Published on Updated on
Many argue that frosting is the most important part of the cake because customers eat with their eyes. When browsing through a selection of cakes, patrons will quickly make a decision on how each cake will taste based on how the frosting looks on the cake. While making a great first impression is essential because it helps you generate sales, it’s also important that the frosting complements the flavors of cakes so you can increase your customer retention rate. We’ve created this informative guide that provides you with details on the different types of cake frostings to ensure your cakes taste as good as they look.
1. American Buttercream Frosting
American buttercream frosting or simple buttercream frosting is the sweetest of the different types of buttercream frostings because it’s a combination of butter and sugar. It’s a creamy frosting that complements the flavors of most sponge cakes and sheet cakes. Simple buttercream is commonly used to decorate cakes because it’s easy to prepare and bakers can add vanilla, chocolate, or lemon flavorings to enrich a cake’s flavor profile.
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Butter
- Sugar
How To Make American Buttercream Frosting
- Step 1: Beat butter until it’s light and fluffy.
- Step 2: Add powdered sugar.
- Step 3: Mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
2. Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream has a subtle flavor which makes it perfect to use on chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and other flavored cakes. It has a smooth and creamy texture that doesn’t crust or dry out, allowing you easily pipe designs on layered cakes. Swiss buttercream can also be flavored to complement its mildly sweet taste and increase the depth of flavor.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Ingredients
- Egg whites
- Sugar
- Water
- Soft butter
How To Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Step 1: Place egg whites in a heat-safe bowl.
- Step 2: Add sugar to the egg whites.
- Step 3: Whisk the sugar and egg whites.
- Step 4: Bring a pot of water to simmer.
- Step 5: Place the bowl over the pan to heat the egg whites and sugar. Whisk ingredients until they are no longer grainy or have reached 160°F.
- Step 6: Remove the ingredients from the pot and whisk the cooked mixture until it's stiff and at room temperature.
- Step 7: Add soft butter to the cooked mixture. Step 8: Mix ingredients together until it becomes stiff again.
3. Italian Meringue Buttercream
Italian meringue buttercream is a popular frosting because it has a creamy and silky texture that holds up well in warm temperatures. Similar to the Swiss meringue buttercream, the Italian buttercream has a meringue base and is mildly sweet and buttery that can be used on any flavored cake. The Italian meringue buttercream frosting has a smooth finish that is perfect for decorating cakes that will be enjoyed outdoors.
Italian Meringue Buttercream Ingredients
- Egg whites
- Sugar
- Water
- Butter
How To Make Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Step 1: Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Step 2: Mix the ingredients until the egg whites reach the soft peak stage.
- Step 3: Pour sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium-high heat until it reaches 240°F.
- Step 4: Drizzle the sugar syrup into the bowl.
- Step 5: Whip the ingredients until they are cool and form firm peaks.
- Step 6: Bring the mixer to a slow speed and a few pieces of butter at a time until it thickens.
4. Ermine Buttercream
Ermine buttercream or flour frosting is a cooked frosting that serves as an eggless alternative to Swiss meringue buttercream. This buttercream frosting features a creamy and silky texture that doesn’t hold up well for decorations. Flour frosting is commonly used for frosting red velvet cakes and filling pastries. With a mildly sweet profile, ermine buttercream frosting pairs best with cakes that benefit from a sense of creaminess like mint, vanilla, or coconut.
Ermine Buttercream Ingredients
- Flour
- Sugar
- Milk
- Butter
How To Make Ermine Buttercream
- Step 1: Add flour and sugar to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
- Step 2: Add milk and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens.
- Step 3: Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Step 4: Place butter in a bowl and whisk until it's fluffy.
- Step 5: Add your flour mixture into the butter.
5. Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is similar to American buttercream because it has a creamy texture and consists of the same ingredients with the addition of cream cheese. This sweet and tangy frosting is typically paired with carrot cakes, red velvet cakes, and lemon cakes because it provides them with an added boost of flavor. Once you decorate your cake with cream cheese frosting, it's important to store it in the refrigerator so the frosting can firm up. The frosting quickly softens and loses its flavor when it sits at room temperature for too long.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- Step 1: Beat butter and cream cheese until they are mixed together and free of clumps.
- Step 2: Add salt and vanilla extract. Stir the ingredients to combine them together.
- Step 3: Mix the ingredients and gradually add powdered sugar until it's smooth and creamy.
6. Whipped Cream Frosting
Whipped cream frosting or chantilly frosting uses the base of heavy cream. It has a mild flavor and fluffy texture that is commonly spread on fruit-flavored cakes and pastries. Whipped cream frosting loses its consistency if it sits out for too long, making it essential to store in the refrigerator until your guests are ready to enjoy.
Whipped Cream Frosting Ingredients
- Whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- Mascarpone cheese
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Whipped Cream Frosting
- Step 1: Cream butter, mascarpone cheese, and cream cheese until it's light and fluffy.
- Step 2: Add powdered sugar and continue to mix until it comes together.
- Step 3: Use a separate bowl to whip vanilla extract and whipping cream until peaks form.
- Step 4: Fold the whipping cream into your creamed butter and cheese mixture.
- Step 5: Mix the ingredients until there is a smooth consistency.
7. Seven-Minute Frosting
Seven-minute frosting gets its name from the amount of time you have to beat ingredients in order to get its signature peaks. This frosting is fluffy with a sweet flavor that is oftentimes compared to a marshmallow. Seven-minute frostings are light and balance out a super-rich cake to help lighten its profile. This frosting needs to be enjoyed within 24 hours because it will harden and absorb into the cake.
Seven-Minute Frosting Ingredients
- Egg whites
- Water
- Cream of tartar
- Granulated sugar
How To Make Seven-Minute Frosting
- Step 1: Mix the cream of tartar and sugar together.
- Step 2: Add egg whites and water to the mixed ingredients and whisk together.
- Step 3: Place the mixture on a double boiler and whisk until it looks frothy.
- Step 4: Beat the ingredients for 7 minutes or until you achieve stiff peaks.
8. Ganache
Ganache is versatile because it can be used as a frosting on cakes, filling for pastries, or topping on pies. It is a decadent, truffle-like mixture of melted chocolate and cream. It has a rich flavor which makes it ideal to pair with light desserts. Ganache is also thick and creamy, allowing it to hold its consistency in humid climates. While semisweet chocolate is commonly used to prepare ganache, many bakers like to add their own twist by using white chocolate, milk chocolate, or bittersweet chocolate instead.
Ganache Ingredients
- Egg whites
- Water
- Cream of tartar
- Granulated sugar
How To Make Ganache
- Step 1: Place chopped chocolate bars into a heat-safe bowl.
- Step 2: Bring a pan with heavy cream to simmer.
- Step 3: Pour the cream onto the chopped chocolate bars and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
- Step 4: Whisk the ganache until it thickens.
