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Buttercream is one of the most popular icings
used when frosting a cake or using to make designs with on a cake. In general,
buttercream is a smooth, creamy
icing and filling that
stays soft on a cake, so it's easy to cut through. It can be
piped, using various
consistencies, making it popular for decorating a cake with.
Figure piping,
flowers,
border designs, and
lettering are just a few
decorating possibilities for this versatile icing. Buttercream can also be used
when transferring a design
onto a frosted cake.
Buttercream
recipes are varied and have different qualities. Here I will
discuss the Classic or American Buttercream which
is confectioner's sugar and butter based, Rolled
Buttercream which is becoming more popular as a cake covering, and
Meringue-based Buttercream, such as Italian and
Swiss, made with whipped egg whites.
If you want to put candles on top of the cake, raise them up high enough so
the heat from them won't melt the icing. |
CONFECTIONER'S SUGAR AND BUTTER BASED BUTTERCREAM: Classic
or American , Rolled and Decorator's Buttercream
These types of buttercream icings are soft, sweet, but sensitive to
heat and humidity, except for Italian (a
meringue-based buttercream) which holds up quite well. It can sag, melt and
slide off the cake. If fresh ingredients, such as real butter, eggs, or fresh
egg whites are used for different consistencies and tastes, this icing can be
prone to melt during a hot day. Limited exposure to heat and humidity is
recommended.
|
Schedule
for a making a decorated wedding cake for a
Saturday Wedding: Wednesday, I remove cakes from freezer and let
thaw, covered, all night on the countertop. Thursday morning I
crumb coat them. Then later
in the day I frost them, or it could wait until Friday, to
frost and
decorate. |
In the South, where temperatures can be very hot
in the summer with high humidity, an additive, such a cream of tartar can be
used to firm up, or stabilize, the icing a bit. The other is a commercial
product carried by most large cake supply stores. I have used cream of tartar to
make more solid buttercream flowers for air-drying. They do not harden as much
as Royal icing, but hold their shape faster than a Buttercream flower.
Classic or American Buttercream: comes in several ways - basic,
decorators and rolled.
It is typically a mixture of confectioner's sugar, shortening and/or butter, a
small amount of milk or water and flavoring. Sometimes egg white or meringue
powder is added in. It is then whipped in one bowl until thick, smooth and
fluffy.
 Q:
I have been asked to bake a wedding cake for a wedding that will be in a
park. I am concerned about my regular recipe for buttercream frosting
holding up in the heat and humidity. Any suggestions?
A: If your buttercream is very soft, you may need
to use a different one. Be sure the cake is kept in a cool
place and OUT of the sun. The denser the shade the better. Also, keep it
out of high traffic areas. And set up the cake as close to the beginning
of the reception as possible, and let the bride know not to let it sit for
hours and hours, but to serve as quickly as possible.
AND don't use any perishable fillings like fresh fruit or custards
because they can spoil quickly. I like to have the cake refrigerated
before transported for stability reasons anyway, and this will help with a
summer wedding. You can check out my recipe,
Tami's Buttercream. I
have used it in the summer without a problem for many years!!
Tami |
Question:
Why doesn't buttercream made with butter, powdered sugar and a small amount
of milk need refrigeration?
Answer: Because of its high content of sugar and fat. Micro-organisms
need water to grow. When the sugar content is so high, the sugar binds the
water in such a way that micro-organisms cannot utilize it. Technically its
called "water activity control."
Click here for
more
discussion. |
American Buttercream is the most often used
recipe as confectioner's sugar based buttercream. It is quick to make and does
not require refrigeration, unless the weather is warm or hot because it will
melt. In that case, buttercream iced cakes should be refrigerated and then left
to just warm to room temperature before serving.
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QUESTION: Does anyone have a solution to
get a smooth finish with buttercream (not rolled buttercream) ?I like the
Wilton recipe
because the cake does not have to be refrigerated. I have been fighting this
problem for years and just finished a cake, and am trying to figure out how
to smooth out the air pockets.
ANSWER
|
 A
great buttercream to make is
The Perfect Buttercream Recipe, a
confectioner's sugar based one.
Here are some comments about
it from a visitor to this site (5-01).
