Comparing 6 Types of Buttercream- American, Swiss, Italian, French, German, & Russian

[@И.аи]

For Russian buttercream, we here in Russia most of the time use "cooked " condensed milk or also known as dulce di leche ( An unopened can of sweet condensed milk is usually boiled for two hours in a pan full of water ) and then the milk gets thick and caramelized and extremely delicious. It gets a nice caramel brown color. And then proceed as in the video, adding butter . Just try it!

[@peterripson]

Awesome suggestion. I've tried the caramelized sweetened condensed milk and I can eat an entire can myself. I had never heard of Russian buttercream so I'm definitely going to try this and try your version! It does sound like your version is the "correct" version if you're saying that it's the way it's done in Russia most of the time.

[@Angel.cakeys]

@@peterripson it’s one of the variation we have in Russia, but we do use condensed milk in our cakes a lot 😅

[@SonneCreations]

German butter cream sometimes uses a vanilla pudding as a base as well.

[@peterripson]

@@Angel.cakeys I'd love to see you make one on your channel

[@TheSpinDoctor]

I’ve had it that way in Eastern Europe (Romania and Moldova and Bulgaria) also, but also uncooked too.

[@ahnatanha]

Ypu know, no extra fluff. No unnecessary cringe humor, no beating around the Bush. Just good instruction and knowledge. Thank you. We need more of you in here.

[@FairyGodAunt]

not to mention the hair, makeup, outfit, background, camera work, editing, etc.

[@SpandanaGowda-wu8ej]

Exactly . I love that it is to the point

[@LauraFolCA]

Finally! A single video that shows the difference between these buttercream! I only ever used American, but Husband and I watch a lot of baking competition shows and I'm always curious what Swiss or Italian buttercream is that is often used. That's for this!

[@deana7310]

I've made American, Swiss, and French. The French we didn't like for our cake, but it was a great sweet butter for our toast. :-D The Swiss, I love it! It's been my go-to icing since I made it the first time. The taste is worth the extra work to me. But I don't make many icing flowers, so not sure about which one holds up the best in that application.

[@DG95461]

The American one is the worst imo. Grainy, heavy and sickly sweet. Any of the meringue ones are the best I think. Light and silky smooth

[@punyparkerr]

how to cook that made this video 8 years ago

[@webwarren]

@@DG95461 Agree; American often ends up grainy. I don't have a good setup to try Swiss Meringue, but I've been told it's more delicate than the Italian. I definitely prefer Italian buttercream to American, but there are some caveats: it doesn't hold up well in heat, and if you refrigerate it, it gets a lot harder than American buttercream (and almost impossible to cut).

[@recoveringsoul755]

I made it similar to American, but with Crisco and powdered sugar. It's never grainy and doesn't need refrigeration because there is no butter or cream in it. Very sweet though, pure white, you add water depending on how thick you need it for making roses of writing on a cake, we add vanilla and butter flavorings, salt to cut the sweetness and Meringue Powder. If it's made with butter it'll be yellow, even real vanilla extract will tint it some. Depends on what color frosting you want

[@tigger12486]

I love that the people in the comments are validating the authenticity of your recipes and giving awesome advice

[@UshasRides]

Hint… for the French and Italian buttercreams… whisk up the butter beforehand… it will make the final buttercream much lighter in colour, and the mixture will not curdle during the mixing process.

[@ajinpnw6221]

I have never heard this before and I have watched endless videos and taken classes on how to make swiss & italian Buttercream..However, it makes a ton of sense to me! I wonder why no one teaches it this way? Thank you! I will give it a try, I would rather mix until light and fluffy than, cube butter :D

[@rockshot100]

@@ajinpnw6221 She did not make the French one properly. It is rich and silky. It is put on the cake much thinner. NOT a 4 inch glob on a cupcake. She probably uses over an inch on a cake, but this is at the most 1/2 inch. Trust me, you will not miss all the fat and sugar. Also use more flavoring like vanilla than you would normally in the others. This is for frosting a cake not eating out of a bowl. You should be able to taste the cake.

[@rockshot100]

@@ajinpnw6221 BTW, the French do not make big frosting flowers usually, they usually decorate with other things, melted chocolate, spun sugar, or fresh flowers, etc.

[@Shoot.Rana.X]

Do this for Swiss!!! Beat the butter FIRST and add the cooked and cooled to room temp sugar/egg white mixture SECOND to the butter. Same result and you don’t have to make the meringue !! As long as the butter and egg white / sugar mixture are both room temp you will never get curdles!!

[@TheOneinthewoods]

@@ajinpnw6221 beating the butter for five min before doing anything else turns it creme like. It makes the best frosting ever!

[@deathdiablo22]

I've used the German buttercream for 1 recipe... I made extra just in case I messed up and I ate it hiding in the pantry. It was the most delicious buttercream I had ever tried. Usually I make American but I should try something more stable in the heat since I live in Arizona.

[@EbonFaerie]

I felt this comment on a personal level. :)

[@tigersangria8011]

I really like making Swiss buttercream…something about the double boiler just makes me happy. I just cleaned out some leftover from the fridge and was glad no one was around to see me licking the inside of the piping bag. 😈

[@jlobaido8000]

What part of Arizona? Tucson 💖💖

[@deathdiablo22]

@@jlobaido8000 Gilbert.

[@jlobaido8000]

@@deathdiablo22 that's awesome💕 I love Az.

