United Cakes of America

United Cakes Of America



Old-Fashioned Tangy Buttercream

I like milk buttercream so much that I tried it with buttermilk and discovered something akin to frozen yogurt. It tastes delicious on a cupcake! When you’re making the slurry, you have to be careful how you mix the flour and milk. Start by whisking equal volumes of milk and flour, and then add more milk to make the whole substance loose enough to scrape into the saucepan. When testing things out I got lumps right away if I stopped paying attention and strayed from this process.

Yield: 4 cups

Buttermilk 1 cup

All-purpose flour 2 ounces (1/4 cup)

Unsalted butter 8 ounces (2 sticks)

Superfine granulated sugar 8 ounces (1 cup)

Vanilla extract (optional) 1 teaspoon

1. Quickly whisk together 4 tablespoons of the buttermilk with the flour. This slurry will be somewhat thick, so whisk thoroughly to make it smooth. Press out any lumps with a flexible spatula, if necessary.

2. Whisk in the rest of the buttermilk and transfer the mixture to a 2-quart heavy-bottom saucepan. Bring to a simmer for about 30 seconds over medium heat, whisking the whole time.

3. Remove the pan from the stove, cover it with a lid, and allow it to cool for 15 to 30 minutes. You can also place plastic wrap directly against the surface -- this is the best method to prevent a skin from forming.

4. Meanwhile, combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla (if using) in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream at medium to high speed for 5 minutes.

5. Pour the cooled milk-and-flour mixture into the bowl and beat for another 5 minutes, or longer, as needed to achieve a spreadable consistency.

copyright © 2010 Warren Brown