Hi all,

Firstly I'd like to introduce myself as I have been lurking in the shadows on here for sometime.... I am Sam and bake for fun. Previously I have never tried to cover my cakes I only fill and decorate with melted chocolate but after lots of research and learning from your wisdoms I thought I was ready.... I wasn't.

Last night I made buttercream icing to cover a recently baked cake. Cake was fine. Icing wasn't.

I used butter, shortening, vanilla extract, icing sugar, golden syrup and a small amount of cream. The icing just wouldn't thicken, so I persevered and had a slightly less runny mixture. I am not too fussed about this as I can see where I went wrong (the cream) and I am conifdent this can be improved.

However, I wanted to cover and decorate a cake for my friends birthday next week and was hoping for a white buttercream... I have seen this in videos and photos but am not sure how to achieve it.... the icing last night was very yellow. Perhaps it's the choice of UK ingredients or is there something fundamental I am missing?

Sorry for a long post and thanks in advance for your help
xxx

I'd say the golden syrup made your buttercream yellow. It's pretty yellow stuff! I've never heard of a buttercream recipe with golden syrup in it.

If you use a recipe with butter in it, make sure you beat the life out of it, and it will get paler, but probably won't go completely white.

More icing sugar will make your icing stiffer as well.

Hi Sam

I'm a UK baker too, so helloooo!!!

Firstly - golden syrup? No, you won't get the consistency you're looking for - and since buttercream is made with icing sugar you certainly don't need any extra sweetness!

Here's my fail safe buttercream recipe -
250g softened (but not melted) butter
750g icing sugar
a few drops of vanilla essence
2 tablespoons full fat milk (to loosen mixture if necessary)

Beat for about 5 or 10 min on full power in my kenwood mixer using K beater attachment.

Perfect buttercream every time.

Good luck, hope this helps, Em.

I forgot to say, if you're wanting WHITE buttercream, using trex or flora white instead of butter (it sounds a bit gross i know but gives lovely white b/c).

1st, only add enough liquid to get the spreading consistency you want, buttercream doesn't thicken as it's beaten. My buttercream recipe uses 1/2 butter, 1/2 hi-ratio shortening... I assume that trex & flora white are the shortenings available in the UK, so use 1/2 butter & 1/2 shortening to get a whiter buttercream but still have a buttery flavor.

Good luck!!

Thanks for your answers!!

I know.... I did question the whole 'golden syrup' move but it was recommended on a website I came across and in the spirit of an 'adventure cooking night', I tried it.

Not sure I will again and I hadn't considered that as the reason for yellow! OOOOOOPS!

Will definatly try again next week and let you know how it goes

xxx