How to Ice a Cake If You Don't Like Buttercream

The process of icing a cake is essential because it gives your cake an additional layer of texture, flavour, and appeal. Our bakers from their experience know that unfortunately, not everyone like buttercream icing. Some people don't enjoy the flavour or think it to be overly sweet or thick. Fortunately, you may ice your cake with a variety of alternatives to buttercream frosting. Our skilled bakers will share five frosting possibilities that are simple to prepare and scrumptious to consume and will be discussed in this blog piece. Here are some of them:

• Ganache
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Whipped Cream Frosting
• Fondant
• Meringue Frosting

Ganache

Chocolate is melted and combined with heavy cream to create ganache, a frosting with a chocolate basis. It is a thick, supple frosting that may be used to frost cookies, cupcakes, and cakes. You'll need 1 cup of heavy cream and 8 ounces of chopped chocolate to make ganache. How to do it is as follows:

• Use a small saucepan and bring the cream to a boil.
• After removing from the heat add the chocolate chunks. Let it stand for a while the chocolate melts.
• Continue stirring the mixture until you get glossy and smooth texture.
• Let the ganache to cool for a few minutes and becomes spreadable as it thickens.

Now follow these steps, to ice your cake with ganache:

• Start with a crumb-coated cake. A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting that is used to seal the crumbs before applying the final layer of frosting.
• Use the offset spatula to spread the ganache on top of the cake.
• Smooth out the sides of the cake using a bench scraper.
• Let the ganache set for a few hours before decorating the cake.

Tips and tricks for using ganache:

• Using high-quality chocolate is recommended for the best flavour.
• For a thick and rich ganache use a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to cream.
• To achieve a glossy finish, add a tablespoon of corn syrup to the ganache.
• Use warm ganache to create a drip cake effect.

Cream Cheese Frosting

For red velvet cakes and carrot cakes, cream cheese frosting is the ideal frosting because it is tangy and creamy. The ingredients include cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla essence. How to do it is as follows:

• To make 8 ounces of cream cheese frothy, combine it with 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a bowl.
• Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar, and to ensure smoothness beat after each addition.
• Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and beat it for one more minute.

To ice your cake with cream cheese frosting, follow these steps:

• Start with a crumb-coated cake.
• Spread the frosting on top of the cake using an offset spatula.
• Use a bench scraper to smooth out the sides of the cake.
• Let the frosting set for a few hours before decorating the cake.

Tips and tricks for using cream cheese frosting:

• Use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture.
• Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of the frosting.
• Chill the frosting for 30 minutes before icing the cake to make it easier to work with.
• Add food colouring to the frosting to create different colours.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Whipped cream frosting is a light and fluffy frosting that is made by whipping heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. It's a perfect frosting for summer cakes and fruit cakes. Here's how to make it:

• In a bowl, beat 1 cup of heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.
• Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract and beat for another minute.

To ice your cake with whipped cream frosting, follow these steps:

• Start with a crumb-coated cake.
• Spread the frosting on top of the cake using an offset spatula.
• Use a bench scraper to smooth out the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes to help the frosting set.
• Decorate the cake with fresh fruits, berries, or chocolate shavings.

Tips and tricks for using whipped cream frosting:

• Chill the bowl and whisk attachment before whipping the cream for best results.
• Don't overbeat the cream, or it will turn into butter.
• Add gelatine to the whipped cream to stabilise it and prevent it from deflating.
• Use a piping bag to create beautiful decorations on your cake.

Fondant

Fondant