Buttercream Frosting (using meringue powder)
rec.food.cooking/Raymond Henry (1998)

For the strawberry filling for a cake, I use a good-quality jar of preserves, usually over a thin layer of the buttercream (which I admit I'm not a great fan of). Here's a decent Buttercream recipe:

2/3 cup water
4 Tbsp "Just Whites" or meringue powder

*Whip at a high speed until stiff peaks form, then add, one cup at a time:

4 cups Confectioners sugar (sifted)

Then alternating add mixing at medium-low speed:

8 cups confectioners' sugar (cup at a time)
1 1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening (1/4 cup at a time)

When blended well, add:

1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract*
1/2 tsp Butter extract*
1/2 tsp Almond extract*

*I recommend Wilton Brand extracts, since they are colorless

Yeild: 7 cups, which you can store in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

This icing will harden slightly when exposed to air, so it's a good one to use for decorating. Another hint is to bake your cake a day before you plan to decorate it, so you'll get fewer crumbs.