Hi Friend!
Today I have a free video from the online school for you! Here, I’m showing you how to make my signature buttercream recipe. This buttercream has become known the world over over the last decade. You may have heard of it referred to as “Sugar Shack’s Buttercream” from back in the day when that was my cake business name and online handle.
This icing is so forgiving, elastic and easy to work with. It gives you an incredible amount of “work time” before it loses it’s mind and can’t be worked anymore. (Other recipes literally give you a couple minutes before they freak out.)
Ingredients:
- 5 1/2 generous cups Sweetex shortening or other brand of hi-ratio shortening.
- You may substitute some or all shortening with butter but it will make a softer icing and the liquid amount needed will be less.
- Hi ratio shortening makes a much better icing overall. If you can’t get hi ratio, then be sure the one you use does have at least 3 grams of trans fats per serving. Crisco or other zero trans fats shortenings don’t work in this recipe.
- 5 pounds powdered cane sugar, unsifted
- 4 Tbsp. Wedding Bouquet flavoring (or substitute your flavoring of choice in the appropriate amount and adjust the creamer amount to compensate and maintain correct total liquid amount)
- 12 – 14 Tbsp. hot coffee creamer liquid which is made from mixing a 1:1 ratio of plain powdered coffee creamer with near boiling water. (* You may need to adjust the amount of liquid from batch to batch. Powdered sugar and shortening batches vary and can affect the amount needed.)
This video will give you all sorts of tips and tricks for making it, as well as my secret to getting a PERFECTLY smooth batch of buttercream with no air bubbles! This recipe is so versatile, you can use it underneath fondant and you can even use an impression mat on it. This is a crusting buttercream, so you can also use the Viva paper towel method to get that perfectly smooth, faux fondant finish. There are more videos on all of these techniques in the school, and I hope to see you there! (see below for a free trial offer.)
About butter: I make this with all shortening in the video, but you can substitute up to half with butter. You will have to decrease your liquids in that case, because butter has more water content than shortening. The icing will be more heat and humidity stable the higher the ratio of shortening to butter it has.
NOTES: There are many many many American buttercream recipes out there, but this one has really great properties: super easy to smooth, allows for super sharp edges and corners, crazy long work-ability time, elastic and easily patched/repaired, less prone to cracking and blowouts, non greasy and creamy mouth-feel. BUT in order to get these amazing results the recipe needs to be followed exactly as presented:
- Hi ratio shortening is crucial, as it creates a much higher quality icing and provides the wonderful properties of this particular icing. Some folks have trouble getting hi ratio, so the 2nd choice would be a store brand that has at least 3 grams of trans fat per serving. That icing will not be as good as with hi ratio, but better than……. Crisco and other zero trans fats shortenings; they will not work and result in a curdled soupy mess.
- The best brand of hi ratio is Sweetex, followed by Alpine, but other brands can work as well. You can’t buy hi ratio in a grocery. It’s a commercial grade shortening with extra emulsifiers that can be found at bakery and restaurant supply houses, cake decorating stores and online. Buying it in small portions from cake supply stores will be more expensive than grocery shortening, but the difference it makes is well worth it. However, if you purchase the 50 pound block, portion it out airtight and freeze, it is often more economical than store brands. Yay for saving money!
- The reconstituted coffee creamer powder is another critical ingredient to the awesome properties of this icing. I don’t use ready flavored liquid creamers as they have added sugar and other ingredients.
- Be sure your powdered sugar is 100% cane, not beet sugar and is 10x. I don’t know what it is about beets; I love beets, but boy oh boy they do not play well in the sugar.
- I use a wonderful emulsion flavoring called Wedding Bouquet, which is absolutely divine. I could drink it with a straw…. but I digress. You can use whatever flavorings you like, but adjust the total liquid amount as needed to compensate for the amount of flavorings you use.
- The all shortening version is cool room temp stable for weeks, and fridge and deep freeze safe for months, a year, maybe longer. Till Armageddon basically. Butter versions are good at room temp for at least a week, fridge and deep freeze safe for months, even a year.
