Simple Buttercream Frosting That's Not Too Sweet

American buttercream frosting is the easiest frosting to make, but it can also be super sweet. In this video I'll share a few tips to make your next batch of frosting turn out perfectly balanced and not too sweet.

1:50 proper mixing methods
3:58 Tip 1 - Quality Ingredients
5:09 Tip 2 - Butter:Sugar Ratio
6:24 Tip 3 - Salt and Acid

#buttercream #americanbuttercream #cakedecorating

[tessypeter]

You just saved a soul and this has gained you a new subscriber

[Kwelar]

Best video on buttercream I’ve watched and I’ve watched a lot! Very informative.

[vethulifernando]

Can you tell the quantities of the ingredients you used in cups or grams?

[anhdang]

Thank you so much I was looking for the recipe to make less sweet frosting to make my mom birthday cake so thank you for the tips.

[crazychrissy]

I agree and add powdered sugar to my desired taste..I add some crisco but I'll try the yogurt TY

[dalilag.]

Hi Katie! 🙂
Thank you for this helpful video on buttercream.
Personally I like a somewhat sweet buttercream, but family really loves it super sweet.
I'm going to experiment with your ratios, I can definitely make it work for me.
I like that Greek yogurt tip, thanks, another must try for me.
I always add a pinch or so of salt, it really does help and it does not taste salty at all.
Have a nice day!

[naomikhan]

These tips were actually quite amazing..I can't wait to try them.. I do already play with the butter to sugar ratio but the vinegar and yogurt I haven't thought about that all. Lol you're making me wanna go make Frosting at 10 pm.
You got yourself a new subscriber!
Love from South America ❤

[beekay]

Thank you. Exactly what I was looking for. New subscriber. This was so thorough! I learned a lot.

[kerryholt]

Thanks for the video, it was helpful. I'm just starting out to decorate my cakes and every time I make buttercream it's either to thick, to running and sickly sweet, ending up biffing 2 cakes bc it was so sweet. Will have to play around with the ratio of ingredients

[ladauphine]

Thank you for all the tips. Very informative and so helpful. I am making a 2 tier birthday cake for my neighbor so i'll be using your BC recipe. I'll keep you posted.

[haaendaaz]

This is so helpful!!! Thank you! New subscriber !

[MichaelBoroditsky]

This is my "less sweet" answer to American buttercream icing.

Un-American Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

12 oz dark chocolate (60%-70% cocoa), chopped
1 cup whipping cream for the ganache
1 ½ cups salted butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar
2 cups skim milk powder
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp Javy coffee concentrate
Up to ¾ cup whipping cream for the icing, to desired consistency
A pinch of salt, to taste

To make a half-batch of icing, if for some reason you are making only one layer of a cake and don't need much icing:

6 oz dark chocolate (60%-70% cocoa), chopped
½ cup whipping cream for the ganache
¾ cup salted butter, softened
1 ½ cup icing sugar
1 cup skim milk powder
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp Javy coffee concentrate
Up to 6 Tbsp whipping cream for the icing, to desired consistency
A pinch of salt, to taste

Directions:

Prepare the ganache. Heat the whipping cream for the ganache to a scald, and pour it over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Allow the hot cream to melt the chocolate for a moment. Carefully mix them together into a silky ganache with a silicone spatula. If a few pieces of chocolate remain, try a couple short bursts in the microwave, 5-10 seconds each, stirring after each time. Set aside to cool.

Make sure your butter is not merely at room temperature, but is actually soft, though not melted. Prepare your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.

Put the butter into the bowl of the stand mixer and beat on low speed at first, gradually increasing speed as the butter softens and turns pliable. Scrape down the bottom and side of the bowl frequently. Beat the butter on high speed for 5 minutes, or until it has become pale and fluffy. Remember to stop and scrape down the bowl frequently during this time.

Add in the icing sugar one giant spoonful at a time, with the mixer on low to avoid a mess. Speed the mixer up after the sugar is incorporated with each addition to make sure it is well incorporated. Repeat the process until you're out of icing sugar.

Add the vanilla and coffee concentrate while the mixer is going. Beat to incorporate.

Now alternate 2 Tbsp of the skim milk powder and a little drizzle of whipping cream at a time, to maintain a smooth consistency, until all of the skim milk powder has been used. You may not need all of the whipping cream.

Be sure to beat heavily at high speed after each addition of skim milk powder, as the icing will be gritty otherwise. Be sure to scrape the bowl down frequently.

When the ganache is essentially at room temperature, but not yet a solid, pour it in and beat to incorporate.

Add salt to taste and beat to incorporate. Use immediately. This icing should be refrigerated because of all the cream in it, but should be eaten at room temperature, or it will be gritty.

Best advice is to consume the prepared cake completely and immediately before it requires refrigeration.

[missfluffydiva]

What buttercream would you recommend which would stand up in a country with a tropical climate i.e. Caribbean?

[Anyialejo]

Tried it and it worked. Tastes amazing

[jenjen]

Hello! Is there any way to convert the measurements to cups? If so, how much of each ingredient did you use?

[charlsylol]

That was so helpful! I gotta bake a cake tomorrow so thanks!

[MaryRose]

Much much appreciation. I’ve been looking for exactly these tips.

[mariarugolo]

Baking Butterly Love You! Always learning from you Katie. You are a treasure.

[esef]

Thank you very much for. I find utter cream sickly sweet. However having come across our video, I am encouraged to start making it again. .
Also if yo don’t, t mind what size is the cake in the video, is it 6 or 8 inches and if I wanted to make it strawberry flavoured with freeze dried strawberry powder would it change the texture? 🙏🏽

[BrainGiggles]

Thank you for making this video! So helpful!