Everything about buttercream
Soft buttercream on your cupcake or as a layer between your cake really does make life a whole lot better. But did you know that pretty much every country has its own version? And what the differences between them are? I looked into it for you.
There are roughly five different types, which can best be divided into two preparation methods:
- With American and German buttercream, a sweet base (usually something pudding-like) is added to whipped butter.
- With French, Italian and Swiss buttercreams, softened cubes of butter are added to a sweet base (usually a type of meringue).
American
The easiest and most widely used buttercream: you beat the butter until it’s soft and smooth, then add powdered sugar, milk and, optionally, flavorings such as vanilla. Need buttercream quickly and not bothered by something incredibly sweet? Go for this one; you can make it in under 10 minutes.
German
This buttercream has a custard base and is therefore yellow. The custard consists of eggs, cornstarch and milk and is then mixed with the softened butter. Because of the custard, the cream can melt quickly and is mainly used as a filling for donuts or cupcakes. It’s a little more difficult to make than the American version, but somewhat easier than the following meringue-based buttercreams.
Swiss
This buttercream has a Swiss meringue base. You start with a mixture of whipped egg whites and sugar, add softened butter, and there you have it: Swiss buttercream. It’s light and completely white, making it perfect for a rainbow cake, as the food coloring you use for it blends in well.
French
This one has an Italian meringue base, which differs from the Swiss version: it consists of whipped egg whites mixed with hot sugar syrup, which is then combined with butter. You use this buttercream in the same way as the Swiss version, but it handles heat slightly better and looks smoother—if you make it properly.
Italian
Italian buttercream is made in the same way as the French version, with hot sugar syrup, but it has a base of egg yolks—also known as pâte à bombe—which also gives it more flavor, color and texture. Because of its yellow color, you can’t mix it well with other colors. It’s often used to build up different cake layers.
Want to know exactly how to make all these different types? Choose your favorite and follow the recipe here