[@ninjakeks9326]

As a German let me make it short: German Buttercream is based on custard/pudding and yes, you can make it with instant pudding, BUT this method here will be at least 10 times better. That's why we love it. The filling is even dessert in its own right.

[@sabinenoll5947]

Just saying Bienenstich...

[@rosameijering5161]

Nice i wamt to try once

[@spandana5432]

it is my favorite!

[@spandana5432]

@@rosameijering5161 you will definitely like it!

[@holly0297]

German looks like the recipe I've been searching for for over 30 years!

[@oldyellerschannel4676]

Everyone is commenting on the frostings, and yes, great tutorial, but I wanted to say how much I LOVE your sweater and skirt! I love the cherries and the red and white color have such a wholesome appeal!! The bowls, the patterns, the colors and the Kitchen Aid mixer... The whole place, and you, are lovely...reminds me of an 50's Diner!

[@BakerBettie]

Oh thank you!

[@Emo_Does_Art]

@@BakerBettie it does give the video a homey vibe and i love it!

[@keithball6749]

@@BakerBettie I have the same set of Fire King polka dot bowls, but in black. Found them in my MIL’s attic, unused all those years. It was really cool to see yours!

[@3_up_moon]

I actually wanted to comment on how cute she looks in that outfit and hair style!

[@moniqrupley6019]

Absolutely spot on. The vintage kitchen look is fire!

[@Pustekuchenstueck]

I am so happy to finally see someone cover German buttercream in one of those comparison videos! That's how my father taught me to make buttercream and he learned it that way from his mother, so seeing it mentioned fills me with joy. ♥

[@pmberkeley]

My sister wanted me to make a buttercream "that tasted like ice cream" for the cupcakes for her summer wedding, and that's how I discovered German buttercream. It's the best frosting, although I think a good American buttercream (we use cream in it - it's in the name!) is super nostalgic, too.

[@andreamacleod1127]

I use Germa pudding mixture, aka Dr. Oetker, to make my German buttercream. Cook the pudding, let it cool, mix the butter with icing sugar, add pudding, done. The only thing is that it's a bit more yellow because of the vanilla pudding.

[@Pustekuchenstueck]

@@andreamacleod1127 Actually, if you use Sahnepudding instead of vanilla and add vanilla aroma afterwards (or during cooking the pudding) it is less yellow. Or use the Alnatura vanilla pudding mix. It is also less yellow. I also prefer it because it tastes less artificial.

[@andreamacleod1127]

@@Pustekuchenstueck We don't have that here in Saskatchewan, Canada. I'm glad I can get the Dr. Oetkar Vanilla pudding. (No chocolate pudding available either.)

[@Pustekuchenstueck]

@@andreamacleod1127 Oh, sorry! I read "Dr. Oetker" and was like: "Oh yes, a fellow German." I'm sorry for assuming!

[@Alexis84DE]

I’m German and that was very authentic but I’ll be honest, we usually don’t make the Creme Pat ourselves, a shortcut is to use vanilla pudding instead of Creme Pat and just add the butter to that and whip it up to make Buttercream But really great video Edit for clarification: the pudding I mean is pudding powder you cook up with some milk, usually just a flavored starch powder, not instant pudding you whip up cold. it takes about 3 minutes to mix the pudding powder with milk and briefly bring to boil and stir till firm, then cool and use as any other Creme Pat or pudding. There’s a company famous for it in Germany, Dr. Oetker, lots of recipes just reference this product as an ingredient, it’s been around and used like this since the 50‘s. Obviously it’s a very lazy thing but works like a charm but feel free to make yourself pudding or Creme Pat from scratch, handmade is always best ❤️ I just wanted to point out it’s a kitchen staple hack if you are an amateur baker in Germany (or in a hurry 😉)

[@BakerBettie]

That's a great shortcut and tip! Thanks!

[@nisha7582]

Yes, that's how most of us do it. No need to use eggs that way. Thanks for showing the different variations in one video.

[@PliuNoShi]

I also just know it with vanilla pudding 🙂

[@malcolmxxx86]

do u mean instant pudding or homemade pudding

[@annasophieb.734]

@@malcolmxxx86 i guess what you mean by instant are those pudding powder packets, right? if so, then that’s exactly what we usually use. Those already have corn or some other kind of starch in them, so you just boil milk, put the powder in and cook it. let it cool down to room temperature and mix with room temp butter. Pro tip from my family: add a little bit of amaretto to the pudding and use that for a layered chocolate cake. Hope this helped🙂

[@techielopez7678]

Amazing how you taught this within just a few minutes. I appreciated the consistent format you had for each kind of buttercream and the conversions you patiently repeated for volume and temperature. With you teaching, trying out all the buttercreams doesn’t seem so farfetched at all. Yours is my fave buttercream tutorial video so far ❤️ Thank you!

[@kathleenstetler609]

I second all you mentioned. I appreciate the skill and teaching method. Thank you so much.

[@juliagreene829]

This is such a great video. I really dislike American buttercream because it's too sweet, and these are some great alternatives. I feel like I learned so much watching this video.

[@BakerBettie]

You are so welcome!

[@munirahbakar4123]

If you find it too sweet, try adding some lemon juice instead of milk when thinning it down.

[@ZebraLuv]

I don't like powdered sugar for anything. It just tastes like overly sweet chemicals. Might experiment with alternative sugar types like Monkfruit.

[@Sara-kp7fw]

Same here! For me it’s the sweetness and taste of butter, I like it more with cream cheese and added flavor to it.

