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.

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.

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.

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.

Should I refrigerate the buttercream frosting before piping with it? No. To pipe buttercream frosting, it needs to be close to room temperature, or it will be too firm to pipe.

Mistake # 1: Using butter that is too firm or too soft

If your butter is too firm it will be difficult to combine with your icing sugar and you'll end up with lumpy buttercream. Too soft and your buttercream will be runny and oily, unable to hold it's shape particularly if you intend to use it for any kind of piping.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

Italian meringue buttercream is a popular frosting because it has a creamy and silky texture that holds up well in warm temperatures. Similar to the Swiss meringue buttercream, the Italian buttercream has a meringue base and is mildly sweet and buttery that can be used on any flavored cake.

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.

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.

How to get perfectly smooth buttercream? ›

To make the frosting extra smooth, stir it by hand with a rubber spatula for a minute or two right before you use it. It's an arm workout, but it's worth it! Push the frosting back and forth and spread it around the side of the bowl. This will push out any extra air and make it easier to smooth onto cakes or pipe with.

Classically there are four main types of buttercream: Italian, German, French & Swiss. There is another that is actually the simplest buttercream and that is American buttercream AKA simply buttercream or decorators frosting.

The best way to distinguish frosting from buttercream is through the ingredients. While both contain powdered sugar, fat, flavouring and sometimes milk or water, frosting does not contain any butter whatsoever. Instead, frosting is usually made with shortening or cream cheese.

Learn how to make homemade buttercream frosting with this classic, quick and easy recipe! This recipe makes 2 cups of frosting, enough to frost 24 cupcakes. You will need a double recipe to ice an 8 in. 2-layer cake.

Firm textures of icing, like the really stiff straight out of the mixer kind, are typically used for things like flowers, piping thin lines, and piping fine details.