French Buttercream (Edit recipe)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a good buttercream frosting, don’t you? I mean, the frosting really IS the icing on the cake, so to speak. Without the frosting, the cake is just…cake. There is nothing wrong with just…cake, but when you add frosting to cake, it becomes a whole different animal. French buttercream is, in my opinion, the BEST buttercream ever! I think anyone who’s ever had any of my cakes or cupcakes would agree. It’s surprisingly easier to make French buttercream than you’d think.
10 minutes
15 minutes
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Show nutritional information
This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:149
Fat:13 g
Carbohydrates:8 g
Protein:6 g
Cholesterol:76 g
Sodium:3 mg
Fiber:0 g
Sugars:8 g
Calculated per serving.

Serves: 24

decrease servingsincrease servings

Ingredients

Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
  1. Place the yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Set aside.
  2. Add the sugar to a small 2-quart saucepan and carefully pour the water around the edges. Don't stir it! Turn the heat on to medium and allow the mixture to come to a boil WITHOUT stirring!
  3. As soon as the sugar syrup begins to boil, clip on a candy thermometer. When the mixture reaches around 220° F, begin whisking the egg yolks on medium.
  4. When the sugar syrup reaches 239° F, immediately remove from the heat. With the mixer running at high speed, slowly and carefully pour hot sugar syrup into egg yolks, trying to reach the spot between the whip and the sides of the bowl, or right about the edge of where the yolks meet the sides.
  5. Continue to whip until the mixture is light, fluffy, and cool to the touch.
  6. Gradually beat butter into the yolk mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, until all the butter is incorporated. Mixture may look curdled during this stage. Just keep mixing and it will smooth out.
  7. Flavor as desired. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. Store in air tight container up to two weeks in the refrigerator or freeze for up to three months. Recipe can be doubled or even tripled.

Notes

I’ve flavored this buttercream so many different ways. It takes well to so many amazing flavors. Here are some suggestions (feel free to adjust amounts to taste): Fruit purees and/or fruit liquors, such as strawberry or raspberry (about 1/2 to one cup of fruit puree or 1/4 of fruit liquors) // Citrus fruits, such as lemon, lime, or orange (finely grated rind of about 2 lemons or 3 limes and the juice of each) // Chocolate, dark, milk, or white, melted and cooled (about 8 oz) // Coffee or even tea, coffee extract or instant espresso dissolved in boiling water (1 1/2-2 tbsp) // Spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, a chai blend, pumpkin pie spice, etc. (about 1-2 tsp or to taste) // Liquors, such as amaretto, Irish cream, Kahlua, , etc, etc. (about 2 tbsp) // Nuts, finely ground and toasted (about 1/4 cup) // Praline, finely ground (1/2 cup) // Vanilla extract, seeds, or paste (1 pod or 1 tbsp extract or paste) // Almond extract (about 1/2 to 1 tsp)

Add a Note

My Notes:

Add a Note

Never Miss a Bite

Get recipes delivered to your inbox every week

Leave a Reply