278720 Tue Jul 12 08:51:43 -0700 2005 4 31 Home Cooking 0 1476059 I've always made my IM buttercream from the same recipe--basically 2.5c sugar, 6 egg whites, 20 oz. butter, flavoring of choice. Last night I was making a batch for my son's birthday cake, and realized that I would really prefer it with less butter. Perhaps (gasp) significantly less butter. I've got some baking books I could consult to see what ratios they use, but I'm wondering if anybody has any feedback on what happens as you decrease the amount of butter. I mean, fundamentally, you get meringue, I know that. I'm assuming that italian meringue isn't sufficiently stable (without some baking at low temp) to 'frost' a cake with? Plus, I don't think that's quite what I'm after, I just want less butter. Is the frosting reasonably stable with, say, half the amount of butter? Does it alter how much flavoring liquid (extract, etc.) I can put in? Any advice/thoughts appreciated. Smokey Tue Jul 12 08:51:43 -0700 2005 0 smokey 1 1476070 If you're looking to cut the butter, try good ol' whipped cream. I routinely frost cakes with sweetened whipped cream, which is just fine for three or four days in the fridge and is nice with a fresh fruit filling. I also make a chocolate frosting with cocoa or unsweetened chocolate, sugar, and butter...I think the original recipe came from the side of a Hershey's cocoa canister. The amount of butter is much smaller than a buttercream, but the resulting frosting is very thick and cannot be piped; it is very fudgy tasting. It also tends to get a little crunchy after a couple of days. Have you thought about a good old seven-minute boiled icing? Less butter and very stable. Tue Jul 12 10:23:16 -0700 2005 1476059 0 Hungry Celeste 1 1476088 My brain is too fried to work out the math at the moment, but you can cut down on the butter a bit, if you like. It won't be very stable if the butter is too low, but why don't you just add the butter to the meringue a little at a time, beating well to give it a chance to come together, and taste as you go? I know, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it...You can stop adding butter as long as it comes together well and tastes good to you. AS for frosting a cake with meringue, that is essentially what most boiled icings are, just well-cooked meringue. I find that pretty gross, but some people like it. Also, you can cover a cake with meringue then brown the meringue with a torch. It's a pretty effect, but very sweet. Link: http://seasonalcook.blogspot.com/ Tue Jul 12 12:18:31 -0700 2005 1476059 0 curiousbaker 1 1476234 I noticed that the recipe I used from Gourmet for my Dad's giant b-day cake had about a 100 reviews on epicurious. Many, many posters said they reduced the amount of butter significantly. I didn't, but wished I had, it tasted *a lot* like butter. Search up a chocolate cake w/ orange buttercream frosting on epicurious if you are interested in the comments. Wed Jul 13 10:28:11 -0700 2005 1476059 0 danna 2 1476235 Thanks, danna. I remember your weepy buttercream, and wondered if that wasn't one of the possible side effects of reducing butter. Sounds like no, but I think I will check out the review. Smokey Wed Jul 13 10:34:10 -0700 2005 1476234 0 Smokey