Cake Rescue, which frostings are best in the heat?
Which frosting is best on a hot day?
Let’s put 16 different frostings to the test on a 29C (84.2 degrees Fahrenheit) day. Each frosting was made and piped onto a cupcake the day before testing then left in the fridge overnight. The purpose of this was to ensure that all the frostings were the exact same starting temperature all eh way through. Below are the recipes for the frostings included in this test.
Ganache Frosting
180g (6.35 ounces) chocolate
60mL (2.03 fluid ounces) cream
I made 6 different ganaches all using the above proportions of chocolate to cream. Three of them used real chocolate, which contains cocoa butter and the other three used compound chocolate, which contains vegetable fat.
Place the chocolate in a bowl, heat the cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate. Leave to sit for 30 seconds then stir until smooth. Cover and leave overnight at room temperature to set up. Whip using electric beaters.
Cream Cheese Frosting
250g (8.82 ounces) cream cheese, bring to room temperature to soften
90g (3.17 ounces) butter
250g (8.82 ounces) icing sugar, sifted
200g (7.05 ounces) mascarpone
Whip together the cream cheese and butter until thick and smooth. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Using a spatula fold in the mascarpone.
American Buttercream using butter
120g (4.23 ounces) butter
315g (11.11 ounces) icing sugar
Mix on low speed until resembles bread crumbs. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy. No liquid was added at all for this test. Adding liquid will effect the melting point of the frosting.
American buttercream using margarine
120g (4.23 ounces) margarine
315g (11.11 ounces) icing sugar
Mix on low speed until resembles bread crumbs. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy. No need to add any liquid at all.
Italian Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tar tar
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Place the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Put the water and sugar into a pan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks while continuing to heat the sugar mixture until it reaches 114C (237.2 degrees Fahrenheit). With the beaters running pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites. Keep whipping until the sides of the bowl no longer feel hot.
Use immediately to either cover a cake or pipe. Note this frosting is not suitable for under fondant as the water content in it will cause the fondant to weep and leave a puddle of water on your plate.
Swiss Buttercream
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tar tar
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Place the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Put the water and sugar into a pan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks while continuing to heat the sugar mixture until it reaches 114C (237.2 degrees Fahrenheit). With the beaters running pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites. Keep whipping until the sides of the bowl no longer feel hot.
Cut the butter into cubes and with the beaters still running, add them one at a time into the mixture. Keep whipping until it is stiff and fluffy.
French Buttercream
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons or 45mL (1.52 fluid ounces) water
5 egg yolks
200g (7.05 ounces) butter, at room temperature (this make is easier to incorporate)
Place the egg yolks into the bowl of an electric mixer. Put the water and sugar into a pan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Whip the egg yolks until they are pale while continuing to heat the sugar mixture until it reaches 114C (237.2 degrees Fahrenheit). With the beaters running pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the egg yolks. Keep whipping until the sides of the bowl no longer feel hot. Cut the butter into cubes and with the beaters still running, add them one at a time into the mixture. Keep whipping until it is stiff and fluffy.
Ermine Frosting
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
220g (7.76 ounces) butter
In a pan that is not over the heat mix together the flour and sugar. Add the milk a little at a time, making a paste at first then adding more milk, this helps make sure there are no lumps of flour. Heat over high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Keep stirring over the heat for a minute to ensure that all the starch granule have burst and that you do not have a floury taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Whip with an electric mixer, cut the butter into cubes and add one at a time.
Alternatively if you have time to prepare ahead you can combine all the ingredients in the pan, including the butter, then heat until it thickens. Cool in the fridge overnight then whip.
Coconut buttercream
1 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
Whip together the coconut oil and icing sugar until thick. This was very very thick, you could add a little water to make it thinner – but that will change the melting point of the frosting.
Whipped cream
Place cream that is at least 30% fat into a bowl and whip it on high speed until you have medium peaks. For this experiment I did not add and sugar, adding sugar will effect he melting point.
Store bought
Fro this test I used Betty Crocker lemon zest frosting.
I did not test using shortening because all previous taste tests have rated this as the worst tasting frosting. There is no point making a cake if no one enjoys eating it.
My Cookbook
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All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
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Hi, Ann, I watch you faithfully I was wondering if you could possibly do a Highland cake 3-D tutorial? Whe
LOVE THIS! Ann, could you do a Hogwarts cake?
Love this!
I love the Italian Meringue. I used it on a lemon tart and I’m in love! Love you Ann, continue to do what you do!
Hey Anne, your Swiss buttercream recipe is missing the butter! I still love your work and VERY professional videos since stumbling on your McQueen cake. My son was 4 then. Now he’s 11 and it’s soccer cake today 😋
Hi Ann, there is this yt channel taking the content farm by storm. It is all over my home page on youtube. I think it is called MetDaan, and their videos are quite weird!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HgDpc8lelZc
I subbed to u 😁
Hello Anne, I want to make the Swiss Buttercream but I don’t know how much butter to put in because it doesn’t mention the quantities of butter in the recipe😅
Thank you for all you do! You are an amazing baker!!
*Ann, sorry auto correct
Hi Ann, wanted to make the Italian meringue but there is no mention of the cream of tar tar in the instructions at which point should I put it in. 🙂
You should most likely put it in when the meringue starts to be foamy, as it is there to stabilize the meringue.