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Buttercream is in my opinion a far better form of frosting. Depending on the kind that you make it is a little more time consuming than frosting.

But so worth It in my opinion 

Buttercream is perfect for frosting cakes, topping a soft and fluffy cupcake or used as a filling.

But there are so many things that could go wrong.  That’s where buttercream troubleshooting comes in.

The second part to this post is about chocolate ganache and the different things that can go wrong there.

Let’s Break It Down

What is the Difference Between Frosting And Buttercream?

The terms “buttercream” and “frosting” seem to be used interchangeably.  But do they mean the same thing?

Actually no.  They are 2 different things.

The answer is in the ingredients.  A buttercream is made with what the name suggests.  Butter

A frosting is made with shortening or some other type of fat that is not butter.

You can also make buttercream that has half butter and half shortening for less of a butter taste.

I personally think it can be too much sometimes.

Ingredients in Buttercream 

Butter 

Whether it’s unsalted butter or salted butter (I’ll get to which is better, later) this is the primary source of fat in your recipe. 

The fluffiness and the creaminess comes from the fat.

Vegetable Shortening

This is the other fat that is commonly used in buttercream.  You can use it along with butter so that you still get that butter taste in your recipe but not as much.

Cream Cheese

This is used in cream cheese frosting.  Typically in a 1:1 ratio with butter. Cream cheese buttercream most traditionally goes with red velvet cake and carrot cake.

Granulated Sugar

This is a sweetener that is commonly used in buttercream.  It is less sweet than powdered sugar but more grainy. 

Powdered Sugar/ Confectioners Sugar/ Icing Sugar

This is also a sweetener commonly used in buttercream but the difference is that powdered sugar is twice as sweet as granulated sugar. So just keep that in mind when you use it.  And it is as the name suggests, a powder.  So it makes the final outcome more smooth.

Eggs

The whites of the eggs are used a lot of the time in buttercream recipes.  Specifically in meringue buttercream.  These are buttercreams where an egg white meringue is made as the base of the buttercream.  Carton egg whites can be used or fresh egg whites.

Egg Yolk – These are typically not used but they are in used in some buttercreams for more richness which we will discuss later.

Whipping Cream/ Heavy Cream

This is an ingredient that is commonly used in American buttercream to increase creaminess and lightness.

Vanilla Bean, Vanilla Extract, Salt

These are all flavor enhancers in your recipe. 

Melted Chocolate Chips, Melted Chocolate, Cocoa Powder

Any of these options could turn your buttercream from vanilla to chocolate buttercream.  

What Equipment Do I Need

Mixing bowl 

For some buttercreams, they are simple enough to use a bowl and a spatula.  And also a hand mixer can be used.  

If you are making a meringue buttercream, be sure to use a glass or metal bowl because in a plastic bowl, it may have little scratches on it from washing and oils can get stuck in there and prevent your meringue from whipping up.

Winco Mixing Bowl Stainless Steel – 8 Quart – $6.55 Please note that these sizes are given as shown on the labels. The number of quarts given MAY NOT BE ACCURATE, although a higher number (150Q versus 75Q, for example), does indicate an increase in size. Made of 18-8 stainless steel Mirror finish inside and outside of bowl A must have in every professional kitchen Will withstand commercial use Sizes Item # Capacity Outer Diameter MXB-75Q 3/4 Quart 6-1/4″ MXB-150Q 1-1/2 Quart 7-5/8″ MXB-300Q 3 Quart 9-5/8″ MXB-400Q 4 Quart 10-1/2″ MXB-500Q 5 Quart 11-1/4″ MXB-800Q 8 Quart 13-1/4″ MXB-1300Q 13 Quart 16″ MXB-1600Q 16 Quart 17-3/8″ MXB-2000Q 20 Quart 18-1/4″ MXB-3000Q 30 Quart 21-5/8″

Stand Mixer

A stand mixer can be really nice when making buttercream, especially in these more complicated ones like Swiss buttercream that require you to toss butter in.

Ankarsrum AKM 6230 Electric Stand Mixer, Red – $749.95
from: Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies
Bosch MUM6N10UC Universal Plus Stand Mixer with Stainless Steel Bowl – $691.60
from: Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies

Hand Electric Mixer

If you do not have a stand mixer, a different, less expensive option is a hand mixer.  These typically have different attachments just like a stand mixer.

Spatula and Whisk

I personally like using a spoonula.  I prefer it because I can scrape with it better and it is more sturdy.  But to each his own.

Dexter Russell 91532 Silicone Spoonula, 11.5″ – $8.20
from: Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies

Using a handheld whisk is also an important in making a buttercream recipe for whipping.

Oxo Good Grips 11″ Balloon Whisk – $11.99
from: Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies

Double Boiler

Specifically when making Meringue buttercreams, a double boiler is so important.  

This allows things to be heated gently which is perfect for eggs because they curdle so easily.

Meringue Buttercream

There are 2 types of meringue buttercream. These are buttercream recipes that use an egg white meringue as the base.

How To Make A Meringue

An egg white meringue is just a very simple concoction of egg whites and sugar combined and then whipped up. Depending on the type of meringue the sugar is added before or during whipping the eggs.

To whip egg white, the first thing to think about is to make sure your bowl is very clean and your hands too. If you have any grease left over on the bowl, your egg whites won’t whip up as stiff as you want them too. Same with if you get any egg yolk in your whites.

The other tip that helps egg whites whip up faster is if they are at room temperature. So just leave your eggs out for a few hours.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

In swiss buttercream, granulated sugar is combined with egg whites and heated gently until the sugar dissolves.  Then the mixture is beat until stiff peaks form.  This making the swiss meringue and then butter is added.