[@MzClementine]

@@ZebraLuv I just read some information that stevia can inhibit your body from absorbing B12. And go figure I was using a substitute of stevia and Monk fruit. And guess who's B12 levels were dropping.. 👉🧐 Lucky me... It was difficult, but it took me about a solid year to pull myself off of every sweet. About a year and a half ago I ate the equivalent of a donut. Sent me into a crazy hypoglycemic sugary shaking sweating scary moment. I have yet to taste or touch anything with sweetness. Nothing. And so wonderful. When I removed out my stevia monk fruit. And I found that lamb has the highest B12 within it. Like magic, my B levels Rose and stabled out.... Although this stuff is in my blood. My family owns a bakery, they've been around for almost a hundred years. My mother had a pie business, as well as a catering business. Food is in my blood. I still love watching these videos. It reminds me so much of my mom. The best parts of her. Nothing like walking down memory lane. Anything that has a KitchenAid in it. Or Hobart. Reminds me of family... 🥰

[@kohle7551]

The pirde I feel when ever somebody says that a german thing is their favourit fills my heart with suprise and joy.

[@Noami91]

At home, when making cakes, I use Russian buttercream because it is the fastest. I also make flowers from it. To make it stable and durable, you need to change the proportion of ingredients to 1: 1. So for 200g of butter I add 200g of condensed milk. First, I beat the butter to a fluffy white mass at the highest speed of the mixer (it takes about 15 minutes). Then I add condensed milk at medium speed. I recommend you try it 😊 Then you don't taste the milk that much.

[@nehadsilva9478]

Do you use the condensed milk at room temperature or cold? I live in UK so the weather is pretty cold and am planning to use Russian buttercream for my son’s bday cake

[@Boertje247]

I love Italian buttercream for its stability, ability to hold its shape, and flavor. I usually use orange blossom water to flavor it along with vanilla paste, especially for wedding cakes. Great video! I’ve made mousseline crème for years as a filling. Now, I can’t wait to try it for decorating!

[@BakerBettie]

Wonderful!

[@peppersander2457]

That's sounds yummy :)

[@ennykraft]

The German one is my favorite too - although of course I'm biased cause that's the type I grew up with. We often make it with just a simple vanilla pudding instead of the crème pâtissière. Simply make a pudding with 1 package of vanilla pudding mix (or a good chocolate one), 400 ml milk (bit less than 1 and 3/4 cups) and 3 tbsps sugar. It's lighter than the American one and suitable for vegetarians who don't eat eggs. Some people even make it vegan by using vegan butter and a plant based "milk".

[@BakerBettie]

Thanks for sharing! That sounds great!

[@jo84684]

Vegan german Buttercreme is great! I would recommend soy milk for the pudding which also is available in vanilla or chocolate flavor so that adds even more taste. In the fridge the buttercreme doesn’t get as “hard” as the regular one because of the vegan butter but if you don’t plan for it to be out of the fridge for long it’s just fine. It can be out of the fridge for at least an hour :) For extra stability you can make the pudding without the sugar and whip the butter with powdered sugar

[@luciep.4949]

I would add that the German buttercream can also be cooked with. It is often used as filling for Danish pastries. It holds very well while baking and tastes delicious!

[@heart.9889]

I was just going to comment the same thing! If you use pudding it gets extra creamy if you press the cooled pudding through a strainer before adding the butter.

[@yriasantiesteban]

Loved this when I lived in Berlin, thanks for reminding me about those delicious times.

[@newfoundland3238]

well presented I am a professional pastry chef 34 years and I learned something never heard of Russian buttercream.So big thanks!Cant wait to see other vids!

[@BakerBettie]

You're welcome! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@flemm88]

My family is German on my mother's side so I only ever grew up with German buttercream. Kitchen hack my Oma taught us is to use vanilla bean or french vanilla cook pudding instead of making it from scratch. So much easier and basically step wise the same once done. Thanks for showing the difference.

[@BakerBettie]

Great tip!

[@michaelazastera]

My grandma used to use vanilla pudding as well.

[@svenkuffer4512]

That’s what I thought when I saw how it’s made, the base is basically a recipe for thick pudding

[@andreamacleod1127]

Dr. Oetker Vanilla pudding for the win, always.

[@myrillya]

Do you mean these mixtures where you need to add milk and cook it, or do you grab vanilla pudding in the grocery store which you can immediately eat?

[@keithball6749]

I was a chef for many years, including several as a pastry chef. This is an excellent video-beautifully done!

[@juliannajones6016]

I needed this video like 3 failed attempts ago. Thank you for clarifying and sharing! So helpful!

[@brandonk9299]

I really appreciate how your videos combine demonstration (how) with explanation (why) and application (when). Even troubleshooting as you go (what if). As the algorithm kicks in, I'm sure others will find these as useful as I did. Good job!

[@BakerBettie]

I'm so glad you enjoy it!

[@paolonutini305]

One of the best videos I have ever seen on KZbin. Clear, concise and quick. I have heard these terms for years from the likes of Martha and Ina, but never knew the differences. Thank you so much. All I ever make is American which I love, but you have made me want to try some of the other buttercreams. Thank you again Baker Bettie!!

[@AC00009]

Came for the buttercream. Stayed just to see that amazing bowl collection in the background. I love me some vintage Pyrex.

