Friday, May 25, 2012

Coffee Creamer Buttercream

I'm certainly not a food snob  

Not in any any way shape or form.

I'll eat a completely from scratch meal one night and then I'm totally down for dinosaur shaped nuggets the next.  If it's good its good.  Who cares.

But I do admit the one thing I've sort of snubbed is canned frosting.

It was all I knew for years and years and I loved it.  But since I started making my own the canned stuff is sooo....soooo......Blehhh!

It has a sort of chemical taste to me now that I never used to be able taste before.  You absolutely can't decorate with it because it's so soft so nothing ever looks cute.....there just really isn't many pros.

Once you try this recipe I promise you'll never go back to the can


Can you tell I shop at Walmart? 

What ever gave it away?


As a general rule of thumb I use:

1/2 # Butter  (1 cup) 
1/2 # All Vegetable shortening (also 1 cup)
2# Powdered Sugar


So its basically its a 2:1 ratio of sugar to fat by weight


Start by creaming together your butter and shortening.  Scraping down the sides as you go.  Then gradually add in your sugar, scraping down the sides.  Your mixture will be thick.


Now comes in your coffee creamer.  Gradually stir it in until you get a nice smooth consistency that will be easy for frosting or piping...not too thick.....not too thin.  I usually use around 3/4c. but I would start with 1/2c. and go from there just to be safe.  Don't whip it around too much...just until its smooth.  You don't want to create large air pockets.



Are you wondering where the vanilla extract is?   You don't need it yo!  All the flavor is in the coffee creamer.  The coffee creamer acts as the heavy cream that's normally in traditional buttercream recipes and eliminates the need for extracts because their flavors are so strong.

And you can get super creative with them.  Here I used French Vanilla but in the past I've used Hazelnut, Creme Brulee, Amaretto.....the possibilities are endless!  


*NOTES*

*You could do all butter if you prefer, but living in AZ I like to use half shortening because it's so damn hot and it helps it hold up better.  Especially if I am traveling with them in the car. But also because its not all shortening like other recipes you don't get that nasty film in your mouth.  Half half is just perfect to me


*This frosting crusts BEAUTIFULLY so if you are familiar with cake decorating and use the Viva paper towel method or any similar method for getting perfectly smooth buttercream cakes, this is the recipe for you!  Up until about 8 months ago I used to sell cakes and this is what I always used and it NEVER failed me


You can scoff at the canned frostings as you pass them in the store now.  Give this a try and let me know what you think.













2 comments:

  1. Hi.. 3/4c mean cup?3/4 coffee creamer?

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    Replies
    1. I imagine that is what she meant because she was talking about pouring it into the mix...that's my guess.

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