Tutorial | How to Make Amazing Chocolate Buttercream / Recipe - Sharron'...

                           

How to Get Smooth Icing / Frosting

I remember when I first started decorating cakes. I hated it!! I couldn't stand frosting the cakes because I could never get it smooth. Whenever I did get the cake smooth I had to use a ton of icing. I remember standing in my father's kitchen, frosting a cake for an hour! Yes I said an hour! Craziness...just plain frustrating. I knew there had to be a better way. I practiced and practiced but still had trouble in this area. My cakes began to taste better, I didn't have issues using fondant, I only had issues getting a smooth coat of frosting. After reading numerous forums and watching some YouTube video I finally came across a method that worked for me...the Melvira Method.

The Melvira method is when you use a high density foam roller to accomplish a smooth coat. After evenly apply the icing, you let the cake sit for a little while so the frosting will crust. Oh, did I mention you have to use a crusting buttercream or this won't work. Like I said before, a crusting buttercream (http://sharronstake.blogspot.com/2014/01/crusting-buttercream-recipe.html) is one that is clean to the touch after it dries. This means when you touch it, no frosting will come off on your finger. After the buttercream crusts, you roll your cake until its nice and smooth. Check out my video below for more details and instruction!!

This technique has worked the BEST for me and believe me I have tried everything. I've tried the upside down method, hot knife method, paper towel / wax paper and the list goes on and on. Now this is my go to method for wedding cakes and special occasions. Give it a try and let me know how it goes! As always be blessed.  

Chocolate Crusting Buttercream

I've received some requests to post the chocolate crusting buttercream recipe that I use when I decorate my cakes. I used chocolate buttercream in the "How to Make a Quick and Easy Camouflage Cake" tutorial I posted on my blog and on YouTube. I tend to use Chocolate Buttercream whenever I need black frosting because I don't have to add as much black dye as I would if I used vanilla / white frosting. Believe me, it takes a lot, I mean a lot of black dye to get white icing the perfect shade of black. And if you achieve that dark, rich shade of black that you want, there usually is a lingering after taste which is not good. As a decorator and as a baker, you always want a perfect balance between taste and appearance.

Chocolate Crusting Buttercream Recipe
1/2 cup of vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of butter
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or madagascar bourbon vanilla
4 cups of sifted powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
3-4 tablespoons of milk or water

Will yield around  3 cups of icing...stiff consistency.
Add 6-7 tablespoons of milk to get medium consistency.

Directions:
In large bowl, mix shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add cocoa and vanilla extract, then gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Beat well on medium speed. Icing will appear dry and crumbly. Add milk or water and beat at medium speed until icing is fluffy. Any additional milk or water should be added one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the consistency that you want.

Four Quick and Easy Buttercream Piping Techniques for Cupcakes

Over the years, I have always been asked how I get my frosting on my cupcakes to look the way it does. I've come to realize that some tools and techniques cake decorators may know may not be common knowledge for others. So I decided to make a piping tutorial for cupcakes.

This video shows you four easy and beautiful techniques you can use to really make your cupcakes stand out. I hope this helps...Happy decorating!!!

                                  

1. The Swirl

2. The Rose

3. The Star

4. Multiple Stars / Bouquet 

Crusting Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

I decided to post this for all of those that watched my "How to Make a Camouflage Cake"
tutorial. All buttercream is not the same. It can be made so many different ways that it can be confusing at times. Buttercream is divided into two main categories; crusting and
non-crusting.  The following is a crusting buttercream recipe needed for the technique I
used in the tutorial.

Vanilla Buttercream
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract


Directions:
Mix butter and shortening together well, add vanilla extract, add powdered sugar one
cup at a time, until all blended .

How to Make a Army / Milatary Camouflage Cake

 I recently made a camouflage cake for a friend and I was surprised how easy it was to
make! I decided to make a quick and easy guide to follow!!

Tools Required

1. At least 3 piping bags filled with different colored CRUSTING buttercream

FYI: Crusting buttercream is frosting that will dry to the touch.

 2. High density foam roller and offset spatula

Step One: Crumb Coat Cake 

 Step Two: Make abstract patterns on cake

Make sure the same color of buttercream is never touching

Once complete let buttercream dry for five minutes.Don't worry if some of the white crumb coat shows from underneath. It won't when you're finished.

Step Three: Roll cake gently with foam roller until smooth

Do not stay on one area of the frosting too long. Over rolling the cake in one area will result
in the oils from the cake rising out of the frosting, making the foam roller wet. It make also
result in bleeding of one color into another. 

Step Four: Finish with the border of your choice

 

 

Watch my YouTube video for more instructions

Baby Shower Cake

The baby shower cake design did not go as planned but it still turned out great. I've learned in life to expect the unexpected and always be flexible. My FAVORITE cake store by my house closed down. I called to see if they had edible images and there phone number was disconnected!! I decided to drive by and see if this was just a fluke. Imagine my surprise when I found out the cake store was now an Indian clothing store!! Normally I would drive to the next closest store but my pregnancy laziness kicked in. I told my husband that he was just going to have to wing it. As long as it was sports themed he could come up with whatever design he felt comfortable making.

Random Cake Information:

1. Avoid baking and decorating in the same day
I always bake my cakes and make the buttercream one or two days before I need to decorate. Experience has shown me that the quality of my decorating suffers when I try to do everything at once. So my husband made the cake Friday night. FYI: He's only dressed up because we just got back from church...lol

2. Make sure you properly grease the pan 
You can use shortening, butter, flour, parchment paper, or pam. He used shortening on the pan. Make sure to use a generous amount. If not, your cake will stick to the pan and could possibly break when you try to get it out.

 

3. Make sure the cake is completely cool before decorating
If the cake is still warm, the buttercream will melt when you try to ice the cake.

4. Make sure the theme or design you choose is within your ability
Try to choose a design according to your skill level. If you choose something more complex, practice before hand until you're comfortable. Youtube and cake decorating sites are really good resources to learn new techniques. My husband on the other hand did not have time to watch any videos. He only had my instructions to go on.

Here's the finished product...

 

 Tools used:

• Offset spatula to ice the cake
• #234 tip for the border
• #18 tip for the football
• #47 tip for football lines
• #1M tip to swirl the buttercream on the cupcakes