not shy with the flavorings! People in this area say I have the best buttercream around because I am very liberal with the flavoring! 
But maybe... just maybe I need to add a little more to the SMBC!! I am willing to give it another try, certainly! I am not one to close my mind to new things!! And it's entirely possible that since I was not familiar with the recipe that I followed it rather closely instead of adding lots and lots of flavoring like I normally do!
YOU WIN CESHELL!!! I'll try it again! See how you influence me! You should be ashamed of yourself for manipulating me like that! Hahahaha! 
That's ok, I'll be singing your praises if that is the thing that changes my mind, now won't I???
LOL Melvira, you are cracking me up!! I don't even know why I care so much, it's not like I own stock in egg whites 
.
Seriously, give it a whirl with some melted bittersweet chocolate (I think generally the recipe can handle 1/4 cup of it) if the flavoring thing isn't working out for you. Or try melysa's "Very Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream" in the recipe section; I've never tried it so I can't vouch..but she uses 1/4c instead of 3 tbs...so that's about double.
Anyway YOU my dear will always win - because no matter how much you like it, it can't be smoothed with the Melvira method. Actually maybe I am hoping that you'll like it so much you'll figure out a Melvira method for IMBC too!! Home Depot, here I come! LOL 
And you're just using me for smoothing methods! Hey, I'm flattered! For a real mind blower, try Toba Garrett's chocolate ganache SMBC. She makes real ganache with cream and the best chocolate she can get, then whips that into her regular recipe for SMBC. It almost blew up my Kitchen Aid, but it was worth it. To die for. In "The Well Decorated Cake".
I put left over ganache in SMBC all the time.. VERY good!!!! It's like eating chocolate mousse.
I Love IMBC, too! I have found for me, the best way to smooth this icing is using the upsidedown technique. I don't always use it (it is a bit more time consuming), but when I do it works wonders. I need a lot of practice in this area, so it has been a huge help to find this way of making a smooth finish with IMBC.
I agree, any cake flavor is great. As far as the basics, I had some vanilla cupcakes that I thought were "just ok" but when I topped them with vanilla IMBC, they became absolutely scrumptious and I couldn't stop eating them. Which is a big deal because normally if it isn't chocolate, I have no interest in eating it. I also really like it with a super-chocolately choc. cake, the vanilla offsets the chocolate nicely especially when whipped cream isn't an option. I always figure, if it tastes great with chocolate or vanilla, it'll work beautifully with anything!
I loved it as I said before I could eat it with a spoon! I noticed it has a completely different taste when cold but both are good.. I only used vanila and almond flavorings in it and it was delish... It also was very easy to smooth with a hot spatula. i did it once then refridgerated and smoothed again. It turned out great. I only used it as white so I'm not sure on how well it takes on color but it is the perfect snow white even with all the butter. I guess the egg whites counter act it. I put it on a white cake mix which I add extra vanilla and almond flavoring to and I found that the cake was a little too sweet in comparison to the icing!!! Of course my husband who loves super sweet grocery store icing didn't care for it because it wasn't sweet enough but the rest of my family loved it. from 1 year old to 55 years old. forget my husband this is my icing of choice from now on!
you all convinced me to give it a try. I know my DH will love it because he says all forms of buttercream are too sweet. He likes light with little sweetness for frostings. I on the other hand don't like whipped frostings made with cool whip or rich's bettercream. I don't like the texture of it, so I may not be a good judge. I'm willing to give it a shot though. Never know until you try.
I've only made IMBC and as I previously said, I love it. But it is very different....I like it straight from the bowl but yes, it can be much more "buttery" than someone is used to.
Melvira and mkolmar - please try it and don't give up on it until you taste it WITH cake. The sweetness of the cake paired with the slightly sweet creaminess of the IMBC or SMBC cannot be matched! (at least I don't think so) It really is the combo of cake and icing that won me over, in contrast to the traditional "American" BCs that can almost overpower the taste of the cake with their sweetness.
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