Buttercream 101

Ingrediënten

American Buttercream

200 g Unsalted Butter, Soft

400 g Powdered/Icing Sugar

2-3 tbsp Milk

Vanilla + Salt To Taste

Splash of White Vinegar

French Buttercream

115 g Egg Yolks

60 g Water

225 g Sugar

450 g Unsalted Butter

Vanilla + Salt to taste

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

100 g Egg Whites

200 g Sugar

300 g Unsalted Butter, Soft

Vanilla + Salt to taste

Instructies

American Buttercream

Step 1

In a stand mixer, beat the butter for 3 minutes until it’s pale and fluffy.

Step 2

Add half the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes.

Step 3

Add in the remaining sugar along with the milk and beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take about 5-10 minutes.

Step 4

Add the vanilla and salt to taste along with the vinegar and mix it in.

Step 5

Add more milk if you want it smoother or heat it slightly to make it soft to pipe with.

French Buttercream

Step 6

In a stand mixer, whisk the egg yolks on medium speed.

Step 7

Meanwhile, add the sugar and water to a saucepan and mix over a medium heat until it reaches 121C on a digital thermometer.

Step 8

Slowly pour the syrup over the egg yolks while whisking. Whisk for 7 minutes or until the bowl is cool to the touch.

Step 9

Add the butter a piece at a time whisking on a medium speed.

Step 10

Once you have added all the butter, switch to the paddle attachment, and add the vanilla and salt to taste. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Step 11

Add the egg whites and sugar to a stand mixer bowl and whisk over a saucepan of gently simmering water until the mixture reaches 65C.

Step 12

Remove the bowl from the heat and add to your stand mixer. Whisk for 7 minutes on a medium speed or until the bowl is completely cool to the touch.

Step 13

Add the butter a piece at a time (don’t worry if it curdles it will fix itself).

Step 14

Once you have added all the butter, continue to whisk until the buttercream appears smooth. It can take about 2-3 minutes once you’ve added all the butter.

Step 15

Add vanilla and salt to taste, then mix with the paddle attachment on low speed for 3 minutes until smooth.

Notities

American Buttercream is great for beginners as it’s really quick and easy to make. I personally think it’s too sweet, and isn’t as smooth to decorate with vs the other two, but it’s often a crowd pleaser and great for kids birthday cakes!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is my personal favourite. The meringue makes it so light and it’s very smooth to decorate with. It has to be served at room temperature or the flavours don’t come through.

French Buttercream is so luxurious and rich, and very smooth to decorate with. However it’s a more expensive choice because of the amount of eggs and butter! I also wouldn’t advise using it for cakes being served in hot temperatures!