Buttercream

Photo Credit: Magnolia Bakery

It’s a funny thing to discover the actual name for something you’ve been making and using for years when this whole time you just thought you were making vanilla buttercream. Apparently I’ve been making American Buttercream, which according to Matt Adlard (formerly Topless Baker) is the worst of all the buttercreams.

Having tested his theory and made his favourite of his prescribed top three, I actually must say I disagree entirely. American buttercream may be simplistic and essentially made from icing sugar but it is my favourite, for a number of reasons.

1. It is so quick and easy to make.

2. It’s ingredients are affordable in the quantities you need them.

3. It’s incredibly easy to work with.

I now have the Swiss Meringue Buttercream I whipped up to compare it to, after as I said, years of sole American usage! The Swiss recipe I went with uses almost 500g of butter and 5 egg whites… that’s a lot and the thing is, it’s actually quite easy to get it wrong and end up with scrambled egg which happened to me on my first go as you heat the egg whites over a Bain Marie in the early stages of the process. Just thinking about how much butter and how many eggs I wasted makes me feel a little ill (especially with how many eggs I went through in my macaron making journey).

I should mention that as the making of Swiss Meringue Buttercream is rather more complicated than its American peer, watching a YouTube tutorial would be very helpful. Either Preppy Kitchen(aka John Kanell), whose recipe I have included below or Topless Baker(aka Matt Adlard). Bear in mind their recipes differ, I tried Matt’s first and got the scrambled egg result but after trying John’s I achieved the result I was aiming for.

Anyway, I made the Swiss Meringue Buttercream for my three layer, 20cm cake and literally had only enough for the crumb coating. Thus, faced with going through the arduous process of making it again, not to mention the ingredients, I opted to make a batch of American buttercream to complete the decorative frosting for my cake.

As I said, American or Vanilla Buttercream as I’ve always known it, takes minutes to whip up (just make sure you’ve got a big slab of butter sitting at room temperature before you begin, like it needs to be out of the fridge for a day or overnight the night before you start decorating). So, as I’ve found in decorating numerous layers of cake both in between the layers, then the crumb coating and finally the outer layer; I usually end up needing more buttercream as I go. Lucky it takes no time at all to make it!

Now, I’ve told you it’s easy but does it taste good. Well, the proof is in the pudding and honestly I just didn’t like the way the Swiss Meringue Buttercream tasted. Maybe I’ve spoilt my palette with too many years of Vanilla Buttercream but that’s just my humble opinion.

I’ve included both recipes below so go try them out and decide for yourselves which you prefer and let me know in the comments!

RECIPES

American (or Vanilla) Buttercream

Ingredients:

500g icing sugar, sifted 160g unsalted butter, at room temperature 50ml whole milk A few drops (or 1 tsp) of vanilla extract or paste

Method:

Beat the icing sugar and butter together on a slow speed. Disclaimer: only do this if you’re using a stand mixer. Again I’ve done this with my hand mixer and got sprayed with icing sugar. So again I use my hands at this stage to combine the sugar and butter together.

Combine the milk and vanilla in a measuring jug (this is obviously the easiest way to measure your milk and no need for extra bowls). Then with your hand mixer on a slow speed, gradually add the milk mixture to your sugar and butter mix.

Once all the milk is incorporated, turn the mixer up a little higher and beat until you’re left with a light and fluffy frosting (which typically takes around 5 minutes). This is where I like to add my food colouring. I use gel food colouring as it won’t affect the consistency of your mixture in the same way that liquid colouring may. The longer you beat your frosting, the lighter and fluffier it becomes.

*You can leave your American buttercream in a piping bag or ziplock at room temperature until you’re ready to use it (within reason of course, like I’m not saying leave it for a week or anything, more like at the most overnight…).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBSkYVbKQ6k

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 5 egg whites at room temperature

• 2 cups unsalted butter 452g, at room temperature

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 300g

• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

• Add egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl. 

• Give the mixture a brief whisk. 

• Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.

• Whisk the egg whites occasionally while it warms up. When the mixture has warmed, whisk it constantly. You will heat the mixture until it reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF or until it's not grainy between your fingers. 

• Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer, mix with a whisk attachment until you get room temperature glossy peaks. 

• Switch to a paddle attachment and while the mixture is running on low, add tablespoon sized dollops of room temperature butter making sure to let the butter incorporate before you add the next piece. Once all the butter is incorporated, go ahead and add the vanilla extract.

*You can transfer it to a piping bag or to a ziplock bag to store in the freezer.

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