Get My Recipe

Italian Meringue Buttercream

In Italian buttercream the egg whites are beat to soft peaks.  Then a sugar syrup is drizzled in while continuing to whip until you achieve stiff peaks.

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Korean Buttercream

This version takes basically the process of the first 2 combined with one extra step,  Each element is frozen.  Temperature is so important for this one.

Other Types of Buttercream

American Buttercream

This is definitely the easiest of the buttercream styles.  All it is is a mixture of butter, confectioners sugar, milk and sometimes heavy cream.  It typically is a lot sweeter than the others.

French Style Buttercream

This buttercream starts with egg yolks for added richness.  Those are then mixed with sugar and then gently heated.  Then butter is added.

German Style Buttercream

This buttercream is just a mix of butter and pastry cream.

Russian Buttercream

This one is just a mixture of butter and sweetened condensed milk.

Buttercream Troubleshooting – How to Make Buttercream Less Grainy

Grainy buttercream tends to happen for a few different reasons. One big one is that you did not dissolve your granulated sugar enough.  

With a swiss meringue, what I do is stick my bowl with the egg whites and sugar onto the top of a saucepan with shallow simmering water. I stir to keep the eggs from curdling and test periodically by dipping my finger into the mixture and rubbing it in between my fingers.  If I feel no grains of sugar between my fingers, it’s ready. 

Buttercream Troubleshooting – How To Get Icing Smooth

If any style of buttercream is grainy at the end, just add it in your stand mixer and mix with the paddle attachment until smooth.

Buttercream Troubleshooting – How To Fix Broken Buttercream

When you see buttercream turn from smooth to separated or looking curdled, it is broken.  

This happens mainly because the temperature of the butter was either too cold or too warm.  

Typically, for buttercream, you want your butter to be room temperature but not dripping, greasy or soupy.

If your butter is too cold just continue beating your buttercream with a paddle attachment.  The mixer will heat up as you are mixing making the butter melt a little and the mixture come back together.

If your butter is too warm, stick the whole bowl in the freeze for 5 minutes and then mix. Then paddle it back out smooth.

Buttercream Troubleshooting – How To Make Buttercream Thicker For Piping?

Making buttercream thicker is super easy, just add powdered sugar.  I would do 1 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Remember, you can always add more but you can’t take it away.

Buttercream Troubleshooting – What To Do With Leftover Buttercream

Leftover buttercream should always be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.  It can also be frozen if it is just wrapped up really well and placed in the freezer.  

To use from the fridge, place it back on a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth.

To thaw just take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge until thawed.

Buttercream Troubleshooting – The Microwave Method to Color Buttercream

This is generally needed for making buttercream really beat red, or really jet black. Also works with blue.

If you have ever tried to make buttercream super jet black or beet red, you will know sometimes it doesn’t work too well.

When you have this issue, put your buttercream in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 2 drops of black or red food coloring gel.  

Mix and place this bowl in the microwave for 10 – 20 seconds. And with this you will see the color start to change.

Once the buttercream is liquid, just place it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to a half an hour.

Buttercream Troubleshooting – How Do I Make My Buttercream Less/More Sweet

The biggest thing to remember when making buttercream is that powdered sugar is 2x as sweet as granulated sugar.  That being said, the less you use of powdered sugar, the less sweet your buttercream will be.  

This is why American style buttercream is the sweetest because it has the highest amount of powdered sugar.

Unsalted Butter Vs. Salted Butter

As with any baked good, using unsalted butter or salted butter is up to you.  Salted butter as the name suggest has salt and unsalted butter has none.  People usually use unsalted, that way they can control the salt content.

Chocolate Ganache – 3 Types

When it comes to chocolate ganache, there are 3 types: thin, medium and thick.

Thin Chocolate Ganache

Thin ganache is typically used as a sauce/glaze. It is 2 parts cream to 1 part chocolate.

Medium Chocolate Ganache

This ganache is a bit thicker than the last. This ganache is often made and left to cool and then piped out of a piping bag to use as a frosting. The ratio is 1:1.

I do still typically use this as a sauce. While it’s still hot I pour it on and put it in the fridge to cool.

Thick Chocolate Ganache

Thick ganache is a 1:2 ratio of cream to chocolate. It is typically used when making truffles. The ganache is cooled and portioned into small balls.

How To Fix Grainy Chocolate Ganache

Grainy ganache is caused by cream that was not heated up enough before you put in the chocolate chips. Because of this the chocolate will not fully melt. You can fix it by putting the whole thing back on the stove to heat up and whisking.

Can You Freeze Ganache?

You can freeze chocolate ganache, It just needs to be wrapped up well and placed in the freezer. It will stay good for 6 months to a year.

Can ganache be left out at room temperature?

You can actually leave chocolate ganache at room temperature for about 2 days before having to put it back in the fridge.

 Phew…. that was a lot.  If you have made it this far,  thanks you so much for reading and I hope this gave you some great ideas for recipes for a party.

Hosting a house party and being the “hostess with the mostest” as they say is easier than you think with these recipes.It just takes some trial and error. 

If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. 

If you liked this post and you want to learn how to tackle cheesecake next, click here. And here for bread. If you would like to learn more about making cake, click here. For brownies, click here.  For chocolate, click here. For cookies Click here. And lastly, get some great party recipes by clicking here.

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, pinterest , twitter and snapchat to see what I’m up to next.  Remember, don’t be afraid to bake a mess. And I’ll see you all next time.  Happy Baking!

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