For those of you who sell cakes, do you use 1 recipe exclusively for buttercream on your cakes?

I am still experimenting with different bc recipes and have found 2 that I like. They are very different, though. One has butter and the other doesn't.

I don't know which one customers would like better.

If I gave a customer a cake with one icing and then they liked it and wanted another, I'd have to make sure I used the same recipe again. How do you guys handle that?

For me- it depends on if the icing has to be pure white, or if it will be colored. Any cake that has no white in it, I ALWAYS use my recipe that calls for butter. IMO it just tastes soooo much better. But the butterless recipe is good too, just only if you don't taste the butter one first

Yes...Mine is WBH house buttercream...my customers love it and it's not too sweet.

I only do cakes for people I love as this is a hobby for me so I don't know what the professionals would say about this but, I've been into "cakes" for years and have experimented with many different types of buttercream. What it all comes down to, for me, is this...a cake should not only look beautiful but should taste just as wonderful. Vegetable shortening does not taste good, therefore I do not use it in my frostings. It's taken alot of "trial and error" but I finally have 2 different buttercreams that I love and use consistently. One is a traditional swiss buttercream which is lighter in taste and texture, not as sweet but more elegant, and has excellent workability. The other is a more American style buttercream which is much sweeter, thicker and crusts well. As for which frosting to use when....it depends on a few things. For children I typically use the American style. It's less expensive to make and they usually like the super sweet taste. For very large cakes and for adults I like the Swiss for a couple of reasons. First, the Swiss sets up very firmly in the fridge in a very short amount of time though it is very soft at room temp. So even though it doesn't crust it's not as difficult to get a really nice smooth finish. And if you are crumb coating it's fantastic because, as I said, it sets up so firmly and it gives you a great base to layer more icing on. Also, I like the fact that it is a more gourmet type frosting with a more subtle and complex flavor. For people who consider themselves wedding cake conisseurs (and I know many) the American buttercream is "child's play" and only the Swiss will do.
I know this was lengthy but I hope it helps. If you're interested in the recipes I use, email me and I'll share them with you.

I'm new to all this but what is WBH House Buttercream? I always like to try out new things.

It is a recipe that came from a New york bakery.It is called Whimiscal Bakehouse.

I was recently at a wedding cake class at the French pastry school in New York. I met Jacques Torres, Colette Peters, and the woman from confetti cakes, whose name is slipping my mind at the moment. The all always use fondant, and always use a swiss meringue buttercream, so that was good enough for me. I usually make mine with white cream de cacao, frangelico and vanilla extract.

BTW,

Colette Petters uses Massa Tacino fondant, as does Duff, and Ron Ben-Isreal uses Satin Ice. Confetti Cakes uses Bakels.

txkat....wow! what an experience to meet those folks! I'm envious and in awe!

I don't do this professionally, but I almost always use Italian Meringue Buttercream. I don't really care for the very sweet traditional buttercream, and neither does anyone else in my family. Sometimes when I do cakes for children I use the traditional powdered sugar buttercream, but I've yet to find a recipe that I really love.

I am working on one. I don't have the recipe perfected yet. If I get it where I want it, I'll share. But I can't use IMBC as much as I'd love to, since it requires refrigeration. I like the flavor and texture of the WBH buttercream, but it doesn't crust. So it's dificult to smooth. But perfect practice makes perfect.

txkat-

I'm so jealous....why don't those people ever come to Cincinnati?

I know that Colette Peters travels a lot teaching. I don't know about the others.

kansasjill .... I'd love to try your BC recipes... could you please email them to me too??

[email protected]

TIA

I use the Wilton buttercream with some variations.

I use 2 lbs of confect sugar, 1 cup of Crisco, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp of almond extract, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 tbsp of meringue powder, 1/2 tsp of salt...

Because it has only half the crisco it normally calls for, it dries much faster.

Colette Peters said something like " I always use fondant unless the client insists on buttercream only, and then only if I can't talk her out of it". Most of the other experts said some variation of the same thing.

I only do wedding cakes so for me the fondant makes sense, and I like working with it better than spending an hour smoothing buttercream ( besides I think crusting buttercream tastes awful).

