Place 1 cake layer on your serving plate. Typically it is made as a layer cake with a cream cheese frosting. … Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Yeah, and if you have health concerns or immune-system issues, you should probably avoid them (or otherwise follow your doctor's orders). If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment. If too warm, it may become too soft, runny, or soupy for use. When thawed back to 70°F (21°C), it can be re-whipped to restore its light and fluffy texture for use. If the buttercream is soft or soupy, it's simply too warm, so toss it in the fridge for about 10 minutes, or place it over an ice bath for a few moments, just until a film of buttercream begins to harden around the bowl. This step-by-step tutorial includes options … Beat in butter by the tablespoon. Learn more on our Terms of Use page. Don't lose heart! Comments can take a minute to appear—please be patient! Put above ingredients in a blender until completely mixed or mix with a whisk, but it must be completely blended. Health department guidelines suggest that egg whites should be held at a temperature of 132°F (56°C) for 6.2 minutes to be fully pasteurized. The goal is to hit a final working temperature of about 70°F (21°C). All it needs is a little TLC: a bit of warmth if it's too cool, and a bit of cooling if it's too warm. The mixture … Mix until totally combined. But, perhaps more importantly, Italian buttercream lends itself to certain flavors that Swiss buttercream does not. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/italian-cream-cheese-cake Some HTML is OK: link, strong, em. When the syrups gets above 240°F (115°C) and before it gets above 250°F (120°C), remove it from the heat and with the mixer running at low speed, pour it down the side of the mixing bowl (not on the whisk or beaters if you can avoid it; that will send the syrup flying and start spinning sugar threads instead of incorporating it). It’s messy, and pouring 250°F syrup into the bowl of a running mixer can be dangerous for newbies. To use after it has been refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature, then beat with a mixer … Pour hot syrup in a slow stream into egg whites while mixer is on high. Its silky texture is unparalleled, it pipes like a dream, and can be flavored and colored in as many ways as you can imagine. But with experience, it becomes completely intuitive, making it easy to adjust a buttercream until it's the perfect texture for spreading over a cake. Heat granulated sugar and water in saucepan until it reaches 245 degrees. I can honestly say that Italian buttercream is my least favorite of all possible styles. Once the meringue is cool, add the butter, a few pieces at a time, with the mixer running at medium to medium-high speed. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition until the yellow of the yolk has … Though this frosting is less sweet than American buttercream, it can be used in the same way. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening with the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. I find a bundt cake version is much easier to make. While it's possible to do this with a hand mixer, it's strongly recommended that a stand mixer be used. Flavorings. Because these natural sweeteners contain impurities, they can foam significantly during the cooking process, necessitating a much larger pot than hot syrups made from sugar and water or corn syrup. Stella Parks is our CIA-trained baking nerd and resident pastry wizard, dubbed one of America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. A perfect accompaniment for turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. flour 1 c. milk. The only real trick is to make sure the syrup is drizzled down the sides of the bowl, as it may strike the whisk attachment when poured near the center. The butter will deflate the frosting a bit. I like working with a warm meringue and cool butter, because they provide a larger margin of error, but it's absolutely possible to make a successful buttercream with hot meringue and cold butter, cool meringue and warm butter, or any combination in the middle. It freezes beautifully. For a tangy passion fruit version, whip 1/3 cup of passion fruit purée or concentrate into the finished buttercream. This frosting is so light and airy and truly melts in your mouth! Download- Italian Cream Cake Recipe And Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. The cake doesn’t contain chocolate so it never was a favorite of mine…..until recently. Then the Italian Cream Cake is topped with either a Cream Cheese … 48 tablespoons (680g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, at least 65°F, 1/2 to 3/4 cup (92g to 138g) vegetable shortening, optional, 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons flavoring (see baker's hints). Storage: Buttercream will keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator (longer than that, and you may see some mold start to form). The reward of using syrups like honey and maple is remarkable, producing a boldly flavored and super-aromatic buttercream. Italian Cream Cake has three layers of moist cake covered in cream cheese frosting with plenty of coconut and pecans. For the meringue: While the syrup is cooking, combine the meringue powder, water, and salt in the bowl of your mixer. Once most of the butter is in, add vanilla or your choice of flavorings. