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Perfecting Buttercream Frosting

My buttercream frosting always turns out thin and soupy. What am I doing wrong?

My buttercream frosting always turns out thin and soupy. What am I doing wrong?

We usually frost our cakes with a quick, no-cook version of buttercream frosting made by creaming together softened butter and confectioners’ sugar (sometimes called American buttercream). But traditional buttercream (European buttercream), which is intensely rich, silken, and buttery, is quite a bit more complicated, and we’re guessing that’s what you’re asking about. It’s made by heating a mixture of eggs and sugar to 160 degrees over a pan of simmering water. The mixture is taken off the heat and beaten until it’s light and airy and has cooled to room temperature. Bit by bit, softened butter is whipped in.

European buttercream is quite sensitive. If it’s overheated, it can easily become runny; essentially the butter melts. Fortunately, the problem is easy to fix: Simply plunge the bowl of frosting into ice water and whisk the buttercream until it has thickened. If, on the other hand, the frosting appears curdled, it is probably too cold and the butter has “seized.” In this case, wrap a hot water-soaked towel around the bowl to warm it and whisk the mixture until smooth.

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