Buttercream 101

Various colors of buttercream in bowls and piping bags next to food coloring

Those beautiful cakes you see in the bakery window or the box of cupcakes at an office party are likely decorated with buttercream. But, what kind? “Buttercream” is a word used for a whole category of frostings, so it is helpful to know the different kinds so you can make the one you love most. The buttercream most of us grew up with, the kind that piped into colorful decorations and were just slightly crunchy on the outside and creamy in the middle is American buttercream. The shiny, smooth covering on a wedding cake with pristine edges and delicate flowers is likely Swiss or Italian Meringue buttercream. There are others that are rich and creamy like pudding. They are all delicious but have their own personality and functions. Here is a deep dive into the types of buttercream I use most. 

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Red Velvet Cherry Cake

Red Velvet Cherry Cake

Red Velvet Cake has a single, albeit significant purpose in my world, to celebrate my stepmother’s birthday. It is a cake her late mother used to bake for her when she was growing up in Alabama. This is why I love baking cakes, they can bring back memories of a sweet moment and the feeling of love. The modern, bright red cake is often thought of as a Southern cake but it was actually made famous in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Originally dating back to the Victorian era, it was made with natural (reddish-hued) cocoa powder or even beets, but eventually, the color was enhanced with food color.

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Spice Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream and Cranberry Filling

Fall Spice Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream and Cranberry Filling

As the temperature turns chilly and the holiday season nears, it makes me crave all the warm spices. This cake is adapted from my Zoë Bakes Cakes Yellow Cake, but with the quintessential fall spice blend added to the mix. You can buy Pumpkin Pie Spice in the baking aisle or make your own with individual ground spices from your pantry. See my notes in the recipe if you want to make your own.

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Easter Egg Cupcakes

Easter Cupcakes with Mini Eggs

These Easter Egg Cupcakes are decorated for the kids (of any age), but the flavors will satisfy the adults. I was recently sent a box of fresh passion fruit, some candied mini eggs, and passion fruit-flavored white chocolate, so it just seemed obvious that I’d make the Chocolate Devil’s Food cake from Zoë Bakes Cakes and passion fruit flavored buttercream. You can go with whatever flavor combinations get you excited. The little nests are actually super simple to create and I have a video in my highlights, a link in the recipe, on how I did it. Any flavor chocolate will do. The grass is the result of a special piping tip, but otherwise, nothing extra is needed to make these. 

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