Make Buttercream Filling

Buttercream filling is a soft, tasty way to join a layer cake together. You can also use it to fill other pastries, such as cupcakes and Twinkies. This article will give you two basic recipes for buttercream filling. It will also give you ideas for how to further flavor your buttercream, and lastly how to use it.

Ingredients

Basic Buttercream Filling[1]

  • 5 ounces (140 grams) butter, softened
  • 10 ounces (280 grams) confectioners/icing sugar
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cocoa Buttercream Filling[2]

  • 4 ounces (110 grams) butter, softened
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) confectioners/icing sugar
  • 2 ounces (55 grams) cocoa powder
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk
  • Splash brandy or rum (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Steps

Making Basic Buttercream Filling

  1. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Use a handheld mixer or a food processor with a whisk attachment. It will make things much easier. You can use a whisk or a wooden spoon in a pinch.
    • For a less sweet buttercream, use salted butter.
  2. Add in half of the confectioners/icing sugar. Beat it into the butter until it is smooth. Adding the sugar a little bit at a time gives the butter enough time to absorb it. This gives you a smoother texture.
    • If you are using a handheld mixer, start at a slow speed. This will keep the sugar from flying out everywhere.[3]
    • To make the texture even smoother, sift the sugar first. This will break up any clumps.
  3. Add the rest of the sugar, milk and vanilla. The vanilla extract will give the buttercream a slight ivory color. If you prefer pure white buttercream, use a clear vanilla flavor or extract instead.
    • To give your buttercream color, add in a bit of icing coloring. Using the gel kind instead of the liquid kind will mix easier into the buttercream .[4]
  4. Beat the ingredients together until smooth. It will take about three minutes. There should be no streaks, swirls, or clumps.
    • If you are using a handheld mixer, you can increase the speed to a higher one once the sugar is mixed in.
  5. Check the texture and adjust it, if needed. This will depend on your preferences. If the buttercream is too thin , add in some more sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add in some more milk. Start with a tablespoon or two at a time, mix, and add more as needed.

Making Cocoa Buttercream Filling

  1. Place the butter into a bowl, and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Use a handheld mixer or a food processor with a whisk attachment to do this. It will be faster. You can also use a whisk or a wooden spoon in a pinch.
    • Use salted butter if you want less sweet buttercream.
  2. Mix half of the confectioners/icing sugar into the butter. Adding the sugar a little bit at a time will allow the butter to absorb the sugar better. You'll get a smoother cream in the end.
    • If you are using a handheld mixer, start at a slower speed. This will keep the sugar from flying out.
    • Try to sift the sugar into the butter. This will get rid of clumps.
  3. Mix in the rest of the sugar, milk, and cocoa powder. Keep mixing until the color and texture are even and smooth. There should be no streaks, swirls, or lumps. It will take about three minutes.
    • If you are using a handheld mixer, you can increase the speed after the sugar and cocoa powder are mixed in.
  4. Consider mixing in some extra flavor. Chocolate buttercream tastes wonderful, but you can improve your buttercream by giving it a hint of another flavor. Be sure to mix it thoroughly to evenly distribute the flavor. Here are some ideas that work well with chocolate:[3]
    • To give the buttercream a hint of sweetness, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
    • To give the buttercream a hint of extra flavor, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract.
    • To cut the sweetness and give the buttercream a richer flavor, add in a splash of brandy or rum.
  5. Check the texture and adjust it to your liking. If the buttercream is too thin, add some more sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add some more milk. Start with a tablespoon or two at a time, mix, and add more as needed.

Making Other Types

  1. Consider adding in some extra flavor to your finished basic buttercream. After you have made the buttercream, consider adding in one of the flavors in this section.[4] You can use the vanilla extract, or omit it completely.
  2. Make a coffee flavored buttercream for walnut or chocolate-based cakes. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of instant coffee in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Let the coffee cool, then beat it to the buttercream until everything is smooth. If the texture is too thin, mix in a few extra tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar.
  3. Make lemon flavored buttercream for white cakes. Add up to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the buttercream. For more zest, add 2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel. Mix everything together until smooth. If needed, add in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar to even out the texture.
  4. Try an orange flavored buttercream. Add up to 3 tablespoons of orange juice or Grand Marnier to the buttercream. For more texture, add 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel. Beat everything together until the buttercream is smooth again. If the texture is too thin, add in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar.
  5. Make a raspberry or strawberry flavored buttercream. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of raspberry or strawberry jam into the buttercream. Beat everything together until it is smooth and there are no streaks or swirls. If the texture is too thin, mix in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar.[5]

