Buttercream Recipe

As the whipping cream is very unstable and would melt very fast at room temperature, it's not very practicable for cake decorating. For the similar reason, royal icing cannot be use with cream cakes as it would melt and become watery.  

Buttercream is the most common for cake decorating and it has many variations. Some are teeth achingly sweet and thick while others are with rich flavors and texture like rich whipped cream.

I've summarize 3 types of buttercream receipts: 

• Basic Buttercream

Features: greasy, sweet, thick. 

Ingredients: 

• 375 g Unsalted Butter (cut into small piece, soften)
• 750 g Icing Sugar
• 45-75 g Milk
• Food Flavoring such as vanilla extract, lemon extract

Method:

1. Place soften unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl, beat until smooth and fluffy.
2. Sift icing sugar and add in the mixing bowl little by little.
3. Add milk and food flavoring of your choice and beat until smooth or reach to your prefer consistency. 

My opinion: This type of buttercream is simplest to make. 

• French Buttercream

Features: sweet, smooth and Creamy. 

Ingredients:

• 375 g Unsalted Butter (cut into small piece, soften)
• 150 g Granulated Sugar Sugar
• 45 g Milk
• 105 g Whipping Cream
• 4 Egg Yolk
• Food Flavoring such as vanilla extract, lemon extract

Method:

1. Place soften unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl, beat until smooth and fluffy.
2. Beat egg yolks, sugar, whipping cream and milk together in a small sauce pot on low heat.
3. when the temperature reaches to 80 degrees C, remove from heat and place the pot above a large bowl of cold water to cool down, set aside.
4. when the egg yolk mixture cools down, add it into the butter little by little, 
5. continue to beat for a few minutes. 
6. add the food flavoring and beat until reach to prefer consistency.

My opinion: This type of buttercream is the most smooth and tasty. However, since it contains egg yolks, it relatively harder for coloring mixing. 

• Italian Buttercream

Features: light and fluffy, more suitable for Asians. 

Ingredients:

• 375 g Unsalted Butter (cut into small piece, soften)
• 150 g Granulated Sugar Sugar
• 45 g Water
• 4 Egg White
• Food Flavoring such as vanilla extract, lemon extract

Method: 

1. Place soften unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl, beat until smooth and fluffy.
2. Place egg whites in another mixing bowl, combine water and 75 g sugar in a small sauce pan, heat it in the low heat setting. 
3. add 75 g sugar to the egg whites and beat to soft peak form. 
4. when the simple syrup reaches to 120 degrees C (soft-ball stage), slowly pour it into the egg whites
5. continue to whip the egg whites until it cools down and reach to the sniff peak form.
6. while the beater is whipping, add butter to the egg whites, little by little.
7. It should take 15-20 minutes for the the butter to become smooth. (Be patient)
8. If using food flavoring, add at the final step. 

My opinion: I like this type of buttercream the most. the color is more pale, very suitable for color mixing.