Champagne Buttercream Frosting

• 1.5 cups of butter (3 sticks)
• 1/2 cup champagne
• 4.5 cups powdered sugar

1. Soften butter in a mixer with paddle attachment.
2. Slowly add in a champagne and powdered sugar, alternating until everything is completely combined.
3. Beat until smooth.

* For this recipe, it originally only called for 1.5 sticks of butter, plus 3/4 cup of shortening (which I didn’t have).  It also only called for 3 Tbsp  of champagne, but when I sampled the buttercream, it had absolutely no champagne flavor, so I kept adding more until I could taste it.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 lb (16 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted (measure AFTER sifting)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• crushed pecans, as needed

1. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter together until starts to spread in bowl.  Add confectioners sugar in thirds, and mix until combined.
2. Add in vanilla, mix to combine, and the mix on medium for around 5 minutes, or until frosting is fluffy.
3. For the inside layers of the cake, scoop out a small amount of frosting (less is always better than too much) and mix in some crushed pecans, to taste.

Cream Cheese Coconut Pecan Frosting

• 16 oz cream cheese (2 packages)
• 4 oz butter (1 stick)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 lb confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until it gets smooth.  Add the vanilla and the confectioners sugar and beat until light and fluffy (around 3-4 minutes).

With mixer on low, stir in coconut and pecans.  Set aside until ready for use.

French Buttercream

• 3 oz. egg yolks
• 8 oz sugar
• 2 oz water
• 10 oz butter, softened
• 3/4 tsp Vanilla

1. Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan and heat over medium high heat.  DO NOT STIR – if you stir the sugar mixture, you risk crystallizing the sugar, therefore making it un-usable.
2. Once the sugar syrup reaches 215 degrees F, put the egg yolks in a mixer with a whip attachment and whip on high until they get creamy and light colored.
3. When the temperature of the sugar syrup reaches 238-240 degrees, or the soft ball stage, remove the pot from heat and slowly stream the syrup into the egg yolks, down the side of the bowl while the eggs are still whisking on medium-high.  Make sure the syrup does not touch the whisk, or it the sugar will harden on the whisk.
4. Continue whisking on high until the mixture cools down; the bowl should be cool to the touch.  Add the butter, a piece at a time, while the mixer is still whisking.  Add the vanilla and continue to whisk until combined.
5. Buttercream can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Hazelnut Italian Buttercream

• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 tsp hazelnut extract
• 4 oz. egg whites
• 8 oz sugar
• 2 oz water
• 14 oz butter

1. Put hazelnuts, powdered sugar, first egg white, and hazelnut extract in a food processor, and wait until a paste is formed.  Set aside.
2. Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan and heat over medium high heat.  DO NOT STIR – if you stir the sugar mixture, you risk crystallizing the sugar, therefore making it un-usable.
3. Once the sugar syrup reaches 215 degrees F, put the second amount of egg whites in a mixer with a whip attachment and whip on high until stiff peaks form.
4. When the temperature of the sugar syrup reaches 238-240 degrees, or the soft ball stage, remove the pot from heat and slowly stream the syrup into the egg whites, down the side of the bowl while the eggs are still whisking.  Make sure the syrup does not touch the whisk, or it the sugar will harden on the whisk.
5. Continue whisking on high until the meringue cools down; the bowl should be cool to the tough.  Add the butter, a piece at a time, while the mixer is still whisking.  Add the vanilla and hazelnut paste to taste, and continue to whisk until combined.
6. Buttercream can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Maple Frosting Recipe

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 3 cups powdered sugar

1.  In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix butter and maple syrup until combined.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar to butter mixture and mix until combined.  May add more or less powdered sugar if necessary to achieve desired texture.

Lime Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
3/8 cup sugar
zest of 1-2 limes (to taste)

1. Put heavy cream in a mixer with whip attachment, and start whipping until bubbles form.
2. Zest lime into sugar.  Add lime-sugar mixture into cream in mixing bowl.
3. Whip on medium-high until soft peaks form.
4. Continue to whip on medium, watching carefully, to get to fluffy, stiff peaks.

Orange Italian Meringue Cream Cheese Buttercream (used in Dreamy Creamsicle Cake)

• 148 g sugar
• 36 g water
• 74 g egg whites
• 147 g unsalted butter, softened
• 111 g cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp orange extract
• zest of 1/2 large orange
• Orange gel syrup (to color)

Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 stick salted butter
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (taste and add what you need – I think I likely had around 1 tsp in there)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Put sugar into a small saucepan.  Add water, put over medium high heat.  Do not stir.  Let  cook until it caramelizes (see notes above).
2. Once sugar is a deep amber color, add in the heavy cream and vanilla, stirring continuously.  Continue to stir mixture until all clumps have dissolved and you have a nice, liquidy, caramel sauce.  Let cool to around room temperature.
3. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sea salt until pale and fluffy.  Add in the powdered sugar, scrape the bowl, and mix until combined.
4. Slowly stream the cooled caramel into the buttercream mixture with the mixer on.  Once all caramel is added, mix on medium-high speed until you get a light and fluffy texture.  If the buttercream seems too soft, your caramel might not have been cool enough – put the mixture in the refrigerator to set up a bit.

Strawberry Whipped Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 7 Tbsp strawberry puree (take fresh strawberries, cut off the tops, and put them in a blender/food processor until smooth)

1. Put cream in a mixing bowl with whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium until liquid becomes frothy.
2. Add in sugar and strawberry puree.  Continue to whisk on medium-high until whipped cream is formed.