different buttercream styles

learn the differences between the four main buttercream varieties

you have most likely seen Rich fluffy buttercream frosting on top of cake or a cupcake. buttercream is popular for good reason; its easy to colour and add any favours and makes a great decorating medium there are a few different kinds of buttercream ;american, swiss, flavourings, Italian,french. 

French:

this rich frosting is made by adding sugar syrup to whole eggs and egg yolks, and then beating in butter. it is very rich but light in texture. it melts easily, because there is so much fat. it makes a great filling or simple frosting but is not ideal for decorating.

American:

this is one of the simplest frostings around. it is made by beating butter and icing sugar together and loosening the mixture with a little bit of liquid until it becomes spreadable. it is rich, dense and sweet and melts easily in heat.

Italian:

this stable and fluffy buttercream is make with an Italian meringue base ( heated sugar syrup is beaten into egg whites until stiff peaked form) small pieces of butter are then mixed in to make the frosting

Flavourings:

buttercream takes flavour like a champ, add chocolate, coffee, colouring, flavoured liqueur, fruit concentrated, citrus or extracts at the very end of beating.

Swiss:

this buttercream is stable, light-textured and very light in colour. it is made by beating sugar and egg whites together in a ban Marie to warm them up, then adding butter to the cooled egg-sugar mixture and beating till fluffy. it does require a thermometer, but it is pretty basic to make once you clear that hurdle