- Meringue buttercreams (like Swiss Meringue) are another type of icing used in caking. Those are made with cooked egg whites, granulated sugar and all butter. They perform and taste differently. I use both kinds, depending upon the situation. Try them both! (I’ve got tutorials on this kind in the online school as well.)
You can change ingredients in my recipe with limited success, like using milk or cream, other shortenings or sugars, but please be aware that then renders it a different recipe, and it will not perform or look or taste as good as my original recipe 🙂
Amounts for 4.5 quart mixer bowl:
2.25 lbs Hi ratio shortening
4.5lbs. Confectioners sugar
3/4 Tbs. flavoring
15 Tbs. coffee creamer
15 Tbls. Warm water.
Amounts for 6 quart mixer bowl:
3 lbs sweetex or other hi ratio shortening
6.5 lbs powdered sugar (use a 4 cup measuring cup, 4 cups = 1 lb)
9 tbsp wedding bouquet or flavorings of choice (adjust total liquid as needed)
11 tbsp hot coffee mate liquid
Amounts for 8 quart mixer:
60.5 ounces of Sweetex, hi ratio shortening
1 1/3 cups of hot water and 1 1/3 cups powdered coffee creamer mixed as shown in video
4 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp butter flavoring
8 lbs powdered sugar
Disclaimer: this icing ain’t healthy; it ain’t organic; it’s loaded with trans fats, preservatives….and sugar! (And I get a lot of flack about it… party poopers 😛 ) I’m not claiming that it’s good for you. I’m claiming that it works and tastes great. All bad things in moderation is my motto. (Or heavy moderation in my case 🙂 ) It is dessert after all!
If you’ve used my recipe, I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below. If you haven’t tried it, I encourage you to, because it may just change your caking life. Seriously, I am not just being dramatic. Once I changed to this recipe I was able to get cakes this smooth and sharp:
_
And that leads me to the free trial offer. You can join my online school for two free full weeks and have access to over 300 video and photo tutorials on a huge variety of topics for all skill levels. Also a ton of recipes, articles, photo gallery, forums, private Facebook group, and me! (I give personal support to all members.)
I have a full buttercream course that will lead you through making all the different kinds, to applying and smoothing (get your cake to look like mine above 🙂 , troubleshooting, stacking and more. And I am there with you every step of the way answering questions and providing support.
Try 2 weeks for free. You can stay and pay or leave after that time; cancel anytime with no obligation. No upfront payment.
JOIN HERE
I hope to see inside the school. Happy Caking!
Sharon
SugarEd Productions Online School
Fantastic video, Sharon! I am so happy to see you sharing your instructional videos online in your online school. You are a trusted master in so many of these fundamental techniques, which every competent decorator should become familiar. In Australia we tend not to do as many buttercream cakes, but I have your videos from years ago, and I must say that I have adapted them to our ingredient availability here and this has given me a competitive edge in my business as not many other decorators work with buttercream. Keep up the great work! I certainly recommend your videos and online school to any decorator wanting to improve their skills 🙂
Eva Farragher
(Sweet Perfection Cakes, NSW, Australia)
Thank you Eva for your kind words and your lyalty all these years. I do so appreciate it and you more than you know ! 🙂
Hi, this recipe looks amazing, I want to try it with my next cake, just wondering what type/ brand coffee creamer you used?
I like coffee mate brand and do not recommend store brands for this 🙂 Hope you like it!
I’m wondering why you make so much creamer and only use half of it? You have a lot of waste then.
I almost always make 2 batches… and you can fridge it up to a week 🙂
Hello, looks amazing ! but if I would like to replace the coffee creamer what I can use?
