i've been searching the site for using brown sugar in SMBC to make caramel SMBC. i saw this mentioned in an older thread, but i cannot find specific information. do i adjust the amount of brown sugar or is it a straight subsitution? so in my current recipe i use 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar, so would i use 1 1/4c brown sugar? should i still add vanilla or is the flavor of the brown sugar ok to stand on its own? do i need to add anything else to get the best caramel flavor in my SMBC?
thank you!
diane

Good question...hopefully someone can asnwer it...

Here are the two recipes I have. I don't know if the exchange is the same for brown sugar to regular sugar though, sorry. I've made both of these once and they are really good. The only thing I would say to add if you want to up the caramel flavor is to add LorAnn's caramel flavoring. HTH

http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2008/03/creme-brulee-cupcakes.html

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/brown-sugar-swiss-meringue-buttercream

increase the sugar by 1/4 cup and decrease vanilla to 1/3 of original. dark brown sugar will give it a deeper caramel flavor if thats what u want.

here's what is i do:

2.5 cups packed dark brown sugar
1.25 cups pasturized egg whites
5 sticks butter
2 tb pure vanilla

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

thank you all! i appreciate how generous you are with your experience!
diane

p.s. i LOVED to "how to eat a cupcake" blog!

I agree with nickshalfpint about the Martha Stewart recipe. It was in an old Thanksgiving issue I had - it's on her web site too. Dark Brown sugar is best. I made it first with Light Brown (because that's what Sams Club and BJ's carry) and it was pale tan - still tasted wonderful. But the Dark Brown looked better and tasted even richer.

I've also made the Maple Buttercream from Martha. You make it like an Italian Meringue buttercream, but instead of boiling the sugar/water, you boil maple syrup. It was so rich and yummy. I'll look for that link for you.

HTH Pat

edited to add link
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/maple-buttercream-frosting?autonomy_kw=maple%20buttercream

thank you pattyt!

i am making (experimenting, lol) a pear cake and i think this buttercream will be perfect for it!

diane

I always just do a regular substitution but it doesn't provide a deep caramel flavor. I might try increasing the sugar and using dark brown sugar as PP suggested.

I also use the brown sugar substitution when making p.b. SMBC. Super yummy!

that's a great idea for pb smbc!

does the brown sugar increase the amount of whipping time needed?

diane

Wow! aswartzw...pb SMBC? I'm a big SMBC lover but have never seen it with pb?

Does it replace all the butter in a SMBC recipe, or just a portion....

Please share - it truly sounds "super yummy"!

Thanks - Pat

i've never had the guts to try it, i'm too scared it'll break down! however, i've seen recipes adding about 1/4 to 1/2 cup peanut butter slowly at the end. sounds delicious!

I must thank you all so very much! Night before last, I made smbc using dark brown sugar and the 1-2-3 method(it was more like 1-2-3.125...I had to add 4 more tblsp). Goodness gracious me oh my! It is the most wonderful concoction I have ever spooned into my mouth! I wanted to put it on EVERYTHING!

hi all4cake,
what a great looking cake! i am envious of your roses. whenever i try to pipe roses with SMBC, it just isn't stiff enough to keep the shape and i end up frustrated.
what is the 1-2-3 method? i searched the CC site but couldn't find a reference to it. i sure would like to try it if i can still use SMBC and pipe roses like yours .
diane

Thank you for the compliment! If it were powdered sugar buttercream as soft and fluffy-like as this stuff is, they would've been blobs...I need super stiff for my ps bc roses....same goes for my mums but this stuff....I seem to be able to maintain shape to them.

Diann's 1-2-3 swiss meringue buttercream on youtube....1part egg whites, 2 parts sugar, 3 parts butter (1cup whites, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups butter) and of course flavoring. search 1-2-3 swiss meringue buttercream on youtube(I do cook my egg white/sugar mixture longer than she does though)

Gorgeous cake!!! How about refrigeration. I'm always scared to try new recipes with eggs or whipping cream. I never have enough space in the fridge,but getting very bored with my same ol' stuff. Thanks,Chantelle

thank you all4cakes! that is pretty much what i use right now. i must just suffer from the curse of "hot hands". i am seriously thinking of keeping my bags on ice between piping SMBC just so i can get one rose out of them before they become smooshy (highly technical term, lol).

i really hate the thought of having to use a PSBC for roses (making smbc for the cake and the ps for roses...aargh...so many dirty mixing bowls) but i may have to go that way to get it stiff enough. unless anyone knows any tricks to getting SMBC stiffer. does cream of tartar help? i see some SMBC with cream of tartar which i know stabilizes a meringe, but does it help the buttercream?

i just wanna pipe some nice flowers instead of blobs

save

Ok, so does this save this post somewhere special? Never done it before!

Oh geez, it's no different than clicking "watch this topic" then? Lol...ok, back to just watching the topics!

i just made the brown sugar smbc and it is hands down the tastiest buttercream i have ever made. even my "i don't like frosting" DH (which is just downright abnormal) thinks it is fantastic, lol.

i am going to lick all my spatulas before they go into the dishwasher

thanks for this thread! i only use smbc (YUM) and have never exmerminted past my present recipe... but i know some people that will LOVE pb smbc!! for roses try adding powdered sugar to the smbc before putting it in the bag although it makes it sweeter its still better than psbc and it gets nice and stiff!

hi cakesanddazzle!
how much ps do you add to get it to rose stiffness?
thanks!
diane

Here is a video of the 1-2-3 SMBC method!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBBoRMWcfNc&feature=related

All4cake that is a beautiful cake! What flavor is the cake??

Ohhh that sounds DELICIOUS!!!