[@MKR5210]

I love the English (American) buttercream. Especially the light crust that forms when piped, the delicate crack to the creamy inside is wonderful 😁

[@musicismybestfriend1933]

The first time I tried German buttercream I added raspberry juice instead of milk which gave it both flavor and color (my mother didn’t want me using artificial coloring, so I had to find another way). Since then that’s my favorite kind of buttercream but I’m really looking forward to testing some of these recipes.

[@shzba9880]

where did you get raspberry juice!? or do you mean from fresh raspberries?

[@MelanieBlackwell-c3z]

Try freeze dried raspberries and see if that is more potent

[@thesavvyblackbird]

Thank you so much for showing all the different buttercreams together. It’s the video we all desperately needed. My MIL used to decorate cakes and made the best American buttercream. With her method it doesn’t matter if you use real butter or vegetable shortening or a mix, all you do is after you make the buttercream according to the directions, swap out the paddle for the whisk attachment for your stand mixer. Then whip the buttercream on high for 5 minutes. That adds a lot of air and gives you this really fluffy texture. It pipes beautifully, freezes well (although it won’t be as fluffy), and it’s not as sweet and gunky as American buttercream can be. I bet the French buttercream would be delicious with melted chocolate added. I have made a Hungarian chocolate cake that has a frosting made with egg yolks and melted chocolate, and it’s so rich and creamy. The Russian buttercream would make a really delicious filling for people who love the taste of sweetened condensed milk. It would also be amazing with lemon or lime flavoring like lemon milk pie or key lime pie.

[@sandrominicozzi3005]

show me joni young black q

[@sallyhazy]

I don't even like buttercream (of any type, way too butter-y for my tastes) but this was so satisfying to watch. The piping of the creams was just so relaxing

[@fourearwolf3315]

Same! Buttermilk cream is literally disgusting (too think and sweet) in my opinion but I loved how smoothly they came out of the piping bag.

[@KisaTheGamerCat]

Same, I'm from USA and always disliked American buttercream so tried all these other than the Russian and didn't like them either.

[@OrioleBeagle]

You can also make buttercream frosting with shortening.

[@susanna6462]

I’ve made American, Swiss, and Italian. I’m slowly making my way through different buttercreams. I love how Italian melts in my mouth and I love the Swiss fluffiness.

[@DanasDiary.]

Thank for you for including cups and grams, you can’t imagine how useful that is☺️

[@irmavanniel-jansen3679]

Especially for the home cooks in Dutchland lol

[@Sublime_37]

Your kitchen is so retro and just awesome! Love it!

[@dromanmess]

This is a really great breakdown! other folks have mentioned ermine buttercream in the comments and it's also an old-fashioned classic worth trying out. the newest kid on the buttercream block is G.G. buttercream aka Korean buttercream - it's similar to Italian buttercream, but you use *cold* butter instead of room temperature butter. It pipes extremely finely and has almost a glass-like edge to it, so it's wonderful for making icing flowers with.

[@marynapier2007]

I love ermine buttercream, it almost tastes like whipped cream and it's not too sweet and silky smooth. It os actually the original frosting for red velvet cake, not cream cheese frosting.

[@MorriAelthyn]

@@marynapier2007 that's interesting 🤔 I adore red velvet cake, but cream cheese just tears me up. I'll have to look into this.

[@wartgin]

I don't have the recipe handy, but the "German icing" we used in my family growing up used the canned milk which is closest to the Russian buttercream here. I especially liked your instructions to keep going when mixing some of the recipes because the written notes my mom included specifically said "it will look like you have done something wrong but keep mixing and it will become icing"

[@BakerBettie]

Hi everyone! There seems to be some confusion in the comments about these buttercreams. The names of them are what they pastry world commonly refers to them as. It doesn’t necessarily mean it is the most commonly used type in that country. I did not invent or name any of these. These are all techniques I have learned over the years and what they are commonly called in the pastry world in the US.

[@vatig0-07]

Help!! How many eggs are 180 grams google won’t help me

[@why7189]

I love the cherry cardigan, kept focusing on how cute it is!!

[@naurcho]

Thank you for all the effort preparing all these buttercreams! Time consuming and expensive but so helpful. It's difficult to find concise and comprehensive comparison videos when making something as a novice so often you're just finding any old recipe and hoping it works out. It's an especially nice touch that you've thought to mention the stability in different temperatures, that's so awesome. Thank you!

[@suewaters4805]

Great video showcasing the various types of buttercream! Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate each one. I just have to say, too … I LOVE your collection of mixing bowls!!!

[@BakerBettie]

Thanks!

[@bailey3015]

Dearest Bettie! I could not get enough of this video. I love how sweet you are and how thoughtful and precise you are!! Always listing the measurements and in different units, too! This must have been so much work and I hope you’ll be happy to know that it paid off and that it was very educational and enjoyable. Lots of love 💕

[@kenziecarter9458]

I’m amazed with how through you were able to explain the differences between the different butter creams, I instantly subscribed. Thank you for your effort

[@Butterbuggs]

I’m from Canada, the butter cream recipe I was taught is equal parts butter:lard ratio and equal parts whipping cream and cold distilled water and you can add vanilla or lemon any flavour of your choice. A basic recipe is 1.5 cup butter 1.5 cup of lard, 1/4 cup of whipping cream, 1/4 cup of of cold distilled water, teaspoon of vanilla and 500g of icing sugar (powdered sugar). Shelf life is better than most whipped toppings but my adaption is better. Our margarine and crisco shortening comes in 3cup blocks, 1 of each, 1 table spoon of vanilla, 1kg of powdered sugar, room temp water to desired consistency, can be used and adapted by adding more or less water and more or less powdered sugar to achieve fluffy/ sheen/or fondant consistency.

