Leslie Massey
White buttercream icing is a popular choice for cakes and cupcakes, and can be used as a base to create other colours. The natural yellow hue of butter can interfere with the vibrancy of the desired colour, so it is important to start with a white base. This can be achieved by using a very pale butter, such as American-style butter, or even substituting it with shortening, coconut oil, or vegan butter alternatives. Beating the butter until it is pale and creamy will also help to create a whiter base. To achieve a bright white colour, a small amount of purple or violet food colouring can be added to neutralise the yellow tone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Butter, icing sugar, flavouring |
| Butter type | Unsalted, pale-coloured |
| Butter temperature | Room temperature, not cold or warm |
| Sugar type | Icing sugar, not caster sugar or sugar |
| Sugar preparation | Sifted to remove lumps |
| Mixing method | Electric mixer with paddle attachment or hand-held beaters |
| Mixing speed | High speed to incorporate air |
| Colouring | Gel food colouring, not liquid |
| Colouring amount | A toothpick or skewer dip |
| Flavouring | Vanilla extract, peppermint extract, maple extract, coconut extract, orange extract, almond extract, cinnamon |
| Storage | Refrigerate after 1 day at room temperature |
| Yield | Enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes or a thin layer on a 9x13 inch quarter sheet cake |
| Bright white colour | Use shortening or white food colouring |
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What You'll Learn
Use white butter, such as American-style butter
When making white buttercream icing in Australia, it is important to consider the type of butter you use. While cold butter is too hard to work with, warm or melted butter will result in a greasy texture instead of a light, whipped consistency. Therefore, it is best to let the butter sit at room temperature to soften before using it.
If you want a bright white buttercream, the type of butter you use is crucial. Some varieties of butter, such as Irish butter and cultured butter, have a rich yellow colour that will make it difficult to achieve a vibrant white hue. Instead, opt for American-style butters, which tend to be paler in colour. Brands like Land O Lakes or Challenge are good choices for achieving that bright white buttercream.
Vanilla extract can also affect the colour of your buttercream, giving it an off-white tint. To maintain a brighter white colour, consider using clear vanilla extract instead of the regular variety. Alternatively, you can skip the vanilla extract altogether and add a tiny amount of purple food colouring to neutralise the yellow tone from the butter, resulting in a snowy white buttercream.
In Australia, you can find American-style butter at major supermarket chains. Brands such as Allowrie, Devondale, Lurpak, Mainland, Pepe Saya, and Western Star are readily available. When selecting butter for your buttercream, choose a good quality unsalted variety, as salt can affect the flavour and colour of your icing.
Remember, achieving a bright white buttercream is a matter of trial and error. By choosing paler butter and being mindful of added ingredients, you can create a vibrant white hue for your cake designs.
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Avoid adding vanilla extract
Vanilla is a common ingredient in buttercream icing, providing a simple, crowd-pleasing flavour. However, if you are aiming for a bright white buttercream, it is best to avoid adding vanilla extract. This is because vanilla extract will give the buttercream an off-white or slightly yellow hue.
Vanilla extract is typically brown in colour, derived from the vanilla bean. When added to buttercream, it will tint the frosting, and the natural yellow tone of the butter will also come through. Even if you do not add any other food colouring, the frosting will not be a true white.
To achieve a bright white buttercream, you can skip the vanilla extract and opt for clear vanilla extract instead. Clear vanilla extract is more expensive and harder to find, but it will not affect the colour of your frosting. Alternatively, you can use a slight smidge of purple food colouring to neutralise the yellow tone and produce a snowy white buttercream.
If the colour of your buttercream is not a concern, you can use regular vanilla extract. Some bakers prefer the taste of regular vanilla extract over clear vanilla, as it is made with high-quality vanilla beans and has a more intense flavour.
Remember, when making white buttercream, it is also important to choose your butter wisely. Avoid butter with a rich yellow colour, such as Irish butter or cultured butter. Instead, opt for paler American-style butters, which will result in a brighter white frosting.
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Counteract yellow butter with purple food colouring
To make white buttercream icing, you need to start with the right butter. Some types of butter, like Irish butter and cultured butter, have a rich yellow colour. These options aren't suitable if you want a vibrant white icing. Many American-style butters are paler, so they're a better choice for bright white buttercream.
The next step is to whip or beat the butter to a paler colour before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. The more you beat or whisk the butter, the paler it will become. This is because you're incorporating air into the mixture, creating a network of sugar crystals and air pockets that make the colour paler. However, be careful not to overbeat the butter, as this can cause it to melt and become greasy.
