I know, I know, hi-ratio is the way to go...if I could justify the cost, I would buy it, but I can't. I used to have a giant box of Alpine, and it was awesome!
But...I know that there are many non hi-ratio buttercreamers out there, and I need help choosing a generic brand! What do you use?
Kroger, Wal-Mart, Aldi, Target, Meijer, etc?
I did have a nasty experience with Kroger brand...it had a strange texture and looked like mashed potatoes. It was gross and went straight into the garbage can! Looked at the container and it had meat fats in it. YUCK!
So, leave a reply with your brand, and any other advice, opinions, etc.
[quote="Heatherly30"]I know, I know, hi-ratio is the way to go...if I could justify the cost, I would buy it, but I can't. I used to have a giant box of Alpine, and it was awesome!
But...I know that there are many non hi-ratio buttercreamers out there, and I need help choosing a generic brand! What do you use?
Hi, I use shortening and pre-creamed shortening. Buy them both at Food City. Food Club Brand and Valu time Brand. All my Buttercream cakes in my photos were made with these.
Tammie
Before I found Hi Ratio, I too was on the hunt for a decent shortening...I never found a store brand that I was thrilled with. I never tried, but heard that costco had decent shortening that is sold in large buckets.
Walmart brand was terrible. Melted to easily and overly greasy if that makes sense (I know, its grease)lol Butter Crisco was the same actually and I usually stuck to the regular plain Crisco...until I found Hi-Ratio and now I will never go back. The added expense is worth every penny when I hear the "OMG this is delicious" comments that remind me why I don't buy the other.
Hope this helps a lil.
Happy Baking!
I was grumpy untill I used hi ratio. Now my buttercream is beautiful and tastes good 
The correct answer is no shortening. Sorry, I'm biased because I love meringue buttercreams. But I do have a recipe which I also really like that only uses 25% shortening.
The truth is, generic brands are the same as Crisco. The Wal Mart and Giant brands (or other store brands) of shortening are pretty much the same as regular Crisco with zero trans fats.
I found a brand called Richtex that I buy at a local food distribution place. The packaging is a little dated but it still has trans fats and works fine. I think if you adjust your recipe to include more butter it doesn't really matter what brand of shortening you use.
I use the Publix shortening, though I have been doing SMBC more lately. I bake a lot though, so I use shortening fairly often. The Walmart brand was slightly gritty, more greasy, and behaved differently. Kroger brand started using meat fats, and it's chunky, gritty, nasty, smells bad, and almost looks curdled sometimes. I haven't been able to find a store brand at Sam's club, though I would assume it would be the same as Walmart. Publix brand feels, looks, handles like Crisco. Of course I want hi-ratio, but I am running out of storage room, and it will be an after Christmas thing.
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