[@BobRooney290]

Bettie, this is the best video on comparing and make buttercreams. you dont drag on and on and are quick and to the point. thanks!

[@BakerBettie]

Thank you so much!

[@GeminiShazza]

American buttercream is the same as the UK. Love the Italian meringue one if I want something else for a change. But the Russian one or condensed milk buttercream is my favourite, I melt a bar of white chocolate and mix that in which makes this perfect for icing cakes inside and out. I have made it with dark and milk also. Great Video Thank you for sharing.

[@Siluialwin]

The one I like is Ermine or boiled milk Frosting (has many names) it is very close to the German buttercream but doesn't use eggs and feels simpler....but perhaps that is because I always make the boiled mixture early to let it cool (often the day before which is also when I usually make the cakes for decorating) so it just feels like less work on the day I decorate and since my brother is allergic to egg yolks this one he can still have.

[@monermccarthy7198]

@ Julie I found this video very interesting. I was waiting for her to mention the old fashioned Ermine version, I noticed you mentioned this one, and had to reply. I like using Ermine.

[@Wingedshadowwolf]

That's the one my family always makes. Do you thicken the milk with flour?

[@Siluialwin]

@@Wingedshadowwolf yes you boil sugar, flour and milk together and let cool completely then whip that with the butter.

[@zk5228]

Yes! While I love a good Swiss buttercream, nothing will ever beat a classic ermine icing. So easy and delicious.

[@soggygremlin]

Ermine IS THE BEST

[@jen-tleglow3467]

Amazing! Thankyou so much for making this tutorial! It was so helpful having you not only explain each, but also comparing them all side-by-side. Very much appreciated!

[@crabmansteve6844]

I love all buttercream, it is the best thing to top a cake with hands down.

[@BakerBettie]

So good!

[@heikehagelmann2183]

I'm German and i like this video very much. It is well explained and you can see all varieties in one go. Thank you for that. And if someone knows what can be changed and is working , so fine. But the video is great and gives a very nice idea about all the different Buttercremes.👍

[@JudyCZ]

Great video, very thorough, clear and I super appreciate that you use all types of measurements automatically - imperial, metric and cup. I'm a big metric fan and these often get forgotten, especially by American creators. This is the best way to go about it, thank you!

[@cheryljunkin3531]

Thank you, Baker Bettie! As a baking show addict I’ve always wondered what the difference was in all the different butter creams they use. You’ve got me wanting to try all of them.

[@natiat6871]

This is one of the best (and most useful) videos I have seen on about buttercreams. I have been wondering how to choose between Italian and Swiss - you fully answered the question, at the end they are very similar! Thank you and looking forward to learning more from your work.

[@BakerBettie]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sarahs602]

Love this video. So just in order of sweetness which is the most sweet and the least sweet in order please. Thank u

[@nancye7520]

My mother and my Nana were wonderful bakers. Every year on my birthday Mum would make an angelfood cake with “boiled frosting.” It always took forever but it was so special and delicious. Now I know it was Swiss Buttercream. 😉

[@pennyleung3294]

i love how she uses all measurements. it's so easy to follow!

[@carrinc8270]

Love the comprehensive comparison! Thanks for including metric measurements - that's already one up on many other baker's videos!

[@vanhellsingniko8580]

This laugh at the end...🤣🤣🤣 I loved it! So my favourite is "la crème mousseline" (i'm french) or German buttercream. Sweat, tasty and usable inside and outside a cake...

[@teohlilibeth8874]

Watching from Malaysia. Thanks for your wonderful recipes here🥰😘

[@BakerBettie]

Hi! You're welcome!

[@zeeezeeeBee]

Thank you for using metric and imperial measurements 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@miriamgladen9615]

As a German I have to tell you that you have made a so-called buttercreme light. The real buttercreme, German version, consists of butter, eggs, whites and yolks, salt, sugar and real vanilla. Wisk the butter to foam. Whole eggs together with salt and sugar stirring first cold the warm over the boiling pot and go on stirring until cool again. Mix together with the butter. No milk or starch.

[@BakerBettie]

Thanks for sharing!

[@miriamgladen9615]

@@BakerBettie you're welcome

[@srn4004.]

As another German, I have honestly never heard of that type of buttercream. Is that maybe more common in another part of Germany? Where about are you from?

[@miriamgladen9615]

@@srn4004. south

[@98682bobbyd]

Thank you Baker Bettie, for this great comparison video. My favorite icing is the Italian meringue, without the butter. After it is whipped cool, it pipes like a shimmering dream. Filling the cooled cupcake with a lightly sweetened creme chantilly, and piping with this meringue has always been a big hit. A few drops of food coloring and viola!

[@BakerBettie]

Thanks for sharing! That sounds delicious.

[@keithball6749]

Years ago, a frosting called Seven Minute was prepared in this way, without the butter-and was the traditional frosting for Red Velvet Cake. But it was more trouble to make and it was unfortunately replaced by Cream Cheese Frosting, which is not a chef favorite.

[@carolg.1424]

@@keithball6749 seven minute frosting was one of my mother's special occasion frosting. I have such fond memories of it.

[@Lara-jp4xk]

"Voila"

[@TriviRocks]

That's the frosting I was taught - Italian meringue. We also use it for decorating, adding a pinch of cream of tartar for consistency. The only drawback: it falls down in humid weather...

