Essential Buttercream Bases
You do not need a dozen recipes to cover every cake or cupcake. Mastering these three foundation methods provides the range to handle everything from stiff piping to a light, whipped filling.
Room temperature is not a suggestion
If your butter is too cold, it will leave streaks of fat; if it is melted, the structure will collapse. Your butter should be pliable but still hold its shape when pressed.
- Stand mixer with whisk and paddle attachments
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- Heat-proof rubber spatula
What goes in.
- 1 lbunsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 2 cupsgranulated sugar (for Swiss/Italian)
- 1 cupegg whites
- 4 cupsconfectioners' sugar (for American)
Finding the Breakpoint
When adding butter to your meringue or base, the mixture may look curdled or soupy. Keep the mixer running on medium; the fat will eventually emulsify into the liquid, turning from a broken mess into a cohesive, matte cream.
The method.
American
Beat butter until pale and airy, then add confectioners' sugar in half-cup increments. Finish with a splash of cream to adjust thickness.
Swiss
Whisk sugar and egg whites over a double boiler until they reach 160°F. Move to the mixer and whisk until the bowl feels cool to the touch before adding butter.
Italian
Boil sugar and water to 240°F. Stream the hot syrup into whipping egg whites until stiff peaks form, then incorporate butter piece by piece.
Other turns to take.
French Buttercream
Uses egg yolks instead of whites for a richer, custard-like base that is deeper in color.
German Buttercream
Starts with a pastry cream base thickened with starch, folded into butter once cooled.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always wipe your mixer bowl with a lemon wedge and a paper towel before starting meringues to remove any residual grease.
If your buttercream is too soft, put the entire bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes then re-whip.
Flavoring extracts should be added at the final stage to prevent them from interfering with the emulsion process.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my buttercream grainy?
Usually, the sugar did not fully dissolve during the heating phase or the butter was incorporated while the base was still too hot.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes. Buttercream stores well in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for months; just let it come back to room temperature and re-whip before use.
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