Favorite American Buttercream Recipe ~ two sugar bugs (2024)

FAQs

Favorite American Buttercream Recipe ~ two sugar bugs? ›

Yes, this is absolutely correct. The longer you beat, the more air you incorporate in your buttercream, thus, it will have lots of holes or air-pockets, it will also make the colour lighter. If you will use your buttercream primarily for filling or maybe as simple swirls, then this is ok.

Yes, this is absolutely correct. The longer you beat, the more air you incorporate in your buttercream, thus, it will have lots of holes or air-pockets, it will also make the colour lighter. If you will use your buttercream primarily for filling or maybe as simple swirls, then this is ok.

Use Less Sugar

However, you don't want to just reduce the sugar without adjusting the other ingredients, or your frosting may end up too thin or runny. To reduce the sugar in your buttercream frosting recipe, start by using a little less than the recipe calls for.

How to fix: Add less powdered sugar or more heavy. cream. Mix on medium/high speed in mixer for 2-3.

No matter what type of frosting you make, I recommend mixing your frosting on the lowest speed for a couple minutes with a paddle attachment at the end of the process. This helps push excess air out of the frosting, which makes it nice and smooth. Don't be afraid to let your mixer run on low for a few minutes.

If you've made your buttercream and it's on the firm side, you can always add a couple of tablespoons of cooled boiled water to soften the consistency and make it easier to spread. Chill buttercream that is too soft for 15-20mins to achieve a firmer consistency.

Frosting is too runny.

This could be because the butter was too soft or you added too much milk if it is buttercream frosting or it could be that you have overbeaten it if you're making cream cheese frosting. Also, a hot kitchen can make frostings go runny, so be mindful of the temperature.

If your buttercream ends up with a grainy texture, don't worry. There are simple steps you can take to fix it. Usually it is grainy from the sugar not dissolving into the butter properly. One easy fix is to re-whip the frosting, preferably with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until it becomes smoother.

Choose Swiss meringue Buttercream if you:

want to level up your cake decorating from traditional American buttercreams (the ones that use just butter/powdered sugar.)

What is the difference between buttercream and American buttercream? ›

American buttercream has a pale ivory color and is a bit firmer than most other buttercreams, because it has a very high butter content. I hate to break it to you, but American buttercream really is just fat and sugar. (That's why it's so good.)

My Silky Buttercream has fifty percent less sugar than my regular Smooth Buttercream, which makes it a lot less sweet and hardly gritty in texture. It also pipes beautifully and because of its silky texture it's perfect for frosting a smooth cake.

If it's too buttery, add some heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you like the consistency. Whip it in on high speed for at least one minute when you like the texture. (See my footnotes about this below.) Switch over to a paddle attachment and run the frosting on low speed to get out any large air pockets.

Add white vinegar.

Although many do so to avoid cracks and to achieve a smooth appearance, I find just the tiniest bit — about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon — also curbs the sweetness, allowing the wonderfully creamy mouth-feel of the icing to truly shine.

Use powdered sugar to easily thicken the buttercream frosting. Add the powdered sugar 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) at a time. Mix the powdered sugar into the frosting using an electric mixer or handheld whisk, making sure it's thoroughly integrated.

How do I get the buttercream to stick to the cake? Chill the cake for 2 hours before you frost it. It's hard to be patient, but wait! If you frost the cake before it's cooled, the butter in the frosting will melt and soak into your cake.

Milk, water, heavy whipping cream, half-and-half

While you can use water, we suggest using milk, heavy whipping cream or half-and-half to add extra flavor and creaminess to your frosting.

If your frosting appears chunky or curdled, it's over-whipped. To fix, stir 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream into the frosting by hand to smooth out again. Use more heavy cream if needed to smooth out. Use it: After you make the whipped frosting, it's ready to frost your cupcakes, cake, or other confections.

Buttercream melts from the warmth of your hands as you're piping along. Trick is to keep your hands as cool as possible or have two bags so they can be swapped over as one begins to soften. Keep the bags cool. Royal icing doesn't melt in the same way as buttericing because it's just sugar and egg whites.