Thank you
Hey! I suggest using the creamer because it is key to the recipe. If not that, then some type of hi fat liquid like cream?
thank you … 🙂 going to try this sounds yummy
i make my buttercream in a 30 Qt mixer. I use 14 lbs of powdered sugar . So if I understand the video, I would use 14 lbs of fat . I am estimating 3 cups of liquid? I usually put 1/2 cup of vanilla. Thanks for the great recipes and tutorials !
technically yes, but its not always straight ratio and proportion when you scale the recipe. You may have to adjust fat, sugar and liquid until you find the sweet spot 🙂
Sharon~ wouldn’t it be 14 CUPS of fat, rather than 14 POUNDS of fat? I didn’t think a cup of fat (shortening or butter) weighed 1 pound. I think the ‘Sharon’ who wrote the above question may be doubling her FAT and therefore, not get the successful beautiful airless buttercream she is anticipating. Unless I’m wrong…. nah…………can’t happen….can it?…. 🙂
yes 14 cups to 14 pounds!
This technique is awesome & the results look perfect! Is there any way to make it without the coffee creamer? What is the benefit of using coffee creamer over other liquids?
Thanks in advance!
Shawna
I was taught that way hahaha! But seriously, it does some kind of magic. The fat in it, the emulsifiers, the creaminess… it works wonders with the Sweetex. 🙂
Shawna~ I’ve made my icing ever since I heard (via another forum discussion which gave all credit to our wonderful Sharon Zambito) using coffee creamer and it truly DOES do wonders for icing!! I can’t say why but there’s something in the creamer (whether you use liquid or powdered) that just smooths it out and adds a body to it that is just amazing to work with and taste!! Unlike Sharon, I do like using flavored creamers as it turns up the volume on the icing flavor very nicely!! Do give it a try ~ it’s worth it!!
Thank you so much for sharing your video. I just have a question about shortening. You say that you prefer High Ratio shortening to store bought. Can you give a name brand or tell me where to look for it. Again, Thank you so much.
There are many brands sold at cake supply places and bakery supply and online… Sweetex is by far the best. Buy the 50 pound cube, portion it out and freeze 🙂
What website or store did you buy your sweetex from?
Hi Teneta, you can get it from many places online (you can google it), but I found the best price to be at Stover : http://stovercompany.com/sweetex-hi-ratio-shortening.html 🙂
But this shortening has no trans fat in it. How can it be high ratio?
I liked your video
thanks!
I am absolutely going to try this recipe! Thank you for sharing!!! Makes complete sense to me now, why my frosting is so airy but loses structure…I’m not making enough of it! Haha, my friends who love frosting would agree! Have you ever substituted ALL butter for the shortening?
Glad it helped Terri! You can make it all butter (use less liquid) but it will be super soft and not heat stable 🙂
Hi Sharon. Fantastic video, I am definitely going to give your recipe a try! I’ve been having trouble getting my crusting buttercream to stay stable under fondant, as bulges appear and when smoothed they always reappear. This recipe, as posted, would be used directly under buttercream? Or would it need to be made stiffer?
Also, how easily can this be made into chocolate buttercream? Do you have any suggestions on that?
Thank you. I’m so happy I came across this video and I’m excited to try it out!
glad you liked it! Yes it can be used under fondant but the cake as to be sturdy and you have to fill and rest the cake properly to prevent bulges. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. I have used one similar with good results but will try the coffee creamer. Have you tried the trans-fat free shortening?
Crisco? Yes and it does not work 🙁
Can you use this for dummy cakes and then frost to decorate?
yes!
Is it possible to get the ingredients in grams?
Hi Lillian, I use online converters like this : http://www.asknumbers.com/OuncesToGramsConversion.aspx
I do not currently have a Kitchen aid mixer so I don’t have the option of using a paddle attachment. I just made a batch of this buttercream using the regular double beaters and it was quite a pain! At the end when I had the mixer on speed 6 I ended up having to remove a beater and use only one because I could not get it to create the vacuum with 2. This ended up working ok but I was wondering if I may have done something wrong, or if there is something I could do to make this process easier or do I just need to break down and buy a Kitchen aid mixer? (it’s on my Christmas list ?)
