Have you noticed that I don’t have a cupcake recipe in my blog yet? It’s because I don’t like making buttercream frosting. I don’t like buttercream at all. It’s ridiculously too sweet for my taste. I don’t like the texture, it’s like i’m eating wet sand. And most of all, I always fail in making it (oh… so that’s the real reason behind these rants huh?) I mean it melts easily especially in hot weather. It drips from the piping bag. If I add more powdered sugar it will become a blob of sugar on top my cupcakes. So no thanks.
When I buy from cake cafes I always choose cupcakes with ganache, cream cheese frosting or Swiss buttercream. Those are my favorites. Last week, I bought a green tea cupcake with green tea frosting (I wasn’t aware it was buttercream). I thought I bite something like a green cement. I removed the frosting (surprisingly I was able to pick it up in one piece) and threw it away. It flew like a mini flying saucer.
I’ve read in some blogs that Lurpak butter works well with buttercream. One blogger said that it produces creamy and white buttercream (my buttercream is always yellowish). It’s quite expensive so when the butter went on sale, I bought one but was intended for a cookie test recipe. When I opened the box, I saw a leaflet and a cupcake recipe written on it. Oh really now? How did this butter knew my sentiments?!
Fast forward>>> The cupcakes taste good yet dry, like a dry sponge cake. I probably overbaked them. The recipe said to bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes but mine was done at 15 minutes and the tops started to crack like they are about to burst around 14 minutes. I was thinking maybe they’re done at 13 minutes. Well my oven is very hot. I always decrease the baking time by 5 minutes than what is stated in the recipe.
I’ll show you the cross section, not moist at all.
But… the buttercream is THE BOMB. The blogs I’ve read were right. I never thought I’ll change my mind about buttercream. It was sweet and a little grainy at first but it will turn out great the longer you let it at room temperature. The next day, it was delicious! It was creamier and less sweet. How did it happened?! The trick is adding a small amount of cream cheese. It balances the sweetness and makes the frosting creamy. You won’t notice the taste of the cream cheese and it won’t taste like cream cheese frosting.
The buttercream recipe is good for 12 but the cupcake recipe yielded only 8 so there will be some extra frosting. Transfer the leftovers in a ziplock bag then store in refrigerator. If you are ready to use it, thaw the frosting then whip using a stand or handheld mixer.
Well, you can cut down the leftover frosting. How? Pipe as much as you want! Swirl ’em high!
The buttercream really impressed me. I will definitely try it again on my future cupcake recipes!
- 50g dark chocolate
- 50ml milk
- 75g all-purpose flour
- 110g brown sugar
- 40g Lurpak unsalted butter
- 1 (about 68g w/ shell) large egg, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon (6g) cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Natural)
- 125g Lurpak unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 300g confectioner's or powdered sugar (used 290g, I was short of 10 grams!)
- 50g cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- few Oreo cookies, crushed and crumbled (optional)
- Preheat oven to 340F. Line cupcake pan with liners.
- Make the cupcakes. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Put the chocolate in a small saucepan, add milk and half of the sugar and gently bring to a boil while stirring.
- Add the rest of the sugar and butter to a stand or handheld mixer. Mix at high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on a slow speed until well combined.
- Pour in hot melted chocolate and continue to mix on a slow speed.
- Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop or 1/4 dry measuring cup, divide the batter evenly between 8 liners (the recipe says 12 but the actual yielded 8 cups only).
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are springy to the touch. Mine took only 15 minutes and the tops started to crack around 14 minutes. The texture was dry so watch them at 13 minute mark.
- Let the cupcakes sit in the pan for 3 minutes then transfer into a wired rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Place butter in a large bowl and gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low speed.
- When the powdered sugar is all incorporated, beat on a high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Pipe onto cupcakes using a large star tip or smooth over with a palette knife.
- Sprinkle crushed Oreo cookies over the frosting (optional).
- The frosting recipe is good for 12 cupcakes but the cupcake recipe yielded only 8 so I got some leftover frosting. Feel free to pipe as much as you want! Swirl them high! 😉
- Oven temperature varies therefore watch your cakes carefully to avoid overbaking. My oven is very hot so I usually reduce the baking time by 5 minutes than what is stated in the recipe.
How interesting, Sheryl! I’ve never heard of Lurpak butter (I don’t use butter much… so that might be why). It’s great that you found a new ingredient to make frosting the way you like it. Your frosting job on that cupcake… it’s awesome! Meanwhile, I’m starting to sense that you have a thing for cream cheese… 😉 Right? Hehe. P.S. My oven gets super hot too! Wonderful cupcake pics, can’t wait to see more in the future!
I’ve read that Lurpak is a Danish butter from Denmark. I always skip them when I buy butter because this brand is expensive haha! But I’m really glad I tried it. I’m gonna stick with this buttercream for the meantime and will definitely use Lurpak in my future frosting recipes.
I looove cream cheese! Omg cheesecakes! Ugh. You’ll see a lot of cream cheese recipes in the future! Please bear with my addiction haha! Should I change my blog name to “When Hungry For Cream Cheese”? ?
Thanks a lot Demeter!
These look lovely! ??
Thank you Lucy! ?
I’ve also read on a cupcake shop website before (can’t remember the exact name, it has a purple logo) that Lurpak works great on buttercream. I guess I will have to try this soon.