Perfect Piping Buttercream Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the perfect consistency for piping buttercream? ›

If you stick your spatula into the buttercream, your frosting should maintain a stiff peak. If your buttercream is too thick and can't flow through a piping tip, add more milk – about 1 teaspoon at a time – to slightly thin it out.

American Buttercream for Piping Succulents & Flowers

Beat the butter on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes till light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Beat on medium high speed for 2 more minutes to get all the air bubbles out.

Swiss meringue buttercream is a favorite among many cake decorators because of its smooth finish on the outside cakes and its ability to hold piping detail.

To test the consistency, you should be able to dip your rubber spatula into the buttercream and it will come out with stiff peaks that hold their shape. It should pipe easily without having to put a lot of pressure on the bag and the piped details should not look frayed.

When you notice it starting to get warm, put it in the fridge to get back to the cool temp you want. While that one is cooling, you can use your second piping bag to continue your cake decorating. Cold buttercream is much better to work with because when it gets too warm it's too runny and makes the design look sloppy.

Yes, this is absolutely correct. The longer you beat, the more air you incorporate in your buttercream, thus, it will have lots of holes or air-pockets, it will also make the colour lighter. If you will use your buttercream primarily for filling or maybe as simple swirls, then this is ok.

Beat together butter, shortening, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Blend in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk; continue mixing until icing is light and fluffy. Store icing covered until ready to use.

Italian Meringue Buttercream is the most difficult buttercream to make. If you are familiar with Italian meringue, you'll understand that it involves boiling sugar and then whisking egg whites into this piping hot syrup. Because of the high temperatures involved, we only recommend it to the more advanced cake artists.

Using less butter or more icing sugar, will not only result in an extremely sweet buttercream but one which may be too firm to easily fill or cover your cake and you may end up destroying the delicate crumb of your cake. It will also be very difficult to pipe with.

How do you make piping frosting better? ›

Store-bought frosting can be too thin for piping frosting onto your cake. You'll need to thicken the consistency. Empty a can of frosting into a bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar with a mixer, adding more sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Swiss meringue buttercream is probably the most standard buttercream for pastry professionals. It is incredibly smooth, making it an extremely popular choice for icing cakes. Compared to American buttercream, it has a much stronger butter flavor, but is considerably less sweet.

Yes, this is absolutely correct. The longer you beat, the more air you incorporate in your buttercream, thus, it will have lots of holes or air-pockets, it will also make the colour lighter. If you will use your buttercream primarily for filling or maybe as simple swirls, then this is ok.