Everything you ever wanted to know about buttercream - Page 3

AgentCake - I mainly use buttercream and I realize to get the bubbles out, sifting the confectioners sugar helps. As well as beating the mixture properly.

As for storage, an airtight container stores the buttercream for approx 2 weeks or more in the fridge - then it starts tasting like every food item you have in there - lol

My question is ... coloring. I use the wilton colors, however, when I need dark colors (i.e. burgandy, black, red, etc), I have to buy the pre-colored buttercream because the taste becomes very bitter. What can I do????

How about a section explaining recipes with meringue powder vs. recipes without? Does that have to do with how much the icing "crusts"? But some recipes that I use without meringue powder also crust!?

I'm baffled here...does anyone know?

What a great idea Jackie

yes cakelady1994 I used whipped cream and it does make a great crust - That is how I make it for my cookies and it works great - give it a nice icing that when left to dry is soft in the middle and I can still stack them without messing up the decorations.

The recipe I use makes about 6 cups I mix one recipe at a time starting with 1/2 of the p sugar first and adding all the other ingredients. I then mix this at the slowest speed until will blended. Then I add the rest of the p sugar. (it takes 1 lb of sugar for the whole recipe) and mix this at the slowest speed for about 5 minutes. The air bubbles are from mixing at too high a speed. It does help to sift the p sugar for a better mix but not for keeping the air bubbles down. Air is from the mixing itself - Never use a high speed on your mixer with buttercream -- You MUST BE PATIENT.

I can't wait to read all the other ideas and tips.

Thanks Jackie for your labor of love.

How long can buttercream be kept in the freezer? I have lots of little bags of different colors. I keep them in the freezer and thaw what I need so I don't have to mix so many colors.

But I'm wondering how long these will keep - anyone have any experience in this?

My question is about different recipes. I've tried the ones with Crisco and they are gross! Even if I add 1/2 butter 1/2 Crisco, or use extra flavors (vanilla, butter, almond, etc.)

So I'd like to have some other recipes to use. Like a French, Swiss, or Italian buttercream perhaps?

Why do we have to use this Crisco stuff? It's awful.

The Sweet Celebrations cookbook has several recipes for flavoring buttercream for fillings...
Cream cheese, chocolate, mocha, orange, lemon, raspberry/strawberry
There is also a recipe for flavoring cake washes.

I'm in the south and my teacher told me it depends on the weather. If it's hot out site use water, that way you don't have to worry about it spoiling.

A tip I have when making 1/2 butter 1/2 Crisco buttercream is to add 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup to the end result, after beating in the vanilla, confectioners sugar and milk. (1 tbsp per 2-3 cups of buttercream). This results in the icing being more easy to spread and allows you to achieve a smoother finish on the cake. I have found this to be helpful when piping stars on character cakes or cupcakes, otherwise the icing is too hard to push out of the piping bag. Also, I have a hard time icing cakes to a smooth finish due to air pockets and this really helps eliminate that. (Especially if your like me and whips up buttercream on high speed, even though I guess your really not suposse to). Dipping the spatula under hot water to smooth icing is key with this recipe!

I don't know if you guys already add corn syrup to your butter/Crisco recipe but I thought I would add this in case not.

Great choice of topic! I'm waiting with anticipation for the article!

My questions are:-
1. why are some buttercreams easier to color that others? Found some "colour separation" with some receipes.
2. Everyone has their favourite buttercream receipes, it would be great to have a chart stating which buttercreams are suitable for different cakes..eg. novelty, wedding and buttercream receipes for sweet-tooths and those that want a less sweet buttercream.
3.differences with meringue based buttercreams

Thanks.

Here's my only tip since I'm a newby: tinted buttercream fades if you expose it to sunlight. Be careful to keep your cupcakes or cake in the shade for outdoor parties.

Kel

What a wonderful idea!!!!! I agree with crouton800, there are so many different kinds of buttercreams. How do you know which one to use when and their results. Since my Wilton classes, I only use the Wilton buttercream. No, its not that I'm not open to other buttercreams is just that Wilton works well for me, and is easy to make. I would absolutely love to try other buttercreams; I have heard that the Italian one taste wonderful. My concern is not so much the sweetness b/c I can cut down on the sugar of the cake, but to make sure the recipe I use has the same stiffness/consistency and crusts well, so I can get my icing smooth.
I am sorry if I can't offer too many tips to the article but here is one:
I have never done the VIVA papertowel method, but I heard it works great. I am always in too much of a rush or too tired and just want to finish. What works for me is making sure the icing crusts before I do my second layer of frosting and I use the hot knife method. This is used for the last icing coating where you did your offset spatula in hot water, shake off the excess water and smooth the icing.
I do have a recipe for a great butter pecan frosting from Southern Living Magazine. if you want to also include recipes in the article. I posted it a while back. It is really wonderful but you can't get it smooth b/c it has pieces of walnuts throughout. If you can't find it I'll repost it.
Please if I can help with anything else for your article let me know.

Regards, Naty

Naty...would you share that Butter Pecan frosting recipe with me? I also have only worked with the Wilton recipe but want to try some new ones. I purchased the Cake Bible and it has wonderful variations for buttercream icing but it seems to me some of the ingredients are hard to find or a little expensive for me just to try out for a practice cake or a cake for my children's birthdays...atleast at first. It would be nice to have some recipes and with the flavors range recipe's from simple to the extreme.

Hi Mitzynva,

Here is the butter pecan frosting recipe, and a yellow cake recipe that I use. The cake is very good and not too fancy or rich for kids' tastes. It tastes like a boxed cake mix.

One thing, the butter pecan frosting IS RICH!!! Maybe you want to reduce the amounts of toasted pecans if its for kids.

I also use the Wilton's BC but 1/2 butter and 1/2 crisco. You can also add a large cream cheese (8 oz) to the Wilton's BC recipe..........this will mellow out the flavor and kids liked it.

If you need anything else or have questions, please let me know or PM me OK?

Have a great night!!!

Regards, Naty

BUTTER PECAN FROSTING
2 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 box (16oz) confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a skillet, add pecans and cook over med. heat 10 minutes stirring constantly until pecans are toasted. Set aside and let cool completely.

In bowl cream 1/2 cup butter till creamy, add cream cheeses, continue beating. Add sifted sugar. Fold in cooled pecans and add vanilla extract.

Note: This recipe is for 9-inch cake layers. I had leftover frosting because my cake was 8-inches.

Butter Pecan Frosting Recipe from: Christmas with Southern Living, 1996

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Great American Cakes
by Barbara Kafka
Gourmet December 1987

Yellow Cake Layers

Makes two 8-inch layers

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (I use regular salt)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Into a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter, add sugar gradually, beating, and beat the mixture until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour mixture and the milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, add the vanilla, and beat the batter until it is smooth.

Divide the batter between 2 lightly greased and floured 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pans, smoothing the top, rap each pan on a hard surface twice to expel any air bubbles.

Bake the layers in the middle of a preheated 350-degree F oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean and the layers pull away slightly from the sides of the pans. Let the layers cool in the pans on a rack for 8 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge of each pan, and invert the layers onto the racks. Let the layers cool completely.

Note: I do all my baking at 325 instead of 350.

Just curious, but has anyone attempted with clarified butter???

HI davidcarlson, welcome!

I guess you could but I would separate the eggs, make a soft merengue with the whites then incorporate the rest of the batter. I'm not sure if you you add the clarified butter before the egg whites are folded in or after.

A lot of my cakes I do with the seprated eggs, but with soft butter, not clarified. which makes the cake "flufflier" then I add a simple syrop.

Would be a good thing to try.

Naty