Dear Sarah:
I just wanted to thank you for the Perfect
Buttercream Recipe from Tami Smith. I have tried many a buttercream recipes
and have been taking cake classes for the past 1 1/2 years and have not
found a recipe that tastes good, is easy to work with and is for decorating.
It really tastes good and I just wanted to let you know that this is a
wonderful site you have! Sincerely, Tracy E. |
American Buttercream made with butter and powdered sugar tends
to get crusty when set after about 15 to 20
minutes of applying it. This "crusting" is a natural part of this icing, and can
be used to your advantage for texturizing the top and sides of a cake, or
for sealing in freshness before the final coat of icing is applied.
You can also smooth it with a paper towel after the icing crusted. Viva
brand paper towels are perfect to use because they're smooth and won't leave a
pattern. I've used parchment paper for those stubborn wrinkles that refuse to
smooth out. More
tips and demo on how to smooth it.
When applying buttercream, some let it "set" between coats.
However, sometimes I like to crumb coat then ice right over it right away before
it starts crusting. I hot knife (dip a cake spatula in hot water to warm, dry
and then lightly smooth the frosting) right away too with no problem.
Classic or American Buttercream Tips: Buttercream
can be made with butter or shortening (Crisco brand). There are pros and
cons between the two ingredients.
|
Attributes |
Made With Butter |
Made With Shortening |
Comments |
|
Keeping qualities -
warm weather |
Melts |
Holds up better |
Buttercream made with shortening instead
of butter, holds up better and doesn't melt as quickly in warm weather
In the summertime, if using
an all-butter buttercream recipe, I like to add 1/4 cup cornstarch to
two pounds of powdered sugar. This helps to stiffen it so it
withstands the heat better. You can also
stabilize buttercream icing by adding 2 teaspoons meringue powder per
recipe. |
|
Decorating |
Softens |
Holds up better |
An all-butter buttercream is harder to
pipe because it softens more quickly. If using it, fill the pastry bag
around half full, so icing doesn't have as much of a chance to melt
when your hands touch the piping bag to hold it while decorating. |
|
Taste |
Great |
Not as good |
When using all shortening, the buttercream
doesn't taste as good. To solve this problem, I like to use 1/2 butter
and 1/2 shortening in my recipe (or 2/3 shortening to 1/3 butter) to
get the best of both worlds. |
|
Texture |
Buttery |
Fluffy |
If a fluffy outcome is desired, use
shortening instead of butter. It is a fact that shortening containing
mono and diglycerides will aerate better than butter. |
|
Color |
Light yellow |
White |
Using white vegetable shortening and clear
vanilla, will give you a bright white icing that holds up well --
especially important if you’re making a wedding cake -- as opposed to
butter which imparts a very light yellow color. |
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Crusting |
Yes |
Little |
If the icing crusts
on your frosted cake, and cracks when you are trying to move it, next
time trying adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of shortening; it makes the
icing smoother. If you don't have shortening, add in a teaspoon or two
of corn syrup. (You may need to add in a tablespoon or two of
powdered sugar or meringue powder, as well to get the right texture).
Shortening and corn syrup is used in
Fondant Icing to
slow crusting, so I am sure it will work here, as well. Remember, a
little goes a long way, so don't overdo it. |
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To
transform buttercream icing into chocolate icing:
Rather than using cocoa (because of the grainy texture
it leaves) I always melt semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate squares and let
cool to tepid. I mix them in with a little heavy cream warmed to the same
temperature. Let it cool way down (you want it barely warm) and pour it
slowly into white buttercream while beating. Refrigerate the buttercream if
it becomes too soft. It gives a very smooth, wonderful chocolate flavor and
texture. (If too thin, add confectioner's sugar; if too thick, add cream or
milk). I also have a
Chocolate
Buttercream Recipe. |
When making buttercream,
add in any liquid very slowly, only enough
to make the mix easy to spread. Excessive amounts (even liqueurs)
will cause the mix to separate.
If your buttercream recipe is too sweet, add
about 1/8th teaspoon of fine salt (like a popcorn salt) to your recipe to cut
the sweetness. So does a teaspoon or two of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
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My
favorite way to make Ivory or off-white buttercream is to add regular
vanilla extract (the brown stuff) at the END of making buttercream.
