CampChef, you hit on the reason I usually just scrape off cake icing: it looks pretty but tastes like sugary lard, and often gritty as well. When I ordered our wedding cake I asked the chef to let me taste her offereings for icing, and a well-made buttercream was the winner. I also like an icing called Swiss buttercream at a high-end grocery/bakery near my home. It's extremely rich- tastes almost like eating sweetened butter!- but it's excellent. |