Overview: How To Make A Buttercream Flower Cake:
Heres an overview of how youll assemble your floral buttercream cake:
Vanilla Buttercream Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use salted butter?
Sure! Some people find using salted butter to be too salty. With unsalted, you control the amount of salt you add. I love using half salted and half unsalted butter and omitting the additional salt!
Do I need to sift the powdered sugar?
Only if you need to! I dont sift powdered sugar unless it is lumpy. Try different brands of powdered sugar to find your favorite.
Can I add more or less powdered sugar?
Totally! You can tailor the recipe to suit your taste. Use as little as 4 cups or as much as 7 cups of powdered sugar. You do not need to change the amounts of the other ingredients.
Can I make the buttercream ahead of time?
Absolutely! Store the buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months! Bring the buttercream to room temperature and rewhip with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until good as new!
Should I use a whisk or paddle attachment on my mixer?
That depends! I use both depending on my mood! Many bakers feel that using a paddle attachment creates a smoother buttercream. Some recommend using a whisk attachment to make the buttercream lighter. My suggestion is to try both ways and see what you like best!
How can I make my buttercream smooth?
After you are done making the buttercream, mix the buttercream on low speed with a paddle attachment for 5 to 10 minutes. You can also remove air bubbles by mixing the buttercream by hand with a spatula until it is silky smooth.
Buttercream Icing For Frosting And Piping
Great buttercream icing recipe with options to make it stable in warm climates!
Buttercream icing is probably the most basic type of icing for cakes. There are many different variants of this icing, and I have on this page, 2 different recipes that you can choose for your cakes.
Both recipes use butter and icing sugar as the main ingredients, but the second recipe has shortening added to it and is particularly suitable for warmer climates as butter tends to melt more easily than shortening. I personally prefer to add shortening to my buttercream as I live in a hot and humid country and shortening definitely gives me a more stable buttercream. The taste of the buttercream is off course better with the first version of the recipe that does not use shortening, but the choice is really up to you.
Both recipes yield smooth and creamy icing that is suitable to coat any type of cake, be it a butter cake, fruit cake or sponge cake. The flavor can be varied for chocolate, coffee, mocha, orange or just any other flavor you wish.
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Ingredients For Homemade Buttercream
Butter: I almost always specify unsalted butter in my recipes then add salt back in. I do this because different manufacturers put in various amounts of salt and I dont want anyone to make something too salty or not salted enough when using my recipes. If you only have salted butter on hand then go ahead and use it. You can add more salt to taste if needed.
Confectioners Sugar: Not all brands are equal and some will definitely be lumpier than others. Its always a good idea to sift it out before using, especially if youre using piping tips. A little lump can clog the tip and cause a big problem.
Vanilla Extract: I love vanilla but there are tons of flavorings you can add, I have a whole section on this below. If you are using vanilla then try and use a nice one and I would not recommend using artificial vanilla flavor.
How Many Cups Of Buttercream Are In One Batch Of Buttercream
Now you just need to figure out how many cups of frosting one batch makes.
My American and Swiss Meringue buttercream recipes both make about 6 cups of frosting.
However, it can vary based on the recipe youre using.
Most recipe cards list the yield at the top of the recipe card, or will share it in the notes section at the bottom of the recipe card.
Now that you know how many cups of frosting you need, you can back into how many batches of frosting youll need to make.
And just like that, youre ready to make the perfect amount of frosting!!
You can also download the charts above here!
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How Big Is The Cake Youre Making
The size, shape and number of cake layers will impact how much frosting you need.
In general, I find one batch or about 6 cups of frosting is the perfect amount for a 7-inch or 8-inch layer cake thats decorated with buttercream swirls on top.
I usually have a tiny bit leftover, but its just about right. This makes sense based on my calculations below!
How To Make Buttercream
This article was co-authored by Maha Mohamed. Maha Mohamed is a Custom Dessert Artist and the Owner of Sweet Treats SJ. Maha has over ten years of experience creating custom treats for special occasions. She specializes in custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate-covered treats.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 52,879 times.
Buttercream is the frosting of choice for cupcakes, birthday cakes and wedding cakes alike. That’s because the rich, sweet flavor pairs perfectly with any type of cake. Best of all, it’s very easy to make! Basic buttercream should be in any aspiring pastry chef’s repertoire. See Step 1 to learn how to make it.
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Which Wilton Tip Makes Flowers
Wilton has so many different flower tips to use! It all depends on how intricate you want your flowers to be.
There are amazing petal tips that you can use , but there are even packets of flower design tips that you can purchase. Some other tips, like a star tip can be used so as to imply petals for the flowers and then you can fill the flowers with dots as well!
I also recommend getting a leaf tip as well !
