Buttercream Icing

Buttercream Icing is a sweet creamy butter based icing that is mostly used by cake decorators to ice cakes.  It is made using butter or shortening or even a mix of both, confectioners sugar, milk or water and meringue powder.  For flavorings you can have your heart’s desire!!  From vanilla, lemon, almond, peppermint extracts to even exotic flavors such as coconut, passion fruit and pineapple, to liqueur spirits such as brandy, rum, Grand Marnier, Amaretto liqueur are some choices.  When making chocolate flavored buttercream you can always use melted chocolate chips or coco powder add coffee flavor to enhance the chocolate flavor. 

WARNING : This Icing is made for the sugar lover!  Buttercream icing is known to be a very sweet icing.  If you don’t have a sweet tooth then this icing not for you!!

 

Buttercream icing comes in different consistencies depending on what type of decorating you are doing.  Stiff consistency is used to make flowers, while the Medium consistency is used to pipe borders and the thin consistency is used to ice and fill cakes.   

Buttercream Icing can be stored in an air tight container for 1-2 weeks.  Always bring it to room temperature before using. 

While there are so many buttercream recipes out there, I have always used the Wilton buttercream Icing recipe.  Which I think is great recipe to work with!

When making buttercream Icing always remember 

• Have butter at room temperature.
• When measuring have the liquids measured at eye level and cup measurements leveled!   
• Make sure the confectioners sugar is sifted so there are no lumps in the icing, this makes the icing more lighter and fluffy!  
• By adding a pinch of salt helps cut down the sweetness of the icing.
• When mixing the Buttercream Icing remember not to over beat!   You should always keep the speed of the mixture low to medium and never on high speed.  Over beating will allow air to get into the icing.  This will result in a very hard, not so smooth texture and will be very difficult to work with.

So this is buttercream Icing in a nut shell!  Have fun making your own buttercream Icing!!

Images courtesy of Wilton Products, Inc.