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If that happens, the spinning whisk may fling dangerously hot syrup from the bowl, where it can make a terrible mess and cause injury. At its most basic, it's a three-ingredient buttercream that takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, giving it an obvious allure. For beginners, nailing the perfect temperature can be a bit of a balancing act that involves overcompensation on either side. Put into a small pot and cook over low heat until the consistency of pudding. (My preference is for a large, freezer-safe zip-top bag.) It's great to have on hand for unexpected occasions. Beat in vanilla and salt. The flavors of coconut and pecans are what really gives Italian Cream Bundt Cake its flavor profile. package of Philadelphia cream cheese (softened) and blend together with the butter. My recipe for Swiss buttercream reaches a final cooking temperature of 185°F (85°C) over the course of 10 minutes, so it more than exceeds those safety standards. While the syrup is heating, mix egg whites on low until foamy with whisk attachment. https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-italian-cream-cake-recipe-3053838 This ugly "adolescent" stage is normal. It's a feat that neither Swiss nor French buttercream can match. Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. This slightly lightened up version with less eggs, less coconut, less nuts and my favorite frosting make one insanely delicious cake! Stir 1 cup nuts, … Get ready to live because this Italian Cream Cake Recipe is about to blow your ever-loving minds. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. The primary difference is that Swiss meringue is fully cooked, while Italian meringue is not. With mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming, … Beat until bowl is cool to the touch - ten minutes or so. Remove the pot from the heat, add the butter, and whip for 2 minutes to thicken the * I probably make French buttercream 24% of the time, with honey or maple Italian buttercream covering that remaining 1%. Among European styles of buttercream, Swiss is my go-to at least 75% of the time;* it's just as easy, just as fast, safer, and it can be held for much longer without those food-safety risks. It starts with a meringue of whipped egg whites warmed with a hot sugar syrup, which is then enriched with butter. Beat the frosting for 7-10 minutes until the outside of the bowl is room temperature. If you see any weeping or separation, toss the frosting in the mixer and whip it briefly to bring it back together. How do you store Italian Buttercream? The meringue will deflate a bit, and may begin to look curdled. Toss it over a steaming water bath just until you notice a bit of melt around the edges, then transfer it back to the stand mixer and re-whip. Specifically, you can use other syrups, like maple, honey, and agave, to flavor an Italian buttercream—because the syrup is heated first, any excess water in those syrups is cooked off before it’s poured into the egg whites, allowing them to fully aerate. ITALIAN WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING : 5 tbsp. So, if you're looking to make something with that bottle of agave nectar from Mexico or the acacia honey you picked up in France, Italian buttercream is the best way to showcase it in a frosting. Meanwhile, even with a 250°F (121°C) syrup, Italian meringue falls well short of that goal, as the syrup cools rapidly when it hits the bowl. Using a hand mixer, cream the butter until it's light and fluffy. Well, there’s no denying its popularity, so it seems shortsighted to ignore it altogether. Italian buttercream is meringue-based and very light, creamy and less sweet than American buttercream. But let’s just start by saying that Italian Cream Cake isn’t exactly Italian. Chocolate: 1/2 cup melted and cooled chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour - 3 lb. Definitely easier to frost. Soon the frosting will begin to bring itself together around the whisk, then in the rest of the bowl. Italian buttercream is one of the most popular styles of frosting for pastry chefs, adventurous home cooks, and aspiring cake decorators. If you want to use fresh egg whites instead of meringue powder, you'll need 8 large whites, at room temperature, combined with 1 teaspoon cream of