Hey Amber…. you really need a KA with the proper bowl size the horsepower to make it happen. It won’t ever quite work right with ahand mixer. You can , however, put icing you made that is airy into a food processor to smooth it out 🙂
Thank you! I never thought of using a food processor!!!
Hi Sharon I was looking at the buttercream video it’s amazing how you give instructions…. Where I leave there’s no hi ratio shortening not even w 3grams less fat what can I use I really want to try it ……thank you
Hi Rosa, what kind of shortening to have? Where do you live?
I live in Laredo tx
hey Rosa, You can get hi ratio at cake supply stores, restaurant and bakery supply and online 🙂
In my experience, shortening is great for decorating beause it holds shape well, but it always leaves that greasy feel in your mouth. Is high ratio shortening different?
Yes! read the notes in my blog post about the qualities of hi ratio ; it makes a huge difference 🙂
bonjour Sharon, puis-je avoir la recette par écris afin de la traduire en langue française svp, je pourrai ainsi faire votre recette qui a l’air délicieuse, le bonjour de Belgique
Hi, you can use Google Translate to get it in French 🙂
I would like to try this amazing buttercream. Will the recipe work well with the shortening from Walmart? I thought I read that somewhere or do I need to get Sweetex? Thank you for sharing your recipe. I am new to cake decorating and just learning.
Hi Cat, I highly recommend hi ratio or the icing will not perform or have the great qualities it has. Any shortening with zero trans fats will not work well 🙂
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for sharing…I tried this and I used 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening and I ended up with a gritty soupy mess. I have heard all success stories about this so what could I have done wrong?
hey Jenn, what brand shortening, creamer and sugar did you use ?
How much butter could you substitute before it is required to be put in the fridge. Also how would the butter shortening mix hold up in hot environments (35-40 deg C) in comparison to the all shortening version? Thank you ?
hey Bee, the addition of any butter will make it less heat stable as the melting point is lower. I go no higher than half butter. It can stay out in cool room temp for several days, and then I fridge. An all shortening icing will always be more heat and humid resistant than one with butter, but a combo is more stable than an all butter one 🙂
Hi Sharon….thank you for sharing all your wonderful knowledge with us! Why does my buttercream seam to start off airless, but after a while, it magically develops all kinds of air bubbles just from sitting. Is there an easy “fix” to this or am I doing something wrong?
Thank you!
Ann Marie
hey Ann Marie! sometimes that happens. It usually means a tad more liquid could have been used….. but you can remix it or put it in the food processor to get out the air 🙂
My recipe calls for 4cups shortening (I use Wesson super quick blend) 4pound confectioners sugar, salt, vanilla and 7 egg whites. My bowl is filled to the top, but I still have air bubbles. Any suggestions. It’s an old bakery recipe that was given to me, 40 years ago. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you
Hi Ruthann, that sounds like a meringue BC? Not an ABC? Do you use the whip or paddle? This technique I show for airless icing doesn’t really apply to meringue buttercreams 🙂
The comment I addressed is listed on 11/3 from another ‘Sharon’ ~ no worries if you didn’t see it after answering her already ~ you’ve had a busy time on this forum today!!! 🙂
yes I see it now; I lost my mind for amoment haha
Hi Sharon,
Can I use this buttercream to frost cold cake layers? Or should the cake layers be at room temperature before frosting it? Thank you!
Hi Faye, I do not personally frost cold layers due to condensation causing problems…. but I do know some people do… it depends upon your ingredients, how wet your fridge is, humidity of the environment etc as to whether it can be done successfully. I live in the deep south and it has never worked out well for me 🙂
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing. I have a 4. 5 quart mixer. Would the overall liquid need to be adjusted to 9TBS? 91/4 maybe? 10?
