Have you changed your brand of marg/butter??  This happened to me when I went from Stork to Utterly Butterly, so I soon went back to Stork!!

Light margarine contains a higher % of water by mass than standard margarine - this is why your icing goes runny

85g butter
175g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

I use a buttercream that has no icing sugar in it
3 Tbsp plain flour
4 fl. oz /120mls milk (semi-skimmed gives the best result, skimmed is fine too!)
4 oz butter (I use unsalted)
4 oz caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together the flour and milk and cook in a small saucepan over medium heat until thick. This will only take a few minutes. Sir continuously to prevent the mixture from clumping and do not bring all the way to a boil. When thickened (consistency will be that of thick custard), strain into a small bowl in case any lumps remain, cover with clingfilm and leave to cool completely to room temperature.
When the milk mixture is cool, using the beater attachment (k-beater on a Kenwood, or equivalent), cream the butter and sugar together as you would for a cake. Add in the milk/flour mixture and the flavouring and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 7 minutes (use the beater attachment, not the whisk), until light and fluffy (don't worry if it curdles initially when you add the milk, it will re-combine!).

This is very creamy and not too sweet, so will take all sorts of flavours really well.

How about trying this, i'av been using it just over a year now, and never going back to butter. !!! you dont get the butter taste or the yellow tint, as trex is white, so if you add colouring it will be a bit brighter. !!! ... I know it might not sound nice cause i thought same. i did a trial for family and friends (didnt tell them about the trex one), coloured one in pink(using trex) over in blue(using butter) and everyone said the pink on was best.

500g trex(vegateble fat)
500g icing sugar
3-6 tbsp milk(add to you own preference)

Beat trex, add (sifted)icing sugar a little at a time, then add milk and your flavoring and colouring.

any ideas for decorating a marble cake for my 12 year old daughters birthday on saturday???

have u tried using cold butter nd milk always workes for me!
8oz-of refrigerated butter
2tbsp-of milk/cream
12oz-of icing sugar
and mix well!!! hope it turns out good!!:)

I always use butter for buttercream, NEVER stork or soft marg.
I use Willow butter or lurpak straight out of the fridge.

For 6 cupcakes
50g butter
175g icing sugar
splash of milk
1 small cap vanilla extract

Give it a good mix until the buttercream is almost white and light, add more icing sugar by eye if you add colours or if you want it thicker.

Butter cream is the main component to make the cake.
it is increase the taste and design of cake.
i love butter cream....

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Last edited by jackalan996 (03-03-2012 13:13:36)

i have also tried trex, cheaper than butter and still same taste, i use third trex to two thirds butter, havent had the guts to try all trex yet

What is recipe for swiss meringue buttercream as I have not come across this in 30 years+ of making cakes?