Using Buttercream Filling

  1. Make sure that your pastries are cool before you start to fill them. If you use buttercream on a pastry that hasn't completely cooled off, the buttercream will melt and make an oozy mess.
  2. Use a butter knife or palette knife to spread buttercream on the base layer of a cake. Spread the buttercream evenly, right up to the edges. Finish up by placing the top layer on the cake.
  3. Add some sliced strawberries along with the buttercream between the cake layers. After you have spread the buttercream filling over the bottom layer, place some thinly sliced strawberries on top of the buttercream. Try to spread them as evenly as you can, so that none of the buttercream is visible. Once you have arranged the strawberries, spread more buttercream on top. When you are done, cover with the upper cake layer.
    • You can also use other types of fruit as well.
  4. Perhaps spreading some jams over the buttercream before you put the top cake layer on. Once you have spread buttercream over the bottom cake layer, spread some of your favorite jam over the buttercream. Make sure that the jam is spread evenly, and that there is no buttercream showing. When you are done, cover with the upper cake layer.
  5. Use a spoon to hollow out a cupcake before filling it with buttercream. You can use a measuring spoon or even an apple corer. Scoop out a hole on the top of a cupcake. Fill the hole with buttercream. Fit a piping bag with your desired decorating tip (such as a star) and swirl more buttercream on top to cover the hole.[6]
  6. Use a piping bag to fill homemade Twinkies. Fit the end of the piping bag with a filling tip. Poke three holes into the bottom of the pastry: one at each end, and one in the middle. Squeeze on the piping bag as you poke each hole; this will fill the pastry.[7]
  7. Use a paring knife and a piping bag to fill cream puffs. Cut a large slit into the side of a cream puff. Put the tip of the piping bag into the slit, and squeeze the buttercream into the puff. Stop when the buttercream starts to ooze out from the slit. Repeat this step for all of the cream puffs.[8]

Tips

  • You can also use buttercream filling to frost a cake.
  • Sift the confectioners/icing sugar and cocoa powders first to avoid any lumps and clumps.
  • The butter needs to be smooth before you add the rest of the ingredients, otherwise the buttercream won't be smooth once it is finished.[9]
  • Soften the butter by leaving it out overnight. Don't soften it in the microwave. You're more likely to end up with melted butter instead.[10]
  • Buttercream will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. When you are ready to use it again, take it out of the fridge and let it reach room temperature. Give it a quick stir before you use it.[11]
  • You can freeze buttercream in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw the frozen buttercream, take it out the day before, and leave it in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to use it, take it out of the fridge and let it reach room temperature. Give it a quick stir before you use.[11]
  • If the frosting is too runny, it might be too warm. Let it sit in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes. If the frosting is still too thin, add more powdered sugar. Start with ¼ cup (30 grams) at a time.[9]
  • If the buttercream is too sweet, add ¼ teaspoon of table salt.[3]
  • For a richer, creamier buttercream, use half-and-half or cream instead of milk.[3]

Things You'll Need

  • Mixing bowl
  • Wooden mixing spoon or handheld mixer
  • Spatula, palette knife, or butter knife for spreading

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ BBC, Basic Buttercream Icing
  2. ↑ BBC, Chocolate Fairy Cakes
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Savory Sweet Life, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Universal Class, Using Buttercream Icing and Royal Icing for Cake Decorating
  5. ↑ Food Network, Strawberry Frosting
  6. ↑ A Side of Sweet, Lemon Curd Stuffed Cupcakes + Lemon Buttercream
  7. ↑ A Few Shortcuts, Homemade Party twinkies
  8. ↑ Erica's Sweet Tooth, Peanut Buttercream Puffs
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Glorious Treats, American Buttercream Frosting Recipe
  10. ↑ Joy the Baker, How to Make the Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Kitchn, Baker's Tip: What to do With Leftover Buttercream?

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Make_Buttercream_Filling&oldid=323568"