Featured Recipe
Vanilla Buttercream Twist
By Kate
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Butter, flour, milk, sugar, vanilla. Cooking roux, cooling, whipping. Sweet, creamy, stable. Uses reduced butter, slightly more milk. Replaces granulated sugar with caster sugar, vanilla bean seeds swapped with cinnamon addition. Time adjusted for cooling and whipping. Works for multi-layer cakes around 20 cm. Rich mouthfeel. No nuts, eggs. Vegetarian friendly.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
31 min
Serves:
2 layer cake 20cm
frosting
desserts
vegetarian
Introduction
Butter, flour, milk. Basic roux cooking. Then sugar. Vanilla extract swapped with a hint of cinnamon for spice. Cooling crucial to stop thickening too soon. Whipping till thick and fluffy, takes longer than usual but adds air. Sugar changed from granulated to caster for smoother dissolve. Butter adjusted down, milk bumped up for balance. No nuts, no eggs, vegetarian safe. Two-layer 8 inch cakes in mind. Spoon into spatula, no lumps. Layer spread. Chill before serving if needed. Almost fudge in texture. Slight spice undertone. Simple but needs patience. Whisking priority over rushing.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Butter softened but not melted avoid greasy texture. Flour measured carefully; too much makes pasty frosting. Milk whole for richness, substitutes might change taste. Vanilla extract used instead of bean seeds for convenience and consistency. Sugar caster finer than granulated aids quick dissolving in cold mix. Cinnamon optional, adds warm depth, replace with nutmeg or cardamom for variation. Quantities lowered about 30% from original, milk increased to soften texture. Adjust spice and extract quantities to taste but keep base unchanged. Chill ingredients mildly before starting to speed cooling but might slow butter reaching creamy state.
Method
Technique Tips
Melt butter and flour thoroughly before adding milk to avoid lumps, whisking constantly key. Bring to boil then simmer carefully, do not scorch. Cover with plastic wrap pressed on top immediately, no air gaps to prevent crust. Let rest at room temperature till lukewarm, longer cooling gives better whipping. Add sugar, butter, cinnamon all at once for efficient mixing. Beat at medium to medium-high speed for about 6 minutes, scraping bowl helps incorporate all ingredients evenly. Whip too little and frosting is runny; too long can split. Use spatula to check texture—soft peaks but firm hold desired. Store briefly if needed; not for long-term refrigeration without adjustment.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use softened butter not melted. Keeps texture light. Measure flour accurately. Too much leads to pasty mix. Whole milk is best for richness.
- 💡 Whisk constantly when melting. Prevention of lumps is crucial. Boil gently and simmer carefully. Watch for scorching, adjust heat as needed.
- 💡 Cooling time changes texture. Let sit at room temp till lukewarm. Longer cool aids whipping. Ideal to stop thickening.
- 💡 Add sugar and remaining butter together. Efficient mix this way. Beat on medium for long. Scrape down sides during mixing.
- 💡 Desired texture is crucial. Soft peaks should hold, but don’t over whip. Can split if beaten too long. Use spatula for testing.
Kitchen Wisdom
What if frosting is too runny?
Add a bit more cooled mixture. Whip longer but watch for splitting. Can try chilling briefly.
How to store leftover frosting?
Refrigerate in airtight container. Will keep for days. Re-whip before use. Can be tricky.
Can I use a different spice?
Yes, nutmeg or cardamom is fine. Adjust amounts for taste. Switch it up, experiment with flavors.
Will frosting hold shape?
Ensure proper whipping time. Too less makes it weak. Too much risk splits. Soft peaks are key.