[@annbrooks8064]

This tutorial is OUTSTANDING!!! Thank you for educating us.

[@ynnaz06131986]

Lovely video, it was so helpful to see all of the different options lined up! I'd never heard of the Russian or German versions, so I might need to try them, especially the German! I'm including one other version of BC that I first learned from Lauren Kitchens in a Craftsy class, and it's now all I use (so delicious, easier than Italian/French/Swiss/German, but not too sweet like American!). Below I include a few different modifications I've made to her recipe, but she deserves credit for the basic idea, as far as I know (you can easily double, triple, etc this recipe): 1). Add to mixing bowl, whisking until combined: •1/4c/60 ml pasteurized egg whites •1/8+ tsp salt •1 tsp meringue powder (completely optional but good) 2). On low speed, a heaping cup at a time, add: •1/2 lb/227g powdered sugar (ideally it''s been sifted) 3). Scrape bowl occasionally and once mixture is even, turn speed up to med/med-high for 7-10 minutes. 4). Beating on medium, 1-2 Tbsp at a time, add: •1lb/454g/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature 5). Once all butter has been added, put in you flavoring. For 'plain' or vanilla buttercream, I add: •1+Tbsp (real) vanilla extra (yes, tablespoon, not teaspoon) •1/8 tsp almond extract (you can't taste the almond, it just gives the flavor some dimension) 7). Adjust flavor as needed and beat mixture for another 7-10 minutes on med/med-high speed. Super simple, no stove required (so it's great to make with kids), pipes just as beautifully as Italian or Swiss Buttercream, and lasts a LONG time without needing to be refrigerated (according to Lauren Kitchens, she'll leave this out on the counter, not in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks. Not sure I'd try that, but I have left on an iced cake for 8 days and it was delicious the whole time!) Let me know if you try this/have heard of it, or if you have any comments about it! Thanks again for such a helpful and well-thought out video!

[@BakerBettie]

thanks for sharing!

[@bashhalow2729]

Bar none, the best video I have ever seen on this topic. You are a PRO. Thank you!

[@BakerBettie]

Wow, thanks!

[@AmedamaCherry]

Note that German buttercream will NOT work for fondant cakes. The water within the "pudding" will melt your fondant eventually. You can use it as a cake filling, but should use a ganache or a more buttery buttercream as coating to seperate the German buttercream from the fondant. If you need the German buttercream to be lighter (for coloring it blue, for example) you can basically leave the eggyolks out. It works perfectly for me. (Just milk, sugar, starch and vanilla or another flavor, cooked as a very thick pudding. Then combine it with butter.)

[@IlseBelievesInPink]

That would be an Ermine buttercream

[@YKkris10]

Loved this video. I did a similar comparison and used my work colleagues to taste test. They loved being my guinea pigs, lol. My fav is the French. I will try the German as it looks/sounds very good. I do add about a cup of powdered sugar to any Italian or Swiss because it's a bit too buttery. Being in Canada, we're used to the American but many say it's too sweet but also say Swiss and Italian are not sweet enough.

[@BakerBettie]

thanks for sharing! I love the German, I hope you try it!

[@cardigantales]

Thank you for sharing this tip! I was wondering how to sweeten the flavor to Italian and Swiss. I’ll have to try this!

[@anningl2588]

I am german, for me the american buttercream is much too sweet. The german buttercream is very fat, it is not very popular any more. For cake fillings more people use ganache. (The "Frankfurter Kranz" was the most well know buttercream cake, this was popular until the eighties.) If I make a buttercream I prefer the suisse one. It is light, silky and soft and neither too fat nor too sweet.

[@greggoralnik9863]

Nice video on the different types of buttercream , here n USA some commercial bakeries use shortening and powdered sugar , very sweet and forms a dry film on the top after on for a few hours , it I does not melt so is used for commercial bakeries. I have found that using a few tablespoons of coconut oil does not change any textures or flavorless , but bones make it more firm once cooled in one refrigeration.

[@ramonamuller5862]

As a German I was highly confused when I ate buttercream for the first time in the USA. It was just so sweet. If you don’t have a mixer you can a fine flexible sieve to press both butter and the pastry cream (of vanilla pudding) through it. It will still come out quite airy. I made all my cakes like this as a student.

[@nicelniwel9121]

Thank you for always adding the measurements in 'European' and 'American'

[@chromaticcactus]

I've stood by American buttercream for years because of how simple it is, but late last year I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and have been looking for less sugary alternatives. I tried the Russian buttercream first and loved the flavor, but I just couldn't get it to stabilize, so I'm keeping it as a cinnamon roll topping. I tried Italian next, and I'm in love. Rich and not too sugary, it does a great job and spreads beautifully! Thanks for the excellent and informative video!

[@BakerBettie]

I love the buttery-ness of the Italian Buttercream. I'm so glad you've found something that works for you!

[@Lenaturnsgreen]

I‘ve never seen an American baker mentioning German buttercream! I‘m afraid this method (using eggs instead of pudding mix, like a previous commenter already mentioned) is dying out but I swear it’s worth it! It’s rich, creamy and delicious!

[@nicoled.4472]

When I stopped drinking soda, I had to find a new frosting as American BC was too sweet. I love swiss BC(7minute frosting). It's not too sweet, and its not overly buttery, plus the creamy texture is so good. I really like using eggs in my frostings as this helps cut down blood sugar spikes.

