Buttercream Basics
This is the structural foundation for almost every frosted dessert in the pantry. Master this ratio and you stop relying on tubs from the store and start controlling the sweetness and weight of your own work.
Watch the butter's give
Press your finger into the butter. It should yield easily, leaving an indentation, but still hold its shape without looking oily or melting at the edges.
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- large mixing bowl
- silicone spatula
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 to 4 cupspowdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbspheavy cream or whole milk
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
The color change
Beat the butter alone for three minutes before adding sugar. It should turn from yellow to nearly white, indicating you have built the air structure that holds the sugar.
The method.
Cream the butter
Place the butter in your bowl and beat on medium-high speed until it looks pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add sugar gradually
Lower the speed and add 2 cups of sugar. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium and add the remaining sugar, salt, and vanilla.
Emulsify
Drizzle in the cream while the mixer is running. Once added, turn the speed to high for 1 minute to whip the mixture into a cohesive, smooth paste.
Knock out bubbles
Take your spatula and fold the buttercream against the side of the bowl several times to push out large air pockets, ensuring a smooth finish for piping.
Other turns to take.
Chocolate
Sift 1/2 cup of cocoa powder in with the powdered sugar.
Coffee
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder in the cream before adding it to the bowl.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always sift the powdered sugar, even if it looks fine; it prevents small, hard lumps of sugar from clogging your piping tip.
If the buttercream looks broken or curdled, keep beating it. It is usually a temperature issue that will resolve as the ingredients homogenize.
Adjust the cream by the teaspoon to get the exact thickness you need for your specific piping style.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but omit the extra pinch of salt in the ingredients list to maintain balance.
How long does this keep?
It will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for two days, or in the refrigerator for a week. Re-whip it briefly before using again.
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