I am anxious to try the Massa Tacino brand fondant, but I am having trouble finding somewhere in the southeast that sells it.

yes, I've read before that Colette doesn't like regular crusting buttercream and that she uses swiss buttercream under her fondant.

I wonder how they manage to make large amounts of it, since when you make swiss buttercream, you have to beat or whip the eggs over a double boiler.... It can be quite a challenge and heavy on the arms...

Oh, well, all this big decorators have their opinions on icings and taste...



Its cool! I will still use my crusting buttercream for now....

I am with Maria - I use a crusting buttercream (all crisco) I have used it for several years now, and that is what my customers prefer. It ain't broke, so I ain't fixing it.

I just use the crusting buttercream, too. I use the one with butter and high ratio. I swear by the high ratio now that I've tried it.

That's what I give to brides when I taste test, too. Never had anyone ask for a different icing--but if they did, I'd just give 'em what they asked for!

--Knox--

I know you can buy Massa Ticino from here, but I don't know how much it is.
http://www.sinclairecompany.com/

Can anyone please tell me why you use buttercream under fondant instwead of marzipan? Are there any benefits to it?

It could be because marzipan is not as popular here as in Europe? Maybe? I am not sure..

Does anyone have a recipe for an all butter b/c ?

knowcop1: Could you share your recipe that uses both high-ratio shortening and butter? I use a recipe that only uses the hi-ratio shortening. I'm assuming it crusts the same way that the regular hi-ratio BC does?

Puzzlegut:

Here it is!
2 lbs. sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter, softened.
1-1/2 cups high-ratio shortening
2 tbsp. clear vanilla extract
1/3 cup water for icing cake -OR- 1/4 cup for stiff consistency.
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. butter emulsion

Cream butter and shortening together until creamy and shiny. Add flavorings and mix. Pour in shortening slowly as mixer is working. Add water until you reach the consistency you like.

Keep covered--crusts pretty well.

--Knox--

Here are 2 recipes for buttercream with all butter.
HTH!

Buttercream Frosting Recipe | Buttercream Frosting and Icing Recipes @ CDKitchen.com :: it's what's cooking online!

Buttercream Frosting Recipe | Buttercream Frosting and Icing Recipes @ CDKitchen.com :: it's what's cooking online!

I use as follows:

1 C Sweetex or Crisco
1 C Butter or White Marg.
1 teaspoon Pure Mexican Madascar Rum Vanilla (Clear)
1 teaspoon Butter Extract
4 Tablespoons Water (So it does not have to say cold)
a pinch of salt disolved in the vanilla and butter extracts.

Mix well for about 10 mins.

Everyone goes crazy over this frosting, most say they like it, cause its not too sweet. But I always try different recipes and always go back to this one.

I use Sylvia Weinstock's IMBC, with a few changes (add a bit of salted butter for some of the unsalted, and less vanilla)...

BUT: If a cake has to travel a long distance or sit outside or in heat, I use a more stable BC like Wilton's with half butter/half shortening or the Snow White recipe from CC.

Also if there is a lot of piping involved, I'll use the Wilton icing for the piping, because the IMBC is just a super-duper PAIN to deal with for piping.

If a bride *has* to have pure white-white icing, I'll do the Snow White BC, but I really dislike Crisco and don't like an icing to crust, (sorry), so I'll only use that if it's absolutely positively necessary.

Under fondant, I use an all-butter bc or the half butter/crisco one if it *has* to be more stable.

I usually use the crusting buttercream, but is too sweet for my test, I would really like to try the swiss buttercream, can anyone give me the recipe please?

[email protected].

Thanks!

I've been seeing this mentioned in some of your posts....but
I don't have a CLUE what it is LOL!
I always use Crisco in my Icing.....

Maybe I'm missing out?
Somebody fill me in!
Thanks
Kaye

Here is Martha Stewart's recipe for swiss buttercream:

wiss Meringue Buttercream for White Cupcakes

Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes

  
2 1/2     cups sugar
  
10     large egg whites
  
4     cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  
2     teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

  2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

  3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

  4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minute