Meringue Buttercream

This is quite good. Like the idea of have egg white in the buttercream. Recipe taken from Taste Goblet.

Ingredients:
(this makes enough to cover and decorate a 8″ or 9″ cake, and about 15 reg cupcakes)

3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar (use white sugar for traditional buttercream, or brown for a caramel version)
150g butter, softened to room temperature (I used salted butter)
It is important that the butter be very soft but not melting.
1/2 tsp pure vanilla or any flavoring you want
food coloring, if desired

1. Whisk the egg whites over a double boiler. Ensure bowl is grease-free. Add the sugar and whisk lightly to combine. The idea here is to give the whites and sugar gentle heat from the steam of the simmering water, to dissolve the sugar.

2. Stir the contents of the bowl lightly with the whisk. Stir continously because you do NOT want the whites to get cooked.

3. Once the whites are ready, remove the bowl from the saucepan. While the whites are still warm, start whisking them, first at a low speed to allow them to froth up and then slowly moving up to high speed.

4. Whisk the whites until they have tripled in volume, are glossy and hold stiff peaks when you lift the beaters up.

5. Add the softened butter in tablespoonfuls. Beat until thoroughly combined before adding the next tablespoonful. The previously shiny and stiff meringue may now look disastrously soupy. This is normal.

6. Continue to beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it thickens. This can take anywhwere from 7 to 15 minutes, sometimes even longer. Ever so often, scrape down the bowl with your spatula.

7. After the buttercream thicken. Now, at this stage, you can add vanilla, flavoring and/or food coloring to the buttercream. Add in small amounts and blend in with the beaters on low speed. The frosting can be used immediately.

If the weather is very very hot and humid, bung the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes to stiffen up the buttercream before using. It also can be refridgerated for 4-5 days in a clean, airtight container.

If storing in the fridge, let the buttercream soften at room temperature for about an hour, and then whisk or beat until it becomes fluffy again before using.

Chocolate Buttercream

This icing is simple for decor. Not tasty ya. I have made a big mistake when I am doing this. I added in the hot chocolate mixture into the buttercream. This had melted the butter, hence the texture is not “firm” enough.

Buttercream Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
50g semi-sweet chocolate

1. Melt the chocolate using double boiler or microwave and leave it to cool
2. beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.
3. Add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, milk, beat until combined.
4. Add in the chocolate (must be cooled completely)
5. Add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.

Buttercream

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (225g) butter
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk

Coloring as desired.

1. beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.
2. add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, milk, beat until combined.
3. add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.

Vanilla Buttercream

I will like to like experiment more on icing. For me, I think icing is just a part of the decor and making the cakes look prettier and more appetizing but at the end of the day, you will only eat the cakes but remove the icing. Especially the one who made them, so much butter and sugar is inside, so fat, aiyo.

Anyway, I will hope to try out different types of them and see if there’s any icing that can compliment the taste of the bakes. =)

Here is a very basic and simple icing recipe.

For icing:
55g unsalted butter, very soft
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Coloring as desired

To make icing:
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add half of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla.
On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
Gradually add the remaining sugar. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (
Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.