What's Your Favourite Buttercream

kah22

There appear to be three main buttercreams: American, Italian and Swiss, I appreciate there are other but these seem to be the three most popular.

Which is the one you use most. Personally I dislike the American one it is so sickly sweet . For years it seemed to be the home bakers standard. Maybe that was because it was the only one you could realistly make by hand

The Italian one is my current favourite, yes it takes that bit more effort but besides tasting better (personal opinion) it presents better and is more easily flavoured or coloured

Have you a favourite?

Wicked_Lady

The only buttercream I've made consists of butter, icing sugar and a little bit of vanilla essence, all beaten together. Sometimes I add a dash of hot water from the kettle to speed things along.


I thought American icing was known as Frosting and I know nothing about Italian buttercream.

caronc

Butter, icing sugar, a splash of milk and vanilla here - no idea what's it's called. Sometimes some cocoa to replace some of the sugar and sometimes some citrus rind instead of the vanilla.

grunnie

Butter, icing sugar a splash of hot water and any flavouring you fancy. I like butterscotch or lemon juice with a bit of the zest, same with lime. Melt half a cake of cadburys choc and beat that in to the butter and sugar for a chocolate cake.

JIL

I also use butter, icing sugar and vanilla. Didn't know there was anything else apart from the synthetic tasting stuff available to buy ready made in a tub.

kah22

caronc wrote: »

Butter, icing sugar, a splash of milk and vanilla here - no idea what's it's called. Sometimes some cocoa to replace some of the sugar and sometimes some citrus rind instead of the vanilla.

American buttercream

harebellsinenfield

Like most of the people who have posted so far, plain old butter icing. Had no idea it was technically called American Buttercream.

I really do not like the meringue based butter creams, or the flour based ones. I have unsophisticated taste buds, and like a versatile icing that is not much faff (read: I can just fling together without thinking too much) to do.

Izadora

caronc wrote: »

Butter, icing sugar, a splash of milk and vanilla here - no idea what's it's called.

kah22 wrote: »

American buttercream

I would've thought that it was ordinary buttercream as American buttercream uses more than a splash of milk.

As far as I'm aware, UK buttercream is a 1:2 ratio of butter and icing sugar, with a splash of milk to soften it if the consistency's a bit thick, while American is a ratio of 1:3 and 10ml of milk per 100g of icing sugar to bring to the correct consistency.

VfM4meplse

Izadora wrote: »

I would've thought that it was ordinary buttercream as American buttercream uses more than a splash of milk.

As far as I'm aware, UK buttercream is a 1:2 ratio of butter and icing sugar, with a splash of milk to soften it if the consistency's a bit thick, while American is a ratio of 1:3 and 10ml of milk per 100g of icing sugar to bring to the correct consistency.

There's a correct consistency? Who knew?

Spreadable does me fine

Izadora

VfM4meplse wrote: »

There's a correct consistency? Who knew?

Errr, yeah. 'Spreadable' is pretty much the correct consistency...

If you added no liquid the American butter/icing ratio would leave you with something resembling fine sand. If you add too much liquid you end up with a sloppy mess that slides off of the cake.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I had an orange/almond cake with mascarpone recently; that is an interesting alternative to creamy icing. A bit less sweet and sickly.