Types Of Frosting For Cakes

Last Updated on May 16, 2021

Nothing beats a slice of cake topped with delicious frosting. There are many different types of frosting for cakes, each as delicious as the next. Knowing the different kinds will help you decide which is the best option for the cake you are baking.

From American buttercream to ganache, there are so many delicious options to choose from. All these frostings require different techniques and ingredients to make them. Each of them is unique in its own ways and taste incredible.

Types of Frosting for Cakes

Though most people are familiar with American buttercream, there are many other kinds of frosting as well. They are all great for adding to your favorite cake recipes.

Buttercream

Buttercream is one of the most popular kinds of frosting. There are several different kinds of buttercream, each that uses butter and sugar as the base.

American Buttercream

As the most common type of buttercream, American buttercream is generally made of butter, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream or milk, and vanilla. It has a smooth, creamy texture and a sweet, rich flavor.

American buttercream is soft and spreadable. In addition, it is also great for piping decorations. It is a versatile frosting, used by many bakers.

German Buttercream

German Buttercream uses custard as a base, giving it a decadent, delicious taste. It uses whole eggs to make the custard, which is carefully cooked. The custard is then added to the butter and powdered sugar.

It is less sweet than American buttercream. German buttercream frosting is commonly used for filling and decorating cakes.

French Buttercream

French buttercream uses egg yolks and has a consistency similar to custard or pastry filling. The egg yolks and sugar are cooked together before being mixed with butter. It has a lovely, silky smooth consistency that is not quite as sweet.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss meringue buttercream is a popular choice among many professional bakers. It uses egg whites which are cooked with sugar before being mixed with butter. It has a silky, smooth consistency while being less sweet than American buttercream.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

Italian Meringue buttercream is the most stable of all the buttercreams but is also the trickiest to get right. It combines boiling hot sugar syrup with egg whites to make a smooth frosting. It is light yet durable in texture.

Ermine Buttercream

Smooth and rich, Ermine buttercream is common in supermarket pastries. It has an airy, creamy consistency. It consists of flour that is cooked with milk and sugar before being mixed with butter.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a popular choice for carrot cakes, red velvet cakes, and spiced cakes. It is rich and creamy, with a slightly tangy flavor.

Cream cheese frosting uses blocked cream cheese as the base, with powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla typically added in. It has a lovely, creamy, and smooth texture, making it great on many different types of cakes.

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Ganache

Ganache is simple but absolutely delicious. It is consists of melted chocolate mixed with heavy whipping cream. It makes a beautiful, shiny coat when poured onto cakes. Ganache is a popular choice for Boston Cream Pie and chocolate cakes.

Whipped Cream Frosting

The whipped cream frosting is light and fluffy. It typically consists of heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Its airy texture is great for cakes with fresh fruit in them.

You can also add cocoa powder and other flavorings to the whipped cream frosting. Out of the frostings, it is one of the most sensitive to heat.

Seven-Minute Frosting

The seven-minute frosting has a consistency similar to marshmallows. It is made by heating sugar, water, and corn syrup together and bringing it to a boil. The boiling mixture is then poured into a bowl of stiff-peak meringue and beat together.

The seven-minute frosting is very delicate and should be consumed within 1-2 days. If not eaten within one day, it may be absorbed into the cake. It has a lovely light and fluffy texture with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency.

Fondant

Fondant has a thick, doughy consistency. It gives cakes a smooth, professional finish when applied. The three types are rolled fondant, marshmallow fondant, and poured fondant.

Delicious Cake Frosting Types

There are many different types of frostings, each delicious as the next. They are all great for spreading on top of your favorite cake recipes. Whether you can want creamy and rich or light and airy, there is frosting for you.

Do you have any questions about the different types of frosting for cakes? If so, please ask them in the comments down below.