If you've whipped or beaten the butter and it's still not as white as you'd like, you can add food colouring. To counteract the yellow tone of the butter, add a tiny amount of purple food colouring. Purple will neutralise the yellow, resulting in a snowy white buttercream. It's important to add only a small amount of purple colouring at a time, as too much can result in lilac or lavender-coloured icing. You can always add more, but it's challenging to lighten the colour if you've added too much.
To make white buttercream icing in Australia, you can follow these general steps:
- Choose a pale-coloured butter, such as American-style butter.
- Allow the butter to soften to room temperature without melting.
- Beat the butter at a higher speed to incorporate air and lighten the colour.
- Sift and add icing sugar to create a basic buttercream.
- If desired, add a tiny amount of purple food colouring to neutralise any remaining yellow hue.
- Continue mixing until you achieve the desired shade of white.
Remember, it's essential to add food colouring gradually and mix thoroughly between additions to ensure you achieve the perfect white buttercream icing.
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Use a stand mixer to whip butter until pale
To make bright white buttercream, you'll need to start with pale butter. While you can use butter substitutes, such as shortening, coconut oil, or vegan butter replacements, these may not give you the desired flavour or consistency. If you want to use butter, opt for a paler variety, such as American-style butter or Korean butter.
To achieve a pale colour, use a stand mixer to whip the butter until it's pale, fluffy, and creamy. You can also use an electric mixer or hand-held beaters. Make sure the butter is softened, but not too warm, as this will produce a greasy texture. Room temperature, or around 21°C, is ideal.
By beating the butter at a higher speed, you incorporate more air, which lightens the colour. You can't overbeat the butter, but you can overheat it, so avoid using a food processor. Keep mixing until the butter is as white as possible. If you're using a stand mixer, this should take around three minutes on a medium setting.
Once the butter is pale, you can start adding the other ingredients. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. Keep scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
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Refrigerate after one day
To make white buttercream icing in Australia, it is recommended to use a good quality unsalted butter, like Western Star Chef's Choice Butter. This type of butter has a creamy flavour and texture, which will ensure a velvety and delicious finish to your icing.
When making buttercream, it is important to start with butter that is still cold, as cold butter is too hard to work with, and warm or melted butter will produce a greasy texture. Weigh and cut the butter while it is still cold, then set it aside at room temperature to soften. Be careful not to let it get too soft, as this will result in a greasy texture. If your butter does get too soft, you can pop it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm it up before whipping.
Once your butter is the correct consistency, you can start making your buttercream. In addition to butter, you will need icing sugar or an icing sugar mixture. Regular sugar or caster sugar is too grainy for buttercream, so be sure to use the right type of sugar. Always sift the sugar to remove lumps and incorporate more air into the buttercream. If you are using a cup measure to measure out the sugar, do it before sifting to ensure you have the right ratios.
After you have your butter and sugar, you can add flavourings and colourings to create a personalised buttercream. Vanilla extract is a popular choice, but it can give the buttercream an off-white colour. If you want a bright white buttercream, try using clear vanilla extract or skipping the vanilla altogether and adding a tiny amount of purple food colouring to counteract the yellow hue of the butter. Other extracts you can use include peppermint, maple, coconut, orange, or almond. You can also add ground cinnamon or a splash of lemon juice for a zesty twist.
Now that you have made your white buttercream icing, it is important to store it properly. Buttercream can be left at room temperature for up to one day, but after that, it should be refrigerated. If you have a warm kitchen, you may want to refrigerate it sooner. To store buttercream in the refrigerator, transfer it to an airtight container, such as a glass or plastic food container. The buttercream will last for up to a week in the fridge and will develop a crust over time due to its high sugar content.
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Frequently asked questions
To make white buttercream, you will need butter, icing sugar, and flavouring. The flavouring can be a clear vanilla extract, or you can use a different extract such as peppermint, maple, coconut, orange, or almond. If you want a less sweet option, you can try making a Swiss meringue buttercream.
The type of butter you use will depend on how white you want your buttercream to be. Most butter has a yellow hue, so if you want a bright white buttercream, you should opt for a pale-coloured butter such as American-style butter. If you want an extremely white buttercream, you can use shortening instead of butter, or a combination of the two.
First, weigh and cut your butter while it is still cold, then set it aside to soften at room temperature. Next, use an electric mixer or hand-held beaters to beat the butter until it is pale, fluffy, and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and other ingredients, beating until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. If you want to add colour to your buttercream, use gel food colouring rather than liquid food colouring, as liquid can affect the consistency.
