Clear Vanilla

[CynJ]

Anyone ever use the clear vanilla? I have always used the regular vanilla but I am going to be making my brother's wedding cake and need to make the frosting as white as I can get it. (I make a regular butter cream frosting - I don't use the whitener because it leaves an aftertaste).

Is the flavor the same? Is there any aftertaste?

[webmomom]

I usually use the clear all of the time. Espically when I don't want the color distorted. The flavor is just the same.

You also mention Butter cream frosting. Be careful if you are putting any color in the frosting. If you are making it with butter, it also will distort the color. I have had my blue turn green when I use butter instead of shortening. Just be careful

[Margie J]

I use the clear vanilla for wedding cakes. It tastes and smells pretty good, IMO. Another product I've used is a whipped cream stabilizer. It's a powder with vanilla flavor in it. It's great to use in frostings when the weather is warm.

As for real buttercream, without that white-white stuff it's going to have an off-white tint. Decorating with it (on a cake that large) is going to be really tough too. I always use a shortening based frosting on the outside of a wedding cake. It just stands up so much better than butter based frostings. If those cakes have to be out on display and unrefrigerated for hours, buttercream won't hold up as well.

I save the "good stuff" for inside the cake as a filling. I figure most people scrape off the outside frosting (although I make it taste good) and eat the cake inside anyway.

[sha_lyn]

use a good quality veg. shortening and some of the wiltons clear butter flavoring to get a good white and still have the butter flavor. I usethe wiltons buttter and clear vanilla often and there really isn't much difference at all.

[Margie J]

I do the same as sha_lyn. I use a combo of vanilla and butter flavor and wow does that smell and taste great. If I use store bought shortening, Crisco is the only one I use.

If you can find it, Sweetex is a good shortening product to use. Bakers supply companies often carry it. Another flavor I like is called Creme Bouquet (CK Products, Fort Wayne IN). It's sort of a vanilla/lemon scent.

Check this site for Sweetex and other products:

Sweet Celebrations

[missymouse3367]

I like the clear vanilla it does smell much better. You can find large containers of the vanilla and used it for everything. I used to make cakes for everyone in the family and more, I found this place that sold a high ratio shortening it was great, it didn't leave the greasy taste in your mouth. Good Luck CynJ!!!!

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[CynJ]

Awesome! Thanks everyone! I am going to make several batches of practice frosting. I like the butter flavoring idea.

My brother and his fiancee are poor as church mice - they don't have a lot of $$ for the wedding. The one thing he asked me for was one of "your cakes" with "your frosting". No problem I figure - I know my frosting isn't snow white but it would be pretty if the cake was all done in it. But then they threw a monkey wrench into the works when they picked a cake out of the Wilton book that has snow white gum paste daisies on it. Just won't look good on my frosting. So either I modify the frosting or tint the daisies - I tried that already and they don't look bad but it will be hard to make 100+ daisies with the exact same coloring. So back to square 1.

[sha_lyn]

cyn.. another idea I like is a pastel colored wedding cake if the flowers on it are white. It really highlights the flowers.