When I usually make buttercream I add the flavoring in the beginning, so the
whipping will more evenly distribute the color and lighten it, but if you
WANT the ivory color, simply hold it until the end and the buttercream will
have a soft off-white color. Also,
Wilton does make an
ivory paste color... Tami,
Ask Sarah 6-5-02 |
While using, buttercream icings dry out quickly,
forming a thin crust on top. It will make
the icing taste gritty when it is mixed in with the rest of it. To prevent this,
always cover the bowl holding the icing with a damp
cloth. If it does crust, make sure you remove the crust layer before using.
You can freeze a cake that has been frosted with
a buttercream icing. Freeze the cake (unwrapped) until it is solid. Then wrap
with plastic wrap and foil and place back in the freezer. Let the cake thaw in
its wrappings in the refrigerator.
FOR FLAVORINGS
- per 4 large egg whites (1/2 cup) and 1
cup sugar):
 | Coffee:
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder or coffee dissolved in 2 tablespoons
water, cold coffee or rum |
| Lemon:
3 tablespoons lemon juice plus 2 tablespoons lemon peel |
| Orange:
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier plus 2 tablespoons orange peel |
| Raspberry:
3/4 cup thick raspberry puree--cook down and strain a 10-ounce package of
frozen raspberries. |
| Vanilla:
3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract |
|
Buttercream Flavors:
Chocolate and an endless number of flavors may be added to change
buttercream icing to compliment any cake flavor. If you have a sweet cake, avoid
flavorings with sugar, such as liqueurs. For
flavors, I would stick with lemon, orange, or lime oil, or any other
ALL NATURAL extracts that you want; stay away from artificial ones. If you want
the icing pure white, use clear vanilla extract, instead of the brown, pure
vanilla, available at cake
decorating stores. (Use white shortening, as well).
|
To
eliminate air pockets that sometimes form when icing a cake with
buttercream, do not overbeat. |
Heavy flavors such as fruit, chocolate, or nut
paste should be added to the buttercream AFTER
is has been made. Add melted chocolate last and
mix only enough to incorporate. The more the chocolate is mixed; the lighter in
color the icing will become. When the chocolate cools, the mix will become
slightly thicker. Use this type of icing as soon as possible.
Tinting Buttercream with
Colors: Buttercream can be
tinted
very easily. That made with white shortening and clear vanilla extract, tints
the best. When you’re adding coloring to frosting, “a little goes a long way” is
an understatement. Use a gel food coloring, instead of liquid ones, for best
results.
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QUESTION:
My buttercream always dries with small cracks, no matter how smooth I make
the surface. What am I doing wrong? I've tried various recipes for
Buttercream frostings...some contain Corn Syrup, others meringue
powder...and different ratios of sugar to shortening/butter, but nothing
works. I typically let the cakes sit for a day after I am finished with
them. I don't find this to be an uncommon amount of time. I would
appreciate any input from you or anyone else.
ANSWER:
Practice has you learn to judge your icing consistency. In spite of what a
basic recipe says, it may need a little more of an ingredient to be "just
right". Usually this is liquid or shortening. Here are some possible
causes and solutions.
Dry cracked icing can be caused by one or a
combination of the following things:
| Made with too little shortening or
butter in relation to the powdered sugar. 1 cup shortening to 1 pound
powdered sugar is a nice ratio for a creamy icing. Use a good brand of
shortening not generic. |
| Made with too little liquid. Probably
the most common problem. |
| Made using water or nonfat milk. I
recommend whole milk when ever possible because it produces a less
crusty icing. You will notice a difference the first time you go to
smooth your icing if you use whole milk. You will have more time to do
the smoothing with out the icing crusting rapidly. |
| Improper measuring of liquids. Use a
measuring cup made for measuring liquids in. Be sure to measure smaller
liquid amounts, such as flavorings, with measuring spoons. Do not
use table service spoons, cereal or coffee spoons etc. |
| A dry climate will produce a slightly
dryer icing and a humid climate may produce a soft sticky sweaty
icing. Add liquids accordingly (more in dryer, less in humidity). |
| Too thin a cardboard under cake for
support causing cake to flex when lifted and cracks to appear in the
icing surface. Use 2 cake boards for large cakes. |
| If a cake sits on a cardboard cake
round, lifting heavy cake by edges of the cardboard instead of
supporting the middle will cause cracks in the frosting. |
| Icing applied too thinly. |
| Keep cakes away from blowing air
conditioners, fans, heater vents or open windows to prevent unnecessary
excess drying of the surface. |
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Q:
The buttercream I make is
always melting when I
pipe it. Is is because of the high humidity in my country I live in?
