Buttercream and frosting have been used interchangeably for years, despite the differences between the two cake coatings. While there are several differences, the main one will become obvious in a minute, as you explore this guide on the distinctions between ‘Team Frosting’ and ‘Team Buttercream.’
Frosting
The best way to distinguish frosting from buttercream is through the ingredients. While both contain powdered sugar, fat, flavouring and sometimes milk or water, frosting does not contain any butter whatsoever. Instead, frosting is usually made with shortening or cream cheese.
Shortening or cream cheese-based frostings are a good option for bright white cake designs, as there’s no yellowing tint from the butter that’s present in buttercreams. This will allow for either a pure white frosting experience or allow any colour that added to be as true as possible.
The downside to shortening-based frostings is that they can have a slightly chemical aftertaste. Shortening doesn’t have any flavour to it, leaving room for the taste of any artificial flavouring from the colouring products or additives to come through. However, this can be remedied by using high-quality extracts or natural pastes when making frosting.
Buttercream
As the name suggests, buttercream contains butter, which gives the cake coating a richer flavour. It also makes the buttercream lush and prevents it from being overly sweet. When making buttercream from scratch, it’s important to make sure that whatever butter you’re using is at room temperature. This is what will allow the cream to blend out to be as smooth as possible. Using hardened butter will leave the buttercream lumpy.
Are They Interchangeable?
Any recipe can be subject to change. If you’re out of butter and a recipe calls for the use of buttercream, there’s no harm in switching to the frosting. Both should result in similar textures if made correctly.
If all you have available to you is store-bought frosting, then that’s no problem. Mixing it together with some butter, good quality vanilla extract or paste, in a bowl with a whisk or electric mixer, should provide you with a frosting that others will think you made from scratch.
Which is Better?
That all comes down to personal preference. To figure it out for yourself, make a batch of each and see with one works best for your needs. Buttercream tends to be more stable, taste better and produce a smooth finish if mixed well. Shortening-based frosting, while the best at providing true to colour options, can be a bit greasy, prone to producing lumps and have an odd texture. But again, depending on the recipe used and what you’re looking for, both cake coatings are popular for a reason.
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FAQs
It all depends on what you want your cake to look like in the end. Frosting usually has a thick and fluffy consistency and is used to coat all sections of a cake. Icing features a much thinner consistency and is more commonly used for glazing and decorating baked goods in detail.
What frosting do professionals use for cakes? ›
Both Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Italian Meringue Buttercream are commonly used by professional bakers, with Swiss meringue being slightly more popular. Both these buttercreams are made by whipping granulated sugar and egg whites into a meringue and then whipping butter into that meringue.
Which frosting is best for cake buttercream or whipped? ›
In addition, buttercream holds its shape extremely well, making it a good choice to use for any kind of intricate decorating — such as designs on cakes or for the swirl on top of a cupcake. Buttercream also lasts much longer than whipped frosting.
Which frosting is best for cakes? ›
5 Best Types of Buttercream for Cakes
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream. This is the Queen of Frosting. ...
- Ganache Frosting. Nothing works as hard as chocolate ganache to make a cake into a showstopper. ...
- Italian Meringue Buttercream. ...
- Ermine Buttercream. ...
- American Frosting.
Buttercream tastes better and has a superior mouthfeel. Like its name suggests, this kind of frosting usually has butter, milk or cream, powdered sugar, and an extract flavoring, according to Bake Decorate Celebrate. The icing is smooth, creamy, and doesn't dry out fast.
What frosting holds its shape best? ›
Crusting buttercream (or frosting that lightly sets) is perfect if you need your frosting to keep its shape. You can use it for cake decorating, piping swirls on cupcakes or for making buttercream flowers.
What icing do cake shops usually use? ›
1. Buttercream Frosting. Buttercream frostings rely on the main ingredient of butter and will be the most common type of frosting you will find in a bakery. Plain buttercream is also referred to as American buttercream or simple buttercream frosting.
Are Costco cakes buttercream frosting? ›
Sheet Cakes Come in Just Two Flavors
White Cake, which is filled with a vanilla cheesecake mousse and iced with white buttercream. Chocolate Cake, which is filled with chocolate mousse and iced with chocolate buttercream.
What kind of frosting do they put on Walmart cakes? ›
Walmart has grown to become one of America's largest superstores. This has led them to become a popular choice for bakery items, as many people love their sweet buttercream. Fortunately, you can make the Walmart buttercream frosting recipe at home.
Can I use frosting instead of buttercream? ›
In conclusion, there are many alternatives to buttercream frosting that you can use to ice your cake. Ganache, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream frosting, fondant, and meringue frosting are all excellent options that are easy to make and delicious to taste.
Most types of frosting, including buttercream frosting, don't technically have to be refrigerated right away, so storing extra frosting at room temperature is a great option if you plan on using it within the next day or so.
Why do people like buttercream frosting? ›
Adored as much for its texture as for its taste, buttercream is a mainstay on the dessert scene, and has been for quite some time.
Is frosting or buttercream better for cake decorating? ›
Buttercream tends to be more stable, taste better and produce a smooth finish if mixed well. Shortening-based frosting, while the best at providing true to colour options, can be a bit greasy, prone to producing lumps and have an odd texture.
What is the best buttercream in the world? ›
Swiss meringue buttercream is a favorite among many cake decorators because of its smooth finish on the outside cakes and its ability to hold piping detail.
What frosting is used for most wedding cakes? ›
Fondant icing, on the other hand, is a traditional wedding favourite as it gives the cake a very smooth and polished appearance. Fondant is made from powdered sugar, corn syrup and water, melted together to form a thick paste.
Does buttercream or frosting set hard? ›
The buttercream will harden, but not enough to stack or safely transport cookies. However, it won't be sticky when you touch it and will be perfect for cookie trays.
Which icing cream is best for cake? ›
- Butter Cream. Buttercream is softer and more spreadable than most icing and is the preferred choice for taste and flexibility. ...
- Whipped Cream. If lighter frosting is what you need then whipped cream is the answer. ...
- Royal Icing. ...
- Cream Cheese Frosting. ...
- Meringue. ...
- Fondant.
American Buttercream
This is the 'frosting' that seems to be used the most and is the simplest to make. Featuring butter, icing sugar and a splash of milk or cream for consistency, American buttercream is great for filling cakes, covering cakes and topping cupcakes.
