Bake
Our Best American-Style Buttercream
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10 Reviews
Sahar O.
October 2, 2023
Erin thank you for all episodes and amazing amazing videos thanks million times my dear for tons of information you shared with us..thanks again
tdombrow
September 8, 2021
I just made this frosting for some birthday cupcakes. I wanted to be fancy, so I used 1tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of vanilla and made a "Mexican" style chocolate frosting. I guess it was a hit because there weren't any left.
Teri M.
April 19, 2021
Hi, Erin...thank you for all the great vid tutorials and tips; much appreciated! I am struggling, however, with buttercream and I assume it's due to my altitude and dry climate. For instance, yours with 1 c butter : 1 pound of confectioner's sugar, along with another i tried that was 4 sticks butter : 1 pound of confectioner's sugar, are both yielding really dry and stiff buttercream, even with the recommended 2 TBSP - 1/4 c. milk or heavy cream blended in. My butter cream doesn't come out at the consistency of mayo...rather it is stiff and crusts quickly. i really suspect it's due to the dry climate and 6500 foot altitude but, perhaps it is something totally different. in any event, i am super discouraged. any additional suggestions would be welcome! teri graves - elizabeth, colorado
Erin J.
April 19, 2021
Hi Teri! American buttercream is a thicker icing and will crust over eventually - but it shouldn’t too quickly to be difficult to work with. I suspect you’re right - your climate is contributing to the mixture needing more moisture. A few things you can try:
-use less sugar! You could probably use 3 cups (340 g). The icing will be less thick and less sweet, but as the sweetest icing out there, it can definitely stand to be less sweet without sacrificing deliciousness!
-start with butter that’s on the warm side of room temperature- it should have some shine to the surface. Using warmer butter will allow it to blend with the sugar a bit faster and more evenly in the early stages of mixing.
-you can add as much milk or cream as you need to make the mixture more fluid (note: it will blend better if it’s at room temperature) - even using other ingredients to contribute moisture: sour cream, yogurt, etc. !
Happy Baking!
-use less sugar! You could probably use 3 cups (340 g). The icing will be less thick and less sweet, but as the sweetest icing out there, it can definitely stand to be less sweet without sacrificing deliciousness!
-start with butter that’s on the warm side of room temperature- it should have some shine to the surface. Using warmer butter will allow it to blend with the sugar a bit faster and more evenly in the early stages of mixing.
-you can add as much milk or cream as you need to make the mixture more fluid (note: it will blend better if it’s at room temperature) - even using other ingredients to contribute moisture: sour cream, yogurt, etc. !
Happy Baking!
Sarah O.
December 21, 2017
What are the benefits of adding milk or cream? (Aka, why is it optional?) Looking forward to trying this out!
Julia C.
December 23, 2016
To get rid of the taste of raw cornstarch added to confectioners sugar, I've found heating and stirring the sugar over low heat for up to a minute or two works. It completely takes away that raw or burning taste some people experience with this type frosting.
Jolie
January 15, 2018
I'm confused...Why would there be a taste of raw cornstarch? Does commercial confectioner's sugar have cornstarch?
So much I don't know...
So much I don't know...
Julia M.
March 8, 2016
in the last couple of years, I've started using French buttercream as my go to frosting, but I still have a little nostalgia for the American version that my mother put on our birthday cakes growing up. Her tips for a rich taste are to use the best butter you can find, like kerrygold or from a local dairy, and to beat in an egg yolk.
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