Aaaah, that makes so much sense now! I wondered why I didn't like the buttercream on the bakery cupcakes I bought recently. It's probably because they did the shortening instead of butter (decorator's). It never tasted BUTTERY, just hard and somewhat sweet. The cats like it a ton, though. :D I will have to try this recipe and see if I can muddle through it. :D I have to see about replacing my KitchenAid, though. It makes me sad, but its clutch seems to no longer work. At least not unless you press the back of the engine in. If you don't, then you turn the mixer on and it's at medium speed if you are LUCKY. :D (And Susan, you gave me a little happy puppy wiggle when you said you knew Alton Brown at Culinary school. I have a huge Idol on a Pedestal type of crush on him just because he is doing the science food thing. :D It hasn't (quite) rendered me speechless when I get to meet him, but it's a really close thing! My brain does go onto fan-girl autopilot.) :D I, too, remember bakery buttercream as a kid, which we had on white cake with lemon filling. I remember the impossible blue and pink of the flowers on those cakes, and the stark white color of the frosting. Also the way that grease seemed to seep into the cardboard of the cake box, wherever the frosting touched it. And when you meet Alton, don't worry, he's busy but very real. And tell him I said "hi" :-)!

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