Buttercream for Every Occasion

One of the best parts

of being able to cook or bake well is being able to share my passion with other people. No matter what the occasion may be, I believe that sharing food with those you care about is a great way to show them how much you care about them. My favorite part of making food for others is seeing their reaction to something I have made with them in mind. I love seeing their face light up when they see what I've made. And when they take a bite and experience total satisfaction or euphoria, I can't help but smile. 

Over the years I have had several opportunities to help friends and family celebrate important milestones in their lives by making cakes or other desserts for the special occasion. Whether it is a wedding or a baby shower, as I begin the process of deciding what I am going to make for them, one thing always comes to mind. No matter what kind of cake I make, it must have buttercream frosting!

I also had the opportunity to make some cupcakes for my sister-in-law's baby shower recently. The party was watermelon themed and so I decided to make a simple vanilla cupcake and top it with strawberry buttercream. I placed the cupcakes in green wrappers and topped them with chocolate chips so they looked just like little watermelon slices. The strawberry buttercream was satisfyingly sweet and tart and simply to die for! The guests were very excited to sink their teeth into these delicious treats and my family was very pleased with the way they turned out. 

Buttercream frosting is a beautiful combination of whipped egg whites, butter and sugar and lends itself very well to different flavorings and colors. I created a simple coffee buttercream frosting for a friend's wedding last year. They had asked me to make a small cake for them and the wedding party and I was more than happy to do so. I made a chocolate cake and frosted it with coffee buttercream I made from scratch. The frosting was strong and sweet and it did a good job of complimenting the chocolatey cake.  The cake was decorated with piped frosting and homemade chocolate truffles that were absolutely decadent. The happy couple loved the cake and I was glad that I could contribute to such an important day for them.

The buttercream I made for both of these special occasions worked perfectly and has made me a bit of a family celebrity! The flavor is outstanding and now my family looks for any excuse for me to make something that has this amazing frosting on it. The recipe below is for the strawberry version of the buttercream frosting, but you could substitute the strawberries for any other fruit filling or other flavoring to fit your desires. I highly recommend using it for your own special events. Whether it is a birthday cake or an anniversary celebration, (or just a Friday night...no judgement) this buttercream frosting is a great choice and will really make your cake pop and leave your guests wanting more. 

Buttercream Frosting

4 egg whites
1 cup of white sugar
1 lb. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and room temperature
1/3 strawberry puree or jam
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Bring a medium saucepan with about 1 inch of water to a simmer.
In a large heatproof bowl add the egg whites and sugar and whisk together. 
Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk the egg mixture constantly until the mixture is hot to the touch, the sugar is dissolved and slightly airy. 
Pour the egg mixture into a stand mixer bowl and whisk on medium speed for until the mixture has doubled in size and holds a medium peak.
Let the whipped eggs cool to room temperature, if not already.
Once cooled, turn the mixer on medium speed and drop several pieces of butter into the mixture at a time until completely incorporated. Continue to add butter chunks until all of the butter is used. 
After all of the butter is added, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and turn the mixer up a bit and let it mix for a couple minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Add the strawberry puree and vanilla and start mixing on low and gradually turn up to high speed until completely incorporated. 

I recommend making and using buttercream immediately. It is at its best consistency fresh. It can kept in the fridge for up to a week, but it must come completely to room temperature before you use it or the buttercream may separate.