[@asiu19]

I have never seen your videos before but I am glad it was in my recommended videos. I was intrigued because I thought buttercream is the same around the world but you explainded the differences and characteristics so clearly and it was easy to understand. Definetly saving that for future reference :)

[@vainsfhimhcaucsenwixzy1329]

i feel so satisfied and have much comfort now thank you every step done so meticulously

[@BakerBettie]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@KisaTheGamerCat]

Very informative, I'm not a fan of any buttercreams but still found this interesting. I would rather a whipped cream, light on the sugar or a cream cheese frosting if I want something heavier.

[@BakerBettie]

Thanks for watching! I like the Italian Meringue Buttercream as it's not as sweet as the others. You might like it too!

[@pashamorgan5959]

Wow i just love how calm you are at making these buttercreams💕💕💕my favorite is the Italian buttercream

[@BakerBettie]

It's a good one!

[@alextsarsky]

I’m Russian and I’m a pastry cook, former home pastry cook and I just wanna say that your version of buttercream is very old fashioned, we don’t use it anymore (practically at all), we use version with cottage cheese, it’s very tasty and not too sweet like others.

[@PandoraOrosco]

О, расскажите плиз что за рецепт, очень хочется попробовать сделать

[@alextsarsky]

@@PandoraOrosco mix 120 grams of sugar powder with 160 grams of room temperature butter until it becomes white, than add cottage cheese like Cremetta, Cooking, (also room temperature) and mix all together very well, you can add color if you need. Very important after mixer use silicone spatula to release all bubbles of air, splashing cream on walls, you can put it into the fridge like for 5-7 minutes (in a bag with nozzle you planning to use) and use it. Also you can freeze it and use later, it’s very stable and tasty. Defrost with room temperature.

[@alextsarsky]

@@PandoraOrosco also you can put some fruit purée, like replace 20% of cottage cheese with it

[@alextsarsky]

@@PandoraOrosco omg I didn’t tell you how many cheese you need for these quantity of butter and powder, it’s 800 grams

[@littleboots9800]

Oh I'm going to try that! I like cheese frosting. Not so sweet. I also saw a Russian person in the comments saying they make it with the condensed milk boiled in water for 2 hours so it's all caramel like and brown.

[@karlozfox]

I love how aesthetic the video is. I love the kitchen, the crockery colors are beautiful and your outfit fits in perfectly. So beautiful.

[@sandracross340]

Great video. I love French buttercream for fillings and some desserts- so silky and rich. I also love Italian buttercream. I remember the first time I made it I was positive it was not going to work and it was beautiful and versatile. Great for pushing coconut or other things into it and then it slightly crusts to hold in place . Thanks for this comparison.

[@dawnclower3073]

Your bowl collection is AMAZING. I would love a tour of those and how you came by them all.

[@BakerBettie]

Hi! I have a tour! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnu2g5yOqM6ara8

[@dawnclower3073]

That was so interesting. I love the vintage bowls and guess I should have looked further back on your videos to find that one. Thanks!!!

[@sweetjoy3352]

I‘ve seen a lot of comments saying that they would like to try make the German butter cream and I can only confirm that it is silky smooth and absolutely delicious. 😋 HOWEVER, please note that you CANNOT and I repeat CANNOT use it directly underneath fondant! It has way more moisture in it than any other buttercream so within only a few hours your fondant is going to melt off the cake. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way… If you only use it to frost some plain cupcakes (maybe paired with some fruit as decorations) or as a filling INSIDE the cake you‘ll be fine, just make sure it does not come in direct contact with any fondant decorations. Also, pro tip: When done mixing, add in about 2-4 tablespoons of cocoa powder to make a delicious chocolate frosting👌🏻

[@BakerBettie]

Thank you for sharing! Glad you enjoyed the flavor! You're right, German Buttercream is very soft and should not be used under fondant.

[@Littlebit31]

I’ve made American, Swiss, and Italian buttercreams and I agree I prefer the Italian also. Never realized there were so many other kinds.

[@ikramomar9845]

Hello, great video about those differentes buttercream. However, here in France, we don't do the buttercream that way. We use egg whites like every other buttercream and there is not heating. Basically you mix egg white in your tank, you gradually add the sugar until the volume doubles. Then you stop the mixer and you had icing sugar that you previously have sifted, with a spatula.

[@anesteemedyoungsnake7715]

Thanks for this video! I am Italian and have grown up with Italian meringue my whole life and didn’t know how to make any others but now I have more options thank you!

[@BakerBettie]

You are so welcome!

[@rzuue]

If the Creme patissiére is made from scratch, I really recommend putting the vanilla in the milk and heat it up together, best of course would be with a vanilla bean. Adds more flavour ^^

[@BakerBettie]

Heating vanilla destroys some of the flavor. This can't be avoided when baking, but for cold preparation items like frosting, I don't like to heat it. It keeps it's full flavor profile.

[@chloeruth937]

Wow! finally someone is honest about American buttercream

[@WanderingRoe]

This is really cool, I didn’t know there were so many different buttercreams out there. Definitely gonna have to experiment with these! Thanks for the flawless video (also your blouse is adorable!)

[@tanjaeissfeldt9623]

So so nice to hear you like German Buttercream. I'm German, living in Norway and preparing cakes to a very international clientel, and they all like it very much, too. So now I have a little bit more of knowledge why 😁🙏🏻

[@BakerBettie]

I love it!

