Louise Byrne - 6 May 2021
The Dream Buttercream Guide
How to make buttercream like a pro
SMBC Cake with Pink Cake Board
Image @_hannahmatilda_
Lockdown is easing here in England, garden gatherings are taking place (whatever the weather), weddings are being planned and CAKE is on the menu. With this in mind, we thought it was the perfect time to share our favourite buttercream recipes with you.
There are a number of different and amazing kinds of buttercream, but today we focus on 2 of the most popular: Swiss Meringue Buttercream and American Buttercream (also known as SMBC & ABC).
As our aim is to provide you with the best of the best, luckily the talented Hannah of Hannah Matilda Cake Studio agreed to let us in on her Swiss Meringue Buttercream secrets, so this is definitely not a recipe to miss! Not only do Hannah's cakes taste incredible (trust me), you can see just how perfectly iced her creations are. So, if you are looking for a delicious buttercream that will give your bakes a beautiful finish, this is definitely one to try. Hannah always uses our 'Style 0' Cake Scraper on all of her cakes, as it gives the perfect smooth buttercream finish (you can shop for our full range of scrapers here).
We have also included an American Buttercream recipe as it is a firm favourite among bakers all over the world. It has a simpler technique (perfect for all baking levels) and provides versatility to your menu, as it can be made Vegan and dairy free very easily. Although it appears a more simple buttercream to make, there are definitely ways to ensure ABC leaves an impression, so make sure you read all the hints and tips to create a buttercream that will leave everyone wanting more!
SMBC Cakes with Forty Toppers
Images @_hannahmatilda_
Buttercream Recipes
You will need
150g Egg White
225g Caster Sugar
300g Unsalted Butter (room temperature, cut into cubes)
Method
1. Whisk the egg white and caster sugar over a bain marie until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. In your cake mixer, whisk the egg white/sugar mixture on medium until stiff peaks form.
3. Change the whisk attachment to a beater attachment and gradually whip in the butter until the mixture comes together as a silky smooth buttercream.
4. Add vanilla essence or other flavouring or colouring as you wish.
TOP TIPS!
After your buttercream has come together, continue to beat it for a further 10 minutes - this helps get rid of air bubbles and makes it lighter, fluffier and taste like soft meringue rather than just butter!
If after adding your butter it starts to look like scrambled eggs, be patient, keep beating it, it will come together! When icing, make sure your buttercream is at a warm room temperature as cold buttercream leaves air bubbles on your cake.
If possible, ice your cake straight after making your buttercream; if you leave it to sit, it will stiffen up and won’t be as smooth.
This buttercream can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. To re-use, let it come to room temperature and gently soften in the microwave before whipping it up again for at least 5 minutes.
Hannah says: "Make sure to use your LissieLou straight edge 'Style 0' Metal Scraper for the best finish."
Buttercream Recipes
You will need
750g Icing Sugar
150g Unsalted Butter / Vegan Butter
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract or 1-2 Vanilla Pods
Splash of Milk/ Vegan Milk/ Cream to soften
Method
1. Bring your butter to room temperature, cut into cubes and add to your food mixer.
2. Using the whisk head, beat until creamy.
3. Change the whisk attachment to a beater attachment and add-in icing sugar, a little at a time.
4. Add in splashes of milk with each addition of icing sugar and finish by adding vanilla essence.
5. Leave to whip for a further 5-10 mins before using.
TOP TIPS!
To start, whisk your butter for 5-10mins before adding icing sugar. This helps both the taste and the colour to be lighter.If your icing sugar seems lumpy, run it through a sieve before you add it to your mixing bowl.
Many people say ABC only takes 5 minutes, but for a really smooth and tasty end result we definitely think it takes longer. For a brilliant buttercream spend the time if you can and after it has come together, continue to beat it for a further 5-10 minutes - this helps get rid of air bubbles and makes it light, fluffy and really tasty.
When icing your cake, make sure your buttercream is at room temperature as cold buttercream leaves air bubbles on your cake.
If you find the taste of your buttercream is coming through very sweet, you can add a pinch of salt.If you use milk, you will need slightly less than if you use a thicker cream. Add this in small quantities at a time to avoid adding too much.
Louise says: "You can make a slightly stiffer buttercream for the inside of the cake layers and then loosen the buttercream with a small splash of milk (or milk alternative) to create a lighter buttercream to crumb coat and ice with. This helps the cake hold its shape from within, but have a smoother overall finish.
SMBC Cakes, Custom Topper, Cake Board & Style '0' Scraper
Images @_hannahmatilda_
Cake Stand @prop.options
We really hope you love trying our buttercream recipes and top tips. If you don't feel like getting your mixer out, make sure you head over to Hannah's website www.hannahmatilda.com - not only does she create beautiful buttercream cakes, she also posts DELICIOUS brownies all over the UK!
We would love to see your brilliant buttercream skills in action, so do tag us in your creations.
If you have any questions or need some help, just let us know!
Louise & The LissieLou Team x
Article credit : Images @_hannahmatilda_ @luvelia.lifestyle Copy @luvelia.lifestyle