The Dallas Morning News published Bronwen Weber's Buttercream Icing the other day....has anyone ever tried it?

Thanks,
Kim


Bronwen's Buttercream Icing

Chef: Bronwen Weber, Frosted Art Bakery

Ingredients: 1 pound of unsalted butter
2 pounds of 10X powdered sugar
1/4 cup of buttermilk
1.5 tsp good vanilla
1/4 tsp salt


Directions: In a 5 qt mixer using a paddle attachment, soften the butter. Slowly add sifted sugar. Add salt vanilla and buttermilk. You can adjust the consisitency by adding more buttermilk if you prefer a softer icing. This is a good base icing that can be flavored in many ways.Try adding melted ganache for chocolate buttercream! Chopped pecans or crushed strawberries, coconut, lemon zest.a million possibilities!

It sounds like the buttermilk would cut the sweetness of buttercream. I wouldn't dare make this in the summer though because of all the butter.

I also can't get over how many recipes use such a small amount of flavoring. For a regular recipe of buttercream 2# confectioners sugar/2C fat, I use 3 T of flavoring. I want to taste the flavoring. I use pure almond extract most of the time.

darkchocolate

Thanks, darkchocolate...didn't even think about the butter vs the heat...and I'm in Texas. What a disaster that would have been.

I'm with you on the flavoring. I always add extra pure almond or almond + vanilla in my recipes.

I'll wait and try it in January.

Kim

Me too darkchocolate, I always use a tsp each of vanilla, butter and almond extract in my buttercream icing. It's to die for, lol.

I would love to know if anyone has used buttermilk in their icing...

oops...
BC icing

Ok, so now I want to make a cake just so I can play with frosting!

Thanks for the recipe and ideas!

All that butter I would be worried especially in the heat here in Louisiana. Right now it's raining tigers and wolves. All the humidity. I usually use 1 tsp of butter flavoring and 1 tsp of creme bouqet which is a professional strenght flavoring. A little goes a long way. I would probably use the all butter buttercream in the winter time or a very cool place.

What part of Louisiana are you from?

i am from louisiana also (lafayette) and have used all butter buttercream (IMBC). I think as long as you're in an air conditioned place.. it will be fine. I just wouldn't use it for an outside event most certainly!

Hi winjobit77,
I'm from Sulphur. I haven't used all butter but I've used half crisco and half butter and never had a problem. As a matter of fact, I use that recipe for all colored icing as it tastes better. I only use all crisco when I'm doing white icing.
By the way, do you know of a cake club in LA for cake addicts to get together and share ideas, recipes and stories?

This was also posted as her favorite SMBC:

8 large egg whites

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

1 pound unsalted butter cut into 1-tablespoon pieces


Place the whites and sugar in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Allow to come to 120 F. At 120 F, start to whip whites with a whisk until it comes to 140 F.

Empty into a 5-quart mixer and whip the whites until soft peaks form. The temperature should be considerably lower at this stage.

Add about half of the butter pieces and whip 2 minutes. Slowly add the remainder of the butter. The buttercream will "fall apart" before it finally comes together. It will look like cottage cheese for a bit.

This buttercream can be flavored in any way you like. Ms. Weber's favorite is a little vanilla and a touch of salt.

The recipe is enough for one 9-inch cake.

Okay, I just made this receipe and it is very good.. My only problem is it is still just a bit grainy... I used 10x icing sugar and sifted it as well.

Suggestions anyone?

idoweddingcookies,

how does the buttermilk work in the icing? does it cut the sweetness? how is the flavor?

as for the grainyness, if I have time, I usually make my buttercream at least 1 day before I will need it and it seems to help (gives a chance for the sugar to "disolve". )
Hope that helps.

Thanks for the recipe. I'll tray .

Yes, the buttermilk did cut down on the sweetness, but for me it is still to sweet... I just don't like icing..

O.K everyone, this is reeeeally good frosting! It is of course sweet, but I don't think it is as sweet as the 1/2 butter 1/2 crisco recipes. I think the buttermilk makes this a much smoother frosting and it seems really light and fluffy. I did whip my butter (used 1 stick margarine) for a long time first. I just hope this crusts well! I will let you know!

Sweetiemama

Sub in some dry buttermilk powder, maybe two tablespoons up to 1/4 cup for the same amount of the powdered sugar...it will give a rich tartness and add a little more body as well as cut down on some of the sweetness...and I always add at least a pinch of salt to my frosting.