[@ladyamba1]

We weren't going to laugh if she didn't. Last piping sure looks like a phallus, doesn't it?! O wow! Humour is all around us!

[@KhanadaRhodes]

this randomly popped up in my recommended videos and i'm so glad it did! i honestly didn't know there were multiple styles of buttercream, i've only ever made american buttercream. i absolutely want to try making the german buttercream though! it looks so yummy.

[@russianbear2]

That was very educational. Will have to try German version. I actually like Russian cream probably because I like milk :)

[@TheMirrrl]

If you wanna use actual vanilla for the German buttercream, throw it into the milk and boil it with the milk. The flavor will come out a lot more.

[@BakerBettie]

Great tip!

[@estherjanssen4443]

never seen such a well explained and accesible recipes! as a baker without a thermometer from Europe, thanks for the tricks and conversions!!

[@aircastlearchitect]

THIS is the buttercream breakdown I have been waiting for! Thank you!!!

[@HomeAutoBuddy]

New to the channel, surprised about the quality and holy buttercream, I learned alot! Much appreciated! Thanks

[@mlbg10158]

I’ve used the Wilton recipe for years (half butter, half shortening); thanks for posting this as I’m interested in trying the other varieties!

[@amishgirl1000]

That was Fabulous. I always wanted to know the difference. Thank you so much Betty.

[@BakerBettie]

Glad it was helpful!

[@claudiarose238]

Excellent video, thank you! Here in Germany, we make the German buttercream mostly with vanilla custard. We cook the custard, let it cool down and mix it then with the butter. Then we use it f.e.for "Frankfurter Kranz"...

[@ไตรรงค์นุ้ยแนบ]

the cakes are always so beautiful and picture perfect

[@kitchenmom]

As a German you know I already have my favorite. German Buttercream is so easy and delicious. You can do any flavor without having texture problems, and it holds up great.

[@thatssoari3533]

have you made italian? ive made both german and italian and to be honest i prefer italian, it holds up better. clearly youve never made a tiered cake, nor even a fully buttercream decorated cake, nor have made a cake for an event if your saying german buttercream "holds up great". it doesnt. because it has so much air, and the only thing holding it up is the butter, the stability is horrid. the only thing that german buttercream has going for it is the taste, which is why its amazing for buttercream in the filling of the cake. german buttercream, you could NEVER use german buttercream to ice the outside of your cake, especially with an all buttercream decorated cake. and with a fondant cake, if it gets too warm, again the buttercream with not be stable and cause multitudes of problems in the cake. you seem a bit biased. german is amazing as a filling, but with swiss the taste is also amazing, but just has more stability. also, because the buttercream just melts in your mouth (which for the most part is amazing because its so delicious and light and airy), for some cakes with a filling more prominent, itll just be imbalanced with the texture.

[@jo84684]

@@thatssoari3533 Not sure what recipe you use for German Buttercreme but mine works great for icing and decorating cakes. Yes German Buttercreme and fondant don’t go well together but if you only decorate with buttercreme it’s fantastic. My cakes can hold up great for 3-4 hours outside the fridge without any change

[@thatssoari3533]

@@jo84684do you live far from the equator? i live in florida, where it isnt only hot, but humid. so, a cake with german buttercream wouldnt even hold up for two hours at the least, with visible leakage in the first hour. because its so light and airy, putting the cake in a humid climate is the worst thing you can do.

[@jo84684]

@@thatssoari3533 okay the humidity makes sense… I’ve only tried it in places where it’s not humid. For me it even works on warm summer days but I’m from Europe so that might be different

[@kitchenmom]

@@thatssoari3533 I'm sorry, but I would love to know what gave you the idea I never made a tiered cake? I made wedding cakes with German butter cream. I also made all and used all the other buttercreams in this video. Good for you for knowing what you like but don't think you know everything.

[@jlpack62]

Definitely want to try the German one! I've become a huge fan of blending a butter cream with a cream cheese frosting, and maybe the German one will become something else that I love?

[@aisabellap]

The first time I tried making French buttercream, I was really shocked by how much I tasted like straight butter. 😅 I will have to try German!

[@melw5725]

I am not sure if it is mentioned in any of the comments,but the traditional German recipes ask for potato starch,not corn starch. Going back further, it is even wheat starch While they have similar properties (they are much closer to each other than let's say any starch compared to wheat flour), they have different thickening properties and one must change the amount to get the same level of thickening and the "transparency" is slightly different,too. For a pudding as a base it is not super important, as long as you reach the right consistency, but in a sauce or a cake you do get slight differences, whiCh may improve or slightly drop the trait you are after. Either way: I saved this video, as it is GREAT!!!!

[@justwondering2442]

your video is perfect! concise, informative, and full of explanations. side note: i'm a pastry chef and i LOVE Russian buttercream for insert creams, but yes, i would use italian for finishing. they're so similar in mouth-feel, no customer would notice the difference. thank you for posting!

[@BakerBettie]

thanks for sharing! I'm so glad you like it! I completely agree, Russian buttercream is so delicious.

[@jamessaward5566]

This was really helpful, thanks. Which would you recommend for a wedding cake that has to sit out at room temperature for a good while? Thanks!

[@BakerBettie]

Italian! It is the most stable of the buttercreams.

[@jamessaward5566]

@@BakerBettie thank you!

[@eva5601]

I think she said that the Italian version holds the best. Watch video again.

[@Sintichaje]

Swiss or italian🌸