No, you are going to need the same amount of liquid if you keep the other volumes the same…. you could try to cut back to 4,5 cups, 4.5 pounds and a little less liquid 🙂
I wasn’t sure if the 5 cups and 5 pounds would work in the 4.5 qt. I was going to go with the 4 1/2 of each just wasn’t sure how much liquid to leave out. Thank you for your reply and again for the video
it could take some trial and error. The 5 may fit….. let me know what happens 🙂
Hi Sharon,
Can this be made into chocolate buttercream? What substitutions would you make? Thank you!
yes! Just add some cocoa powder, use half butter, only vanilla, and increase liquid as needed. 🙂
This frosting tastes great. Now I use it all the time.. It also burned up my 5 1/2 qt. kitchenaid pro. Now waiting on parts.
What wattage is that? I think the Artisan has more horsepower.
I love using almond emulsion for flavoring how much of this would I use for this recipe? Thank you, going try this recipe!!!
Hi Valorie, That is personal taste for sure; is it an emulsion mixed with other flavors or a concentrated extract/flavoring? It kind of depends upon how strong it is. My flavoring is an emulsion mixed with other flavors and I use 5 TBS for the 5 quart batch.
Was curious as to whether this recipe can be made in smaller batches? Most cakes I bake only require two cups to two pound ratios to ice cakes. I know I could freeze leftovers, but I prefer making as needed.
You can but it won’t be airless. The technique of filling the bowl is what makes it airless 🙂
How many cakes and sizes does this recipe cover?
I have never calculated it. I think I can do a 6 and 8 maybe?
I’m trying this recipe as we speak. The only flavoring I have are the little Loran oil 1 Fl dram (.125oz) I hope it still comes out ok
I LOVE this recipe. I have been using it for years but do use the liquid creamer for the kicked up notch on adding a flavor. Thanks Sharron for sharing.
Hi Sharon, You said that when defrosting the buttercream to remix did you meant with a spatula or the electric mixer. Thank you,God bless you!
It depends on how much you have left. If it overfills the mixer, then mixer, otherwise by hand 🙂
Hi Sharon,
Loved the video!
I haven’t come across shortening before. I’m from the UK and the only thing I can think may be similar is vegetable trex. Have you come across this before and if do do you know if it works for your recipe?
If you know of a good UK brand any recommendations would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Chris! I have heard from others that Trex works in my recipe. I dont know anything about brands though, sorry!
Hi there, I love this video and definitely I will try it but I got a question is this buttercream work in a warm weather like Florida?
Thanks!
yes I live in LA!
Hi everyone, is this buttercream can hold enough sharp edge on the cake after covered it with fondant? I live in Florida and as you know is a big problem with warm weather and humidity. Can you help me?
u can put fondant over it and it does do well in heat and humidity (within reason). You cant get as sharp edges as you would with SMBC or ganache. HTH
Hi Sharon!
Thank you for this video! I’m new to your classes, and looking forward to learning everything!
Andi
thanks Andi!
Hi
I what to try your recipenext time I making a cake or cupcakes but I’m in the UK so can you suggest a good shortening to use Thank you for any help you can give me
I think Trex or Copha is the closet you guys have in the UK
Hi Sharon! Have used your buttercream recipe for years. LOVE it!! May I ask what changes I should make with it now that everything has gone to 0 transfat, even in the high ratio formulas. I used to use sweetex or alpine with great results. Now what? Please help ??
Thank you!!
use the Sweetex Golden Flex and maybe back off on total liquids just a bit.
How many cups of frosting does the 6qt receipe yield? Thank you.
Sharon, you mention in your text and in the comments to use high-ratio shortening with trans fats such as Sweetex and to not use Crisco as it has no trans fats. You provided a link to the Stover website where we could purchase Sweetex but it clearly states on the box that it contains NO trans fats (because of the no trans fat law). Isn’t Sweetex now the same as Crisco? So what do we use if true high ratio shortening, with trans fats is no longer available?
Lea, trans fats do not make it hi ratio. It’s the commercial formula and special emulsifiers. Since this article was written, the FDA has banned ALL trans fats so we must purchase the hi ratio formulas available, now, with no trans fats, such as Sweetex Golden Flex.
Thank you.