Perfect Piping Buttercream Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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

Using a super simple recipe of 1 part butter to 2 parts icing sugar gets the perfect buttercream for frosting. I then add a little splash of whole milk to get the desired consistency. This may sound a bit laissez-faire saying a “splash” of milk, especially when I strongly advocate measuring EVERYTHING!

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

It's often used in a piping bag for decorating cakes. Plus, it's the sturdiest option for writing on a cake. This frosting is known for its sweet, rich flavor, but it can easily be changed by adding vanilla, almond, lemon or even mint extract.

Piping consistency royal icing is stiff icing that has been thinned down with a couple spritzes of water from the spray bottle. The icing still forms peaks, but the peaks are softer and fall after forming. When piping with this consistency, the icing should flow nice and smooth out of the tip.

If you've made your buttercream and it's on the firm side, you can always add a couple of tablespoons of cooled boiled water to soften the consistency and make it easier to spread. Chill buttercream that is too soft for 15-20mins to achieve a firmer consistency.

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.

Chill your cake first, apply the crumb coat, chill again and then frost it. If you are then piping design work, chill it again before adding the details. Keep the icing in the refrigerator when not using it, and only add cold icing to your piping bag.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

This is considered one of the very difficult methods for making buttercream because the sugar syrup must be cooked to a specific temperature and then, while piping hot, poured into the whipped egg whites.

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.

What is the correct piping bag position? ›

Correct bag direction is easiest to learn when you think of the back of the bag as the hour hand of a clock. When you hold the bag with the tip in the center of the clock, you can sweep out a circle with the back end of the bag. Pretend the circle you formed in the air is a clock face.

With your heavy whipping cream added, it's time for another critical step to making the best buttercream. Turn your mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for five minutes. After five minutes is up, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for another minute or so.

1. Swiss Meringue Buttercream. This is the Queen of Frosting. Imagine the melt-in-mouth texture of ice cream, just at room temperature.

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.

Also known as simple buttercream, American buttercream is the sweetest and easiest type of buttercream to whip up. All you have to do is beat butter until it's light and fluffy, then mix in powdered sugar (a 1:2 ratio is a safe bet), maybe some vanilla, and a splash of milk or cream.

The goal for your buttercream should be a smooth, silky, easily spreadable consistency. It's this amazing consistency that makes smoothing out your buttercream while decorating so much easier.