Please advise.
A: You may have what we call
"hot hands" meaning that the temperature of your hands are quite warm.
If the buttercream is melting as you pipe you may have to chill the it
before piping, and pipe in small amounts.
For soft buttercream I like to use at least two or three
piping bags for large piping jobs (like for wedding cakes or elaborate
cakes) I place two filled bags on a frozen sheet pan and keep in the
freezer while I work with the other bag, when that one becomes too soft I
switch to a cold one. I keep rotating the bags until done.
For smaller jobs, chill the buttercream in the bag until
it's cold, but still pipable, then work quickly. I am plagued with hot
hands and have to deal with this constantly!! --
Tami. |
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ROLLED BUTTERCREAM is of great interest
to many decorators as it’s smooth surface is ideal for decorating & gives
cakes an elegant look. The rolled buttercream is sweet and very pliable.
It is a firm dough that you can mold,
shape and etc. versus regular buttercream that you can spread. It is equal
parts of Karo and Crisco and without milk, butter or egg white/meringue
powder. You will find that it is a softer
covering than Fondant. I
would highly recommend practicing working with it as much as you can before
you cover an actual cake -- nothing is more frustrating than trying to work
with something you're not familiar with. It takes practice to know how to
roll the buttercream out evenly and how to place it smoothly and evenly. I
like to bake pound cakes from a mix, cut them in half or in quarters
width-wise and use them for practice.
Rolled buttercream
is similar to
Rolled Fondant, but with less work and a
better taste. (It has a taste similar to
Tootsie Rolls.) It is a thickened buttercream usually with some powdered
sugar to make it more pliable.
Rolled buttercream is rolled out and draped over a cake.
The cake is first covered with a very thin layer of buttercream icing, and
the rolled buttercream is laid on top. It is also used to shape flowers
with, make borders from and emboss as well.
Some people say one is easier than the other,
but its all a matter of preference.
| Make
tie-dye Rolled Buttercream to cover a cake with: To make,
first, roll the buttercream into a log and flattened it down enough that
it will fold back over itself. Pick the colors and put them in a narrow
stripe, about 4-inch intervals from the middle to the edge. Fold the
buttercream back over itself and then roll. Within a few minutes, you'll
see the most beautiful colors! If you roll all the colors together,
they'll turn gray. |
Rolled buttercream leaves a
shiny look rather than a matte surface like Fondant, and you have to dust
repeatedly with sugar-cornstarch mixture to dull the shine.
Rolled buttercream can be tinted as needed
with paste or gel colors.
The negatives of using
rolled buttercream are:
Although Rolled buttercream is
easier/faster to make than Fondant, and tastes a little better, it is softer
(even after adding a lot of sugar than the recipe calls for!) and not as
strong as Fondant; it is hard to pick up and place on the cake because it
tears and stretches too easily.
I recommend
adding more confectioners' sugar to
strengthen it. Some recommend using
half rolled buttercream and half Rolled Fondant. I
have heard that some have even better luck when using 25% buttercream and
75%
Rolled Fondant.
If using 100% rolled
buttercream, it has to be rolled out on heavy plastic, then inverted over
the cake and peeled off. However, if it does tear and stretch, rolled
buttercream stays soft so it can be
repaired easily. Rolled
buttercream is also tempermental, especially in warm, humid weather. And,
after awhile on the cake at room temperature, it softens and starts sliding
down the sides a little.
Determine how big you need to roll
buttercream to, so you can cover your cake.
Roll to approximately 1/4" to 3/8" thick to cover a
smoothly buttercream iced cake.
|
Cake size |
Amount of
fondant/rolled buttercream |
6"x 4"
round.............................. 3/4 package = 18 oz.
