The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to buttercream frosting? ›

Tips for Successful Buttercream

All the lumps should be completely beaten out before adding the sugar a little at a time or it will be impossible to get a smooth consistency. Try not to overbeat the buttercream after all the ingredients have been added or you might add bubbles, which will ruin the texture of the icing.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Pros – It is soft, smooth and not too sweet. SM buttercream is arguably the best frosting in terms of cake decorating because it is the easiest way to get those smooth clean lines.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

This is considered one of the very difficult methods for making buttercream because the sugar syrup must be cooked to a specific temperature and then, while piping hot, poured into the whipped egg whites.

Beat together butter, shortening, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Blend in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk; continue mixing until icing is light and fluffy. Store icing covered until ready to use.

For a (16-ounce) tub of frosting, anywhere from ½ cup to 1 cup of crunchy additions will do the trick. Toasted nuts, coconut flakes, chocolate chips or chunks, halvah, and toffee will all add a fun new dimension of flavor. Stir in chopped up canned pineapple or fresh berries for an extra fruity kick.

One easy fix is to re-whip the frosting, preferably with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until it becomes smoother. (You can let it go for quite a bit!) If the buttercream is still grainy, you can try warming it up over a double boiler or adding a little bit of heavy cream.

Swiss meringue buttercream is probably the most standard buttercream for pastry professionals. It is incredibly smooth, making it an extremely popular choice for icing cakes.

Fondant icing is a sugar paste and a classic choice for decorating cakes because it provides a smooth and professional look. There are three types of fondant: rolled fondant, marshmallow fondant, and poured fondant. They are all used for coating sponges and pastries but will provide slightly different results.

French buttercream uses egg yolks rather than whites. Anyone who has ever had a sunny side up egg knows that yolks have much more flavor than whites. This translates to the frosting. French buttercream is the richest and tastiest of the three.

Italian buttercream holds up well in warmer temperature, so if you're planning a summer party outside, this is your go-to buttercream.

What is the difference between French buttercream and American buttercream frosting? ›

Rich and creamy, French buttercream has a taste and consistency similar to custard or pastry cream. Made using pasteurized egg yolks and sugar, this buttercream is not as sweet as traditional American buttercream and makes a great topping for a dark chocolate cake.

The best way to distinguish frosting from buttercream is through the ingredients. While both contain powdered sugar, fat, flavouring and sometimes milk or water, frosting does not contain any butter whatsoever.

American buttercream is the most popular and traditional buttercream as it's so simple to make and it's a great base for adding flavour and colour. It's great for piping decorations onto cakes as its soft, but also holds a shape and stiffens once left.

Classically there are four main types of buttercream: Italian, German, French & Swiss.

If it's Too Thick

You'll know your buttercream is too thick if it's ripping the cake layers while you're trying to frost with it or the details look frayed when you pipe with it (like in the picture below). To fix it, simply add room temperature milk, 1 tsp at a time, until the consistency is just right.

Gently press the tip of your piping bag against the side of your cake and squeeze so that a consistent stream of buttercream comes out. With the other hand, slowly rotate the turntable and keep piping until you have full coverage of the cake. I frost the top of my cake first, and then the sides.

Be sure to use the flat paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment will cause air bubbles to form. If your buttercream has been sitting for an extended period, you will need to re-mix on your mixer's lowest setting for a minute or two, or mix by hand with a rubber spatula for a few minutes.

If it's too stiff and sticks straight up, I suggest adding in more heavy cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If it's too thin and doesn't form a little peak at all, try adding a bit more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time). You can also chill it in the fridge for 10-minute intervals.