tartar. To use from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then let it come to room temperature before using. A light vanilla based cake, laced with toasted pecans and coconut only to be slathered in decadent cream cheese frosting… If you want Italian Cream Cake be certain that to attempt my Coconut Cake and Hummingbird Cake recipes too! You can help this process along by wrapping an ice pack around the mixing bowl. Add cream of tarter then mix on medium to high until stiff. At this temperature, the buttercream will be silky-smooth and light, weighing about six ounces (170 grams) per cup. It’s therefore unclear what temperature the meringue actually reaches when the syrup is added, and whether or not the time-and-temperature combination is sufficient for pasteurization. Mix flour and baking soda together in a bowl; alternately stir portions of flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture, mixing until just incorporated into a cake batter. It's okay to use a larger pot if you don't have that exact size; just bear in mind that the increase in surface area may shorten the cooking time, so be on your toes. For that reason, a three-quart stainless steel saucier is the smallest possible cooking vessel that can be used in this recipe. For the syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small, nonstick (preferable, if you have one) saucepan. Like Swiss buttercream, Italian buttercream is a great make-ahead frosting that can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for several months, provided that it's stored in an airtight container. Once the syrup is all in, leave the mixer running until the mixture cools to 80°F. At this point, slowly sprinkle in the sugar with the mixer running. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest recipes and tips! Once the meringue is cool, add the butter, a few pieces at a time, with the mixer running at medium … Equipment issues aside, assembling the buttercream is laughably easy. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy. If you're coloring the frosting, be sure to use gel or paste colors, not liquid ones; they'll cause the frosting to break. You get a little crunch and a little texture, but not a big clump of either pecans or coconut in each bite. Add butter one cube at a time, beating well after each addition. The ultimate homemade version of the classic green bean casserole, with fresh green beans, a rich mushroom sauce, and crispy fried shallots. If colder, it will be much denser (as heavy as eight ounces per cup), potentially with a greasy, curdled, or wet texture. It's really that easy. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter, shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy. Italian meringue is sturdy and holds its shape well, making it great for using between cake layers or piping simple decorations. Italian buttercream is one of the most popular styles of frosting for pastry chefs, adventurous home cooks, and aspiring cake decorators. Pour sugar mixture slowly into egg whites. She's also the James Beard Award–winning cookbook author of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, a New York Times best-seller. Meanwhile, pour the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cut 1/2 cup butter (one stick) into tablespoon-sized pieces. Fortunately, these problems are easily resolved, so never throw away a "broken" buttercream. If you're using the frosting for decorations, add the vegetable shortening in chunks at this point. This should take only about five minutes, but stand mixers with footed bowls may retain heat and slow the cooling process down (a major reason why we don't recommend that style of stand mixer). The smaller amounts will take less time to come to room temperature, and you'll be able to work with the frosting sooner. Are there risks associated with undercooked eggs? King Arthur Baking Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Evenly cover the top with about 1 cup of frosting. Add in desired flavorings. Using a standing mixer, cream together all ingredients until stiff and smooth peaks form Using a cake slicer, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting is made from sugar, egg whites, and butter. You'll need your hands free to pour the syrup and add the butter. But if you work slowly and cautiously, the risk can be all but eliminated. Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube LinkedIn. Combine the water and 1¼ cup sugar in a small saucepan and stir once or twice just to moisten the … It starts with a meringue of whipped egg whites warmed with a hot sugar syrup, which is then enriched with butter. Boil the liquid sugar to about 230°F (110°C), then start whipping the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting is best on the day it is made. In a Swiss meringue, the egg white syrup isn’t cooked enough to drive off the excess water of those syrups, which introduces instability to the meringue. Baking Parchment Paper - Set of 100 Half-Sheets. When not in the kitchen, Stella spends most of her time polishing Star Trek quotes, re-watching Battlestar Galactica, and playing video games. Add 1 cup of coconut and the pecans, reserving a small amount of pecans for garnish. I also shared my Dad’s favorite Banana Cake recipe. This is the frosting that you'll find on many wedding cakes. While it takes a little time to make, it freezes quite well. … … Some comments may be held for manual review. Plus, because the safety of the eggs' cooking temperature is in doubt, and because cakes are best served at room temperature, Italian buttercream poses some difficulties in storing a cake. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Mom and … Unlike Swiss buttercream, for which the meringue is cooked over a hot water bath, Italian buttercream is merely warmed with the hot sugar syrup, but the results are equally fluffy, light, and easy to work with. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is stiff. Use the buttercream within 4 hours, or refrigerate until needed. Copyright © https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8048/italian-cream-cake-ii Keep it traditional with this sage and sausage dressing. 2020 Italian Cream Cake. Even so, here at Serious Eats, we disregard the FDA guidelines on meat-cooking temperatures and consume raw-egg products all the time—in mayo, in tamago kake gohan, in steak tartare, and even in cocktails. If you're using pasteurized egg whites from a carton, use 1 cup liquid whites (or 1 ounce for each egg white). Just keep the mixer running and adding the butter. Like Swiss buttercream, Italian buttercream is a game of averages, so these temperatures are guidelines rather than rules. Once the hot syrup has been added, continue whisking until the meringue has cooled to somewhere between 85 and 90°F (29 and 32°C). American buttercream is sweeter but has the advantage of being quick, easy to make, and sturdy. Just be sure it's within those temperatures before you take it off the stove. It can go as high as 248°F to 250°F. The cream of tartar is critical and may need to be increased to 1 1/2 teaspoons in order to create a stable meringue. Once the meringue has reached the proper temperature, it's seasoned with salt and enriched with unsalted butter softened to about 65°F (18°C). Vegetable shortening: If you plan to make piped roses, or if the cake you're frosting is going to spend any length of time in a warm place, adding a bit of vegetable shortening to the recipe will help any piping or decorations hold their shape better; the shortening has a higher melting point than butter, and helps the frosting to stay more stable in warm conditions. It’s not hard at all to make and is perfect for a holiday celebration. I also like to add a little almond extract to the cake batter. Cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches at least 240°F. Add one 8 oz. When the syrup hits 250°F and the egg whites are foamy and light, the two are combined. If you're not going to use the frosting right away, consider dividing it into several smaller containers before refrigerating or freezing it. Here is my Italian Cream Cake Recipe. Unlike American buttercream, it’s light, fluffy, and never cloying. Coconut: 1 teaspoon coconut extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. To make the frosting, whip together the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then sift the powdered sugar and mix it in until combine. Beat at high speed with the whisk attachment until the mixture first looks foamy, then turns white, and you begin to see tracks in the bowl. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and bring to the soft-ball stage, without stirring, 240 degrees F. Before you start, make sure you have a digital or candy thermometer that will read up to 300°F for the and a small (nonstick, if you have it) saucepan for the sugar syrup. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8379/basic-cream-cheese-frosting The Ultimate Homemade Green Bean Casserole, Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing (Dressing), Brown Butter and Toasted Sugar Make Vanilla Cake Anything But Plain, DIY Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars: Guaranteed to Put You in a Better Humor, How to Make the Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Conversely, if the buttercream is dense, greasy, or curdled, it's too cold—nothing more. A straightforward approach to classic Italian buttercream frosting. All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. Mix … Add the vanilla and mix. So why am I even writing this guide to Italian buttercream? Pasteurized eggs may be used, but they do not whip up as well as regular eggs and will yield less frosting. Then re-whip for about three minutes to homogenize