Cake Frostings
Standard Buttercream
| 4-1/2 sticks | unsalted butter, softened |
| 4-1/2 cups | confectioners’ sugar |
| 1/8 tsp | coarse salt |
| 4 TBSP | heavy cream |
| 2 tsp | vanilla extract |
- Enough for a double layer 8 inch cake
Source:
Pretty standard proportions, but this came from The Merry Gourmet blog.
Cream Cheese Frosting
| 0.5 cup | butter, softened |
| 8 oz | cream cheese |
| 4 cups | powdered sugar |
| 2 tsp | vanilla extract |
- Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
Source:
Allrecipes: Basic Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
| 16 oz (455g) | high quality dark/semisweet chocolate |
| 1 cup (235 ml) | heavy cream |
| 2 TBSP (25g) | sugar |
| 2 TBSP (40g) | light corn syrup |
| 1/2 stick (1/4 cup, 55g) | unsalted butter |
Makes enough for two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans
- Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted.
- Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
- Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).
- Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- 2014-10-12: I made the ganache using 6 oz 72% dark chocolate, 1 cup cream, and 1/4 cup sugar to fill and glaze two 8 inch rounds.
Source:
“Double Chocolate Layer Cake”, Gourmet magazine, March 1999. Similar recipe with buttercream frosting on The Merry Gourmet blog.
Ermine (Cooked Flour) Frosting
Serious Eats Version:
Serious Eats Flour Frosting (a.k.a. Ermine Frosting) Recipe
| 6 oz (170g) | milk, any percentage |
| 1 oz (28g) | all-purpose flour |
| 3 1/4 oz (96g) | sugar |
| 6 oz (160g) | butter, room temp |
| Heaping 1/4 tsp (1.5g) | Diamond Crystal kosher salt* |
| 1.5 tsp (7g) | vanilla extract |
Proportions of milk, butter, sugar, flour: 0.37 + 0.35 + 0.21 + 0.06
*salt: plus more to taste; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
- In a 10-inch skillet or 3-quart saucier, whisk together flour and milk.
- Place over medium heat, whisking constantly, and cook until thick and pudding-like, about 2 minutes.
- Off heat, add sugar and salt.
- Whisk until sugar has dissolved and the “pudding” is homogeneous but thin.
- Scrape mixture into a wide, shallow dish, such as a pie plate, and cool to approximately 70°F (21°C).
- Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Mix on low until the butter looks smooth, then increase speed to medium and beat until soft and light, about 5 minutes.
- Begin adding the cooled pudding, a few tablespoons at a time.
- Once it’s fully incorporated, pause to scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula, then resume beating until perfectly smooth.
- Switch to the whisk attachment and add vanilla. Whip on low to combine, then increase speed to medium-high and continue whipping until silky-smooth and soft, with a light, melt-in-your-mouth consistency, about 3 minutes more, or to a working temperature of approximately 75°F (24°C).
- Season to taste with additional salt and/or vanilla as needed.
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Use immediately, or consult the troubleshooting guide below to address any textural inconsistencies.
- Troubleshooting: If the frosting feels dense, stiff, greasy, or curdled, it is likely too cold; to warm, briefly set over a pan of steaming water, just until you see the edges melting slightly, then re-whip. If the frosting feels soft and loose, it is likely too warm. Pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool, then re-whip.
Notes:
2021-05: Made this and it was really not very sweet. I would have preferred it to be sweeter when paired with the dark chocolate cake (/recipes/cake-chocolate).
Wilton Version
Wilton Easy Ermine Frosting Recipe
| 1 cup | milk |
| 1/4 cup | all-purpose flour |
| 1 cup | granulated sugar |
| 1 cup | butter, softened |
| 1/4 tsp | salt |
| 1 tsp | vanilla extract |
Proportions of milk, butter, sugar, flour: 0.33 + 0.33 + 0.29 + 0.04
- In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, flour, salt. Whisk in milk until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, pour into bowl or plate and cover with plastic wrap to cool.
- Once cooled, beat butter at medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add milk mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth, and scraping down sides often.
- Add vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes, or until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.
- This recipe makes about enough ermine frosting to cover and decorate a single 6-inch round cake.
King Arthur Version
| 1 cup (227g) | whole milk |
| 1/4 cup (30g) | All-Purpose Flour |
| 3/4 cup (149g) | granulated sugar |
| 12 TBSP (170g) | butter, softened (about 70°F) |
| 2 tsp | vanilla extract |
Proportions of milk, butter, sugar, flour: 0.39 + 0.29 + 0.26 + 0.05
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In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and flour.
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Add the milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, about 3 to 6 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment. Beat at medium-high speed for about 10 to 15 minutes, until it’s below 80°F.
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Reduce the speed to low and, with the mixer running, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, to make sure the butter is thoroughly incorporated.
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Once all the butter has been mixed in, add the vanilla.
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Increase the mixer speed to high. Beat the frosting for 4 to 6 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy.
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If the frosting feels dense, curdled, or greasy, it’s too cold. Gently warm the mixture by setting the bowl over a pan of steaming-hot water for a few minutes (just until you see the edges begin to soften/melt), then re-whip until smooth. If the frosting feels soupy or loose, it’s too warm. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator before re-whipping.
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Use as desired to finish the cake or cupcakes of your choice; you’ll have enough for a single-layer cake or a dozen cupcakes. Double the recipe to frost an 8” or 9” layer cake or 2 dozen cupcakes. To frost a 9” x 13” sheet cake, increase the ingredient amounts by half (i.e., multiply current amounts by 1.5).
Notes:
- 2021-07-09: For Calvin’s birthday, I used King Arthur proportions but using Serious Eats methodology. Did two layers of 9 x 13, so tripled the frosting recipe:
| 3 cup (681 g) | whole milk |
| 3/4 cup (90 g) | All-Purpose Flour |
| 2.25 cup (450 g) | granulated sugar |
| 36 TBSP (510 g) 4.5 sticks | butter, softened (about 70°F) |
| 2 TBSP | vanilla extract |