8"x 4"........................................1 package
= 24 oz.
10"x 4"......................................1-1/4 pkg.
= 30 oz.
12"x 4"......................................1-1/2 pkg.
= 46 oz.
14"x 4"......................................2 pkgs.
= 48 oz.
16"x 4"......................................3 pkgs.
= 72 oz |
1) Measure the height of one side; multiply by 2.
2) Add the diameter of cake.
For example, an 8" round 2-layer cake would be
approximately 4 inches in height. So, 4" x 2 = 8", plus 8" diameter =
16". You would need to roll out a circle of icing at least 16" across to
cover the cake completely.
And finally, here's a chart
from Wilton to determine the approximate # of packages of their prepared
rolled fondant needed to cover different sized round cakes. The ounce
amount should be pretty much the same for rolled buttercream. |
After Making, "How to
Apply" Rolled Buttercream:
| Store tightly wrapped in double plastic bags in the
refrigerator. Allow to age at least 2-3 days. It may be kept, tightly
wrapped for several weeks. Bring to room temperature before using.
|
| To prepare the cake, layer & trim top edge so it is
rounded. Crumb coat
lightly with regular buttercream, 1 or 2 coats. Be sure it is smooth,
as any imperfections will show thru the rolled icing.
|
| Remove room temperature icing from bag and knead
for several minutes. Roll out between sheets of plastic (or on a
counter or board dusted with a mixture of powdered sugar &
cornstarch.) Be sure to lift & turn, redusting icing frequently to
avoid sticking. Dust rolling pin, also. |
| Roll until approximately 1/4" to 3/8" thick & large
enough to cover top & sides of cake. Freeze for 5 minutes. |
| Flip over & remove bottom plastic. Pick up top
plastic with icing on it, turn over carefully & center over crumb
coated cake. Carefully start to peel plastic away from icing. Fullness
around sides can usually be worked out or cut off & smoothed with your
hands. If the icing should tear, just put a small piece over the hole
& blend with your hand. If the rolled buttercream is too shiny for
your liking, "puff" it with powdered sugar. |
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QUESTION: Can you decorate with Swiss or Italian Meringue
Buttercream?
ANSWER:
Yes, with either. I like to chill the buttercream for about 30 - 60 minutes before using
it to decorate or frost a cake or, if you have a cool room you can use it
right away. I have used Italian Meringue Buttercream for all my decorating,
even roses and basketweave, only slightly chilled. If you chill it too far
it will be brittle and you can't pipe. Also, you don't want to beat this
buttercream while cold, allow it to return to room temperature and beat to
re-smooth it. I only lightly chill it to help firm it up for decorating.
Happy Baking, Tami |
MERINGUE BASED BUTTERCREAM: (Recipes).
There are two technical methods of creating
meringue buttercream - the Swiss method and the Italian method.
Meringue buttercream are made from a meringue
or beaten egg whites and sugar. You can make a meringue by just adding sugar to
egg whites called a "French or Common" Meringue. But, it isn't very stable and
has limited uses. To stabilize a meringue and use it as a base for buttercream,
you can mix sugar with egg whites and warm over simmering water and then whip.
This is called a "Swiss" Meringue. Or, a sugar syrup can be cooked and then
added to whipped egg whites, this is called an "Italian" Meringue.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
(SMBC) is made
by heating the egg whites, sugar and an acid (cream of tartar) in a
bain marie (waterbath) until the
sugar is dissolved and then transferred into the mixer and whipped
until a stiff foam foam until they reach a
temperature of 160 degrees F, for 2 to 4 minutes, where the egg whites are
considered "cooked". It is then beaten with butter to make a buttercream
meringue. The result is always a beautiful, white buttercream that you
can get really smooth on a cake. In warm weather, it doesn't hold up as well as Italian Meringue Buttercream
does, but you can make it with hi-ratio shortening so it will be more stable in
temperatures over 80 degrees F.
See Swiss
Meringue Buttercream warm weather tips.
QUESTION: I've been told that Italian and Swiss
Meringue Buttercream can be left out from 6 hours, all the way to 2 weeks.