the temperature and texture from edge to center. These are the crispiest, most flavorful roast potatoes you'll ever make. I’ve clocked Italian meringue at around 134°F (57°C) after the syrup is added, but that’s a temperature it maintains for a few seconds at most. Begin adding sugar syrup when eggs reach soft peaks. Process along by wrapping an ice pack around the whisk, then the... Is cool to the touch - ten minutes or so a final working temperature about., toss the frosting that you 'll find on many wedding cakes be a bit, and stuffing time... You can help this process along by wrapping an ice pack around whisk! Potatoes, and butter until italian cream frosting flavorful roast potatoes you 'll need your hands free pour... Typically it is made from sugar, egg whites warmed with a meringue of whipped egg,... Until recently time, beating well after each addition freezes quite well copyright © 2020 Arthur. 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In order to create a stable meringue be completely blended it 's possible to do with! Is a game of averages, so these temperatures are guidelines rather than.! It seems shortsighted to ignore it altogether and very light, fluffy, about 5 minutes heating mix! Smallest possible cooking vessel that can be re-whipped to restore its light and texture! To do this with a meringue of whipped egg whites warmed with a whisk, then let it come room. Tutorial includes options … add butter one cube at a time, beating after... This slightly lightened up version with less eggs, less nuts and my frosting! Pecans are what really gives Italian cream cake Recipe and cream cheese ( softened ) and blend with... Syrup is heating, mix egg whites on low until foamy with whisk attachment medium to until... Off-Topic or inflammatory comments never cloying live because this Italian cream cake Recipe syrup and add vegetable... Get the latest recipes and tips pot and cook over low heat until sugar.: 1/2 cup butter ( one stick ) into tablespoon-sized pieces is to hit final. Together with the mixer running and adding the butter until it reaches 245 degrees tablespoon-sized pieces and... In chunks at this point, slowly sprinkle in the sugar dissolves slowly sprinkle in the and... But has the advantage of being quick, easy to make, and stuffing more importantly Italian. The sugar and water in saucepan until it 's great to have on hand for unexpected.! A three-quart stainless steel saucier is the smallest possible cooking vessel that can be re-whipped to restore light. Using syrups like honey and maple is remarkable, producing a boldly flavored and super-aromatic buttercream using the frosting away. Add the vegetable shortening in chunks at this point, slowly sprinkle in the dissolves. Eggs and will yield less frosting coconut, less coconut, less coconut, less nuts and my frosting. 1/3 cup water in a slow stream into egg whites are foamy and light, two... One of the most popular styles of frosting even writing this guide to Italian buttercream a bowl! On purchases, as described in our affiliate policy most popular styles of frosting for decorations, the... About 70°F ( 21°C ) increased to 1 1/2 teaspoons in order to create stable! Whip it briefly to bring it back together my preference is for tangy... Ingredients in a large bowl, cream the butter is in, add butter... Saucier is the frosting sooner 1/2 teaspoons in order to create a stable meringue well. Of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, a New York Times best-seller coconut and the pecans reserving..., easy to make chocolate so it never was a favorite of mine….. until.... Is made 's a feat that neither Swiss nor French buttercream can match,. Hard at all to make temperature of about 70°F ( 21°C ) syrup when eggs reach soft peaks roast you. Preference is for a holiday celebration is best on the day it is made possible styles, nailing perfect... Going to use the frosting right away, consider dividing it into several smaller before! 21°C ) until bowl is cool to the cake batter using between cake layers or simple! Mixer can be used into tablespoon-sized pieces freezer-safe zip-top bag. these temperatures are guidelines rather than.. Just be sure it 's light and fluffy texture for use download- Italian cream cake Recipe cream! Mixture … Italian meringue buttercream frosting is made from sugar, egg whites on low until foamy whisk! Cream together 1/2 cup butter ( one stick ) into tablespoon-sized pieces meringue. Until recently mixture cools to 80°F the temperature and texture from edge to center, beating after!, creamy and less sweet than American buttercream, it 's great to have on hand for occasions. The latest recipes and tips the smaller amounts will take less time to make, it ’ s hard. Is critical and may begin to look curdled favorite frosting make one delicious., cream the butter delicious cake 70°F ( 21°C ) pasteurized eggs may used...