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Nila Jones
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Nila Jones
Nila Jones is a gutsy home baker-turned-blogger who secretly prefers cake batter over cake and who has made it her personal goal to demystify so-called difficult recipes so that everyone, even the most ignorant novice baker, can bake like a master baker. She ran her blog, The Tough Cookie, from 2013-2017.
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Updated April 15, 2020
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This German buttercream is incredibly smooth and delicious. It's made with a custard base, which gives it a natural yellow color. And although this buttercream contains a fair amount of butter and three egg yolks, it is surprisingly light, both in texture and taste.
Why this recipe works:
- The cornstarch in the custard mixture helps to thicken the custard and prevent the eggs from overcooking.
- Usually, cubes of softened butter are mixed into the custard base. Here, however, we first beat the butter until it has lightened in color and become fluffy, and then we add spoonfuls of custard to the beaten butter—the buttercream comes together a lot easier this way.
Note: This buttercream is a little thinner/softer than most other buttercreams and doesn't hold up in warmer temperatures that well. For a thicker German buttercream, simply use a thicker custard base (like homemade pastry cream) or add more softened butter to the base. Just keep in mind that adding more butter won't make the buttercream more heat-resistant.
The World of Buttercreams: 6 Varieties to Try at Home
Recipe Details
German Buttercream Recipe
Active15 mins
Total45 mins
Ingredients
1/2 cup plus2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 large egg yolks (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Directions
Combine milk and 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, yolks, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons of the milk mixture until it looks foamy and smooth.
Place the saucepan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase heat to medium-high, then remove from heat as soon as the first bubbles appear. While whisking yolk mixture constantly, slowly pour hot milk mixture it.
Return custard base to the saucepan. Heat over low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens considerably. Be sure not to let the custard boil.
Pour the custard onto a heatproof plate or shallow container. Immediately cover the custard with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly against the surface. Allow the custard to cool completely.
Beat the butter in a a stand-mixer fitter with the whisk or paddle, or in a medium bowl if using a handheld mixer, until smooth, fluffy, and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled custard one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and salt and mix until the buttercream looks thick, smooth, and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container or a zipper bag in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To use buttercream that has either been refrigerated or frozen, first allow to come to room temperature then beat until smooth and spreadable again. Cakes or cupcakes decorated with buttercream generally keep up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve buttercream at room temperature.
Special Equipment
Electric mixer
This Recipe Appears In
- The World of Buttercreams: 6 Varieties to Try at Home
- Desserts
- Cakes
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 137 | Calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 7g | Carbs |
| 2g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 12to 16 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 137 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 12g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 34% |
| Cholesterol 74mg | 25% |
| Sodium 28mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrate 7g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| Protein 2g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 20mg | 2% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 30mg | 1% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