Does anyone know for certain the answer?
ANSWER: To refrigerate or not: There are
many conflicting answers as to whether you need to refrigerate this frosting
or not. Normally, meringue frostings made
with EGG WHITES (no egg yolks or whole eggs) do not need
refrigeration, but with the salmonella concerns of today, I recommend
keeping it refrigerated. (Food
Safety). Professionals are cautious because of the concerns about
egg safety and that is playing into the answers you get.
See
Pantry: Eggs.
Cooked
meringue can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for 6 months.
Therefore, it can stay out of refrigeration for 2 hours on the cool side of
room temperature. If you do,
be sure to allow the buttercream
to come to room temperature,
then whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed until it is once again
thick, smooth, and shiny and returns to its original volume.
Some information from
ON FOOD AND COOKING, by Harold McGee. |
Italian Meringue Buttercream
(IMBC) This is
more popular than Swiss Meringue Buttercream. After the meringue is whipped to stiff peaks, and in
the case of the Italian Meringue, cooled to room temperature.
is made with softball (240 degree F) sugar syrup poured into
whipping egg whites. Once whipped, add softened butter to the bowl, little at a
time and whip until a fluffy consistency is reached.
You can make the icing in advance; keep it
in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week. Italian Meringue
Buttercream can be frozen for up to 3 months (some baker's have reported that it
has kept longer). NOTE: In the book,
ON FOOD AND COOKING, by Harold McGee, he says that "Because much of the
syrup's heat is lost to the bowl...the foam mass normally gets no hotter than
130 or 135 degrees F, which is insufficient to kill salmonella", page 108. You
can use powdered pasteurized egg whites to make the Italian Meringue Buttercream
is you are concerned.
As to whether Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream is
"better", that is up to its use. Because Swiss meringue
isn't made with a sugar syrup as Italian Meringue Buttercream is, you don't have to worry about little crystallized bits of sugar that you
can get with an Italian Meringue. The primary difference between Italian and
Swiss Meringue Buttercreams is stability or how well they hold up in all
situations. Swiss tends to deflate slightly faster and doesn't hold up as well
in warm environments. Italian is more dependable and heartier. Either can be
frozen for long-term storage. Both types of Buttercream often take quite a bit of whipping in
order to reach the right consistency of light and fluffy.
Cool butter is whipped in and many times the
meringue buttercream breaks, but with more beating it comes together and makes a
silky, very buttery, not too sweet or grainy buttercream.
How to fix
meringue buttercream.
OTHER:
Mousseline Buttercream:
This is a buttercream term used by Rose Levy Beranbaum. It
holds up better than the other European buttercreams. It is very light and
smooth and easy to work with. You can use it to pipe shell borders and roses, as
well as tint and flavor the buttercream.
|
To fix a meringue-based Buttercream:
Italian Buttercream is a simple "water and fat emulsion". Sometimes the
emulsion breaks, resulting in a buttercream that looks broken and curdled.
Never throw it out due to lumps or if it is too soft or too stiff; here's
how to fix it, instead:
Question: How do I save an Italian Meringue
Buttercream if all the butter has been whipped in & it still hasn't gotten
"light & fluffy"?...I made 27 cups...Please Help!
| Buttercream is cold
and broken:
Separately melt about 25% of the mixture, return it to the
remainder and then rewhip -- it should come right together. OR, if the
mixture is warm and broken, simply chill the buttercream in the
refrigerator until the mixture is cool and then rewhip. |
| Buttercream
that has become too runny: (1) It can
become soupy and runny if too warm. Place mixing bowl into an ice bath
and whisk briskly until the icing becomes cohesive and silky Or, you can
refrigerate it until well-chilled. Then, re-whip, if necessary;
(2) It can become too runny from not
enough confectioner's sugar, meringue or egg white powder. Add more, a
little at a time, to stiffen it. |
| Buttercream
that has become too stiff: (1)
It can become too cold: wrap a steaming hot dishtowel, turban like,
around the mixing bowl. When the sides of buttercream begin to melt a
bit, whisk or stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes satiny and
shiny; (2) It can become too stiff
and difficult too spread if too thick: thin with light corn syrup or
heat it slightly. |
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