Why I love Buttercream

Spend 5 minutes on any cake page, and you’ll see pages and pages of sharp edged fondant and ganache. So why then, if they are so popular, would I not only choose to specialise in Buttercream, but shout it from the rooftops?

For the full list of reasons why Buttercream is the greatest thing ever, you’ll need to get yourself a coffee and a comfortable seat, so in the interest of time, let’s just talk about my favourite things about Buttercream.

Buttercream is Sunday Cakes

Who remembers Sunday cakes?  The cakes you would bake with mum, for no reason other than Sundays were for baking.  The house would be filled with the smell of butter and sugar, and if you were really lucky, chocolate. Dad will have already cut the grass on Saturday, so he’s hanging around the kitchen too, pretending not to want to lick the bowl too.

Once baked, it was time to top your masterpiece.  No fancy or elaborate icings here, just butter and sugar, and whatever Queen food colouring you  managed to convince your mum the cake should be.  There was something so elemental about icing that simple cake with a simple topping.  Everyone wanted a slice, and no one gave a thought to perfection, but rather, affection.

Baking for the people you love is not a new concept, but it is a good one. There’s something very special about making, and creating, and sharing.  For me, Buttercream will always be all those things <3

Buttercream is for Everybody

Cake decorating can be a pretty pricey hobby, between tools and ingredients, and that can hold a lot of people back from really diving in, and creating works of art.

Basic Buttercream on the other hand is cheap to make, and creating buttercream masterpieces requires minimal, inexpensive tools.

Whether it’s a haphazardly iced Sunday cake, or a striking work of innovative art, buttercream can do it all.

Buttercream is Versatile

As you can see in my work, there’s pretty much nothing that Buttercream can’t do, and if there is, I, or someone else that loves Buttercream, will find a way. You can, spread it, mould it, pipe it, paint it, colour it, carve it, sculpt it, imprint it, texture it, and that’s just the beginning.

Buttercream is also an incredible base for flavours, colours and textures, from syrups, to compotes, to choc chips and nuts. As you can see here in my “Fall” you can even model with it!

Spread the Love

Buttercream is, in my opinion, the most versatile decorating medium in Cake Decorating.  Its inexpensive, its adaptable for allergies, and food intolerance, and its easy to make.Create something this week.  It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, but if it brings a smile to someone’s face, even if it’s just yours, then it’s a true thing of beauty.

Viva La Buttercream!