Virtual Baking Class: Back to Basics - All About Frosting!
American Buttercream
1 stick butter to 225g (approximately 2 cups) powdered sugar + milk/cream to thin and vanilla or flavoring to taste.
Mix until peanut butter consistency.
For piping words: you'll want it softer than peanut butter consistency; you can add a little to a bowl and think with a tiny amount of milk/cream.
TIP: Store-bought canned frosting is perfect for piping words & borders!
American Buttercream (full batch)
1 lb butter, room temp (4 sticks = 2 cups = 16 oz)
2 lb bag powdered sugar (approximately 900g)
Milk/cream to thin
Approximately 1tsp to 1TBSP vanilla or flavoring to taste.
Cream butter + vanilla until fluffy.
Turn mixer to low speed, adding a cup of sugar at a time. Add 1-2T of milk/cream as you go.
Once all sugar has bene incorporated, add milk/cream and mix on to med high until you get "peanut butter consistency".
Crusting/Pipeable Cream Cheese Buttercream
12 oz butter, room temp (3 sticks = 1/.5 cups = 12oz)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (do not use "tubs" or whipped cream cheese)
2 lb bag powdered sugar (approx 900g)
Milk/cream to thin - only if neccessary and at the end. You probably don't need any unless it's a cold kitchen.
Approx 1t-1T vanilla or flavoring to taste.
Cream butter, cream cheese + vanilla until fluffy and the cream cheese has incorporated with the butter and you see no more cream cheese lumps.
Turn mixer to low speed, adding a cup of sugar at a time.
Once all sugar has been incorporated, whip on med high for 1-3 min. Due to the cream cheese you should naturally have "peanut butter consistency"; if it is too stiff, add a teaspoon milk/cream at a time until peanut butter consistency (spreadable).
Whipped Cream
1 pint heavy cream
1/4 c sugar
1t vanilla
Whip on high until peaks form.
For piping or stacking layers, you can stabilize by adding 1/3 packet instand pudding powder and beat on high (adding this will bring to peaks almost immediately so don't run your back!).
Hershey's brand White Chocolate flavor will keep your icing the whitest, next whitest is Jello brand Cream Cheese flavor; Vanilla will turn it yellow. You can use any flavor! Try chocolate - YUM!
Swiss Meringue Buttercream - by Sprinkler Sue!
p/w is Sprinklers
https://vimeo.com/showcase/8996055/video/626959799
We discussed a vegan replacement:
I use this chocolate cake recipe: https://addapinch.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/
A good vegan replacement in cakes is 1/4 c applesauce to each egg.
For vegan buttercream, replace the butter with a plant based butter (or 1/2 shortening and 1/2 plant based butter). If ever using shortening, whip icing on high speed for 5+ min to help the oily mouth feel "situation". Replace the milk/cream with almond/coconut/soy/oat or any non-dairy milks.