Vs American Buttercream
In cake decorating world there are few key factors to make a gorgeous looking cake. In my opinion the number one in this list is the type of buttercream. Even if the cake is going to be entirely covered with fondant, but you still need a clean buttercream finishing in order to get a professional and gorgeous looking cake.
When I first tasted a cake in Canada with what it’s called buttercream, I should admit that I absolutely hated the taste and the texture in my mouth. At that time I never knew why I don’t like what is called the American Buttercream.
Later on I took a Wilton cake decorating course, and I learned to actually make that buttercream. The main ingredients is shortening, meringue powder and icing sugar, and shortening is the ingredients that I don’t like. I guess the same recipe can be also made with butter, but still it’s too sweet for my taste. I tried so many other buttercream recipes out there and didn’t like any of those. So I only used to decorate my cakes with whipped which it wasn’t easy to do any fancy decorations.
Until my cake decorating life absolutely changed after taking this amazing cake decorating course at Bonnie Gordon College.
The first time that I heard about Swiss Meringue #buttercream and I learned to make it was at the same school. I absolutely loved the taste and the texture, and I also learned how to use it to fill and cover the cake and get the perfect edges. Learning to cover a perfect cake with this buttercream can be a bit challenging but when you learn the skill and practice ,then it will be a piece of cake.
It is a heavy type of buttercream, and some people don’t like it but it is amazing for making smooth looking buttercream cakes.
It can also be flavored with fruit purée such as strawberry, mango, raspberry, passion fruit or cocoa powder, coffee and liquors and it’s very delicious for filling cakes and French Macarons. I love the taste and how it melts in your mouth.
This buttercream is also very strong for stacking where you want to make more than 3 tier cake.
Another big advantage is that the cake can stay in room temperature for up to 48 hours without any health concerns. (because the egg whites are actually cooked to 60 degrees C) Also it doesn’t melt or change texture unless the temperature is higher than 25 degrees C.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream can also be used for filling cookie cakes, and custom cupcakes however for frosting regular cupcakes I recommend Italian Meringue instead (very similar recipe but different technique of making and much more fluffier and lighter)
So either if you are a home baker, or a hobby occasional baker, you should still give this recipe a try.
Makes approximately 1 L
Prep and making time 35-45 minutes
Ingredients:
Sugar 200g
Egg whites (fresh or cartoon box) 150g
Pure Vanilla Extract 5 ml
Unsalted Butter (room temp) 454g
Pinch of Salt
Click on the picture below for tutorial video👇🏻
Directions:
Clean all the equipments including the mixer bowl, whisk attachment, and spatula with vinegar
Get a heat proof bowl and a pot to use for double boiler method
Place egg whites, and sugar in the bowl and place over the simmering water pot
Whisk the egg whites and sugar continuously until reaches 60 degrees C (use a food thermometer)
Remove the mixture from heat and transfer to the mixer bowl with a whisk attachment . Whip on medium high speed until reached medium stiff peaks
Start adding the butter chunks mixing well between each addition . When all the butter chunks are added and mixed well, then add the vanilla extract and whip until completely combined. Then add a pinch of salt, whip well.
Store in a plastic container
In the video I store 2/3 as Vanilla Buttercream and made the rest raspberry buttercream to fill some Macarons. You can use the same steps to flavor the buttercream with any other fruit purée
NOTE:
💖Keep the buttercream in the fridge for up to two weeks and freezer for up to 3 months
💖Work with the buttercream at room temperature (from freezer leave it at your counter top over night
