Buttercream frosting is a perfect recipe for all your cakes ! Here is a complete guide with everything you need to know about this frosting, my favorites recipes and how to use them in your cakes.
Jump to:
- What is a buttercream?
- 1- Traditional French buttercream
- French Meringue Buttercream
- 2 - Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Easy Vanilla Swiss Buttercream Frosting
- 3 - Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Italian Meringue Buttercream
- 4 - American Buttercream
- Vanilla Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- 5 - Russian Buttercream
- Russian Buttercream
- 6 - Ermine buttercream
- 7 - German Buttercream
- Best German buttercream frosting - mousseline cream recipe
- 8 - The Korean buttercream
- More Buttercream frostings
- Buttercream Frosting Recipes For Cakes
Definitely one of the most basic recipes I've made since I started this blog! With it, the possibilities are endless. It can be flavored with absolutely anything and its firm, smooth texture makes it a favorite recipe for layer cakes and cupcakes.
What is a buttercream?
As its name indicates, it is a basic mixture composed mainly of butter and sugar. A rather rich or light icing depending on its composition, which is found in many traditional pastries, such as cake roll and some desserts such as the French strawberry Fraisier.
There are several versions and each country has its own recipe of buttercream frosting. The most famous are the meringues, the Swiss, the Italian and the French. But new versions are blooming like the Russian one which is very similar to the American one or the brand new Glossy Korean buttercream perfect to piping flowers.
1- Traditional French buttercream
French Meringue Buttercream
This is the classic version, it is made with whole eggs or just the yolks which give it a richer flavor and a silky consistency. The method of preparation used is the bombe dough which is a pastry technique.
Taste: Rich and flavorful.
+ : Smooth and shiny, easy to handle. Flavors very well with chocolate, coffee.
- : Very yellow, does not color easily, not stable and must be kept in the fridge.
Perfect for : Filling and decorating a cake, it can't be used under sugar paste.
2 - Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Easy Vanilla Swiss Buttercream Frosting
This is the ultimate cream for all pastry chefs! For the technique everything starts with the preparation of the Swiss meringue.
Taste : Not too sweet, buttery flavor.
+ : Smooth, stable and can be kept out of the fridge for 2 days. Keeps for a long time.
- : It hardens a lot in the cold, hard to eat especially when it is not flavored or if it is not taken out of the fridge in advance. Intimidating because of the stages of preparation where it is first soupy and then it divides ( grainy).
Perfect for: Smoothing the outside of cakes, filling the inside, decorating cupcakes and under sugar paste.
3 - Italian Meringue Buttercream
Italian Meringue Buttercream
It is in the top 3 of buttercream with the American and the Swiss. We start with the preparation of the Italian meringue.
Taste : Butter flavor.
+ : Smooth, firm and stable, keeps for a long time.
- : It must be consumed at room temperature because it hardens in the refrigerator. Intimidating technique with the worry of the butter separating after a time in the fridge.
Perfect for : Smoothing the outside and filling the inside of cakes, piping decorations and cupcakes but also under sugar paste.
4 - American Buttercream
Vanilla Whipped Buttercream Frosting
The most popular recipe for lazy girls because it is so easy and simple to prepare. With only 2 ingredients and a little vanilla to flavor it, this is America's favorite buttercream and it is found a lot in their cakes.
Taste : Very sweet and very creamy.
+ : Very easy, simple, holds its shape very well and keeps for a long time.
- : It dries in the air and forms a crust. You can feel the confectioner's sugar in your mouth.
Perfect for : the layer cake as in my recipe for easy birthday cake, to decorate cupcakes, under the sugar paste and decorations with a piping.
5 - Russian Buttercream
Russian Buttercream
The new one in the market and very similar to the American one. With only 2 ingredients and very simple steps.
Taste: Creamy and sweet.
+ : A very smooth and soft consistency, keeps for a long time.
- : Its taste : If the butter is not at the same temperature as the sweetened condensed milk, the mixture will separate.
Perfect for : Quick and easy cake, smoothing the outside and decorating cupcakes.
6 - Ermine buttercream
A somewhat gooey mixture is made in a saucepan with flour, powdered sugar and milk that looks a bit like pudding. Then whip the butter and add the cooled milk mixture.
Also called flour or boiled milk frosting, this is an old school version of buttercream, not very popular choice for pastry chefs.
- Taste : Neutral, not too sweet, not too buttery, it is neither too heavy nor light.
- + : Easy, a thicker texture, smooth and it keeps its shape well.
- - : It is necessary to use flavor to give it more taste.
- Perfect for : filling a cake or decorating cupcakes
7 - German Buttercream
Best German buttercream frosting - mousseline cream recipe
Or rather known as Crème Mousseline, it is the tastiest of the buttercream because it is composed of a pastry cream. It is also the least stable and the least dense type of cream.
Taste : Rich and tasty and not too buttery.
+ : A thick texture.
- : not stable at room temperature and does not hold its shape for long. It must be kept in the refrigerator.
Perfect for : filling a cake, a dessert or decorating cupcakes.
8 - The Korean buttercream
Called Glossy Korean buttercream developed by G. G Cakraft. It is the Italian method but with a different technique, the butter is incorporated when it is very cold.
It is rather transparent but still very dense and it is widely used to make flowers with a piping bag.
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