Basic Butter Cake Ingredients
The ingredients that make up a traditional butter cake recipe are:
- unsalted butter – it’s best to use unsalted butter as you can then control the amount of salt you add to the cake. However, you can use salted butter if you prefer
- caster sugar – otherwise known as superfine or ultra-fine sugar. This is a very fine sugar that dissolves when creamed together with the butter.
- pinch of salt – this adds to the overall flavour of the cake
- vanilla extract
- eggs – I recommend using large eggs that are approximately 55-60 grams per egg
- self-raising flour – also known as self-rising flour. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup of plain flour and sifting together.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe card with ingredient quantities and the method.
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Prepping And Storing Other Types Of Buttercream Decorations
I wanted to point you that you can easily prep and preserve different types of buttercream decorations as well, just in case it inspires some imagination for you.Buttercream transfers are the most apparent example you trace an image onto buttercream, freeze it, and then flip it onto your cake.Fortunately, there are plenty of other enjoyable activities you may prepare ahead of time.
- One of the most beautiful examples I can think of is this heart pattern cake created by Qookie The Cakery.
- I know that sounds cheesy, but the sky is the limit when it comes to your creativity!
- If you found this post to be useful, why not forward it to a friend who enjoys cooking and baking?
- In exchange for your time, you could even receive some baked goods.
Why Is My Buttercream Not Crusting
If your buttercream isnt developing a crust, it may be too humid in your kitchen. Try placing your cake somewhere cool to help the crust form.
Another reason your buttercream may not be crusting is that theres too much moisture in the frosting itself. If your frosting is too wet or soft, keep adding confectioners sugar until the consistency improves.
Its also important that your cake is at room temperature before you start decorating. If your cake is too warm, the buttercream will melt and the frosting wont set. If your cake is chilled, it can create condensation between the frosting and the cake. That moisture will prevent a crust from forming.
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Is It Ok To Leave Buttercream Frosting Out Overnight
A buttercream created from a recipe that calls for butter and shortening may usually be left out at room temperature for up to 2 days without spoiling. If your buttercream recipe calls for 100% butter, it will need to be refrigerated once it is produced. If you choose an all-butter recipe, the butter may begin to melt off your cake after it has reached room temperature.
Helpful Hints For Making Buttercream Frosting
- For great frosting every time, make sure you start with room temperature butter. If the butter is too cold, it wont mix properly with the sugar, resulting in a lumpy frosting that may look curdled or separated.
- If youre using a hand mixer, make one batch at a time to keep your mixer from overheating
- If your hand mixer is working too hard, you can add the liquid ingredients before the sugar
- To avoid air bubbles from forming, use the flat paddle attachment or beaters
- Do not use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, as it will incorporate too much air into your mixture and your frosting will not look smooth
- Leftover buttercream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Buttercream can also be frozen for up to six months. Before reusing, bring buttercream back to room temperature and rewhip using a paddle attachment until its back to the correct consistency.
- *Depending on the humidity and climate, it may be necessary to adjust the liquid and the sugar in your frosting. If frosting looks dry, add small amounts of liquid . If frosting is too wet, add 1 tablespoon at a time. The key for both adjustments is adding small amounts until you achieve the right consistency.
If youd like to see this recipe in action, watch the video below!
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How Do You Keep A Cake Moist Before Frosting
How to keep cakes moist when they are stored overnight
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Can You Use This Vanilla Cake Recipe For Cupcakes
This recipe is formulated to bake up perfectly flat so its not the best in my opinion for cupcakes. If you really want to use them for cupcakes, try my vanilla cupcake recipe instead.
If you really want to use this recipe, youll want to make a few adjustments.
- Reduce the liquid in the recipe by half and omit all the oil.
- Bake them at 400º F for 5 minutes then reduce the temperature to 335º F for 10 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The extra heat at the beginning will help the cupcake dome up and make a tight connection to the cupcake wrapper.
- Dont fill the cupcake liners more than 2/3 of the way full or they will overflow and go flat.
This recipe made 36 cupcakes.
Will Buttercream Icing Harden In Fridge
Cakes with a simple buttercream frosting include: Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Unless youre putting the cake in the refrigerator, its recommended to chill the cake uncovered in the freezer or refrigerator for approximately 20 minutes to allow the frosting to firm.
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Is Buttercream Better With Butter Or Shortening
Actually, its best with both! Our buttercream uses a combination of the two fats. The butter gives the frosting flavor while the shortening provides structure.
If youd rather not use shortening, you can replace it with all butter. However, it will take longer for your frosting to crust.
For a super white frosting that will hold its shape well , you can also replace the butter with all shortening.
In the end it all comes down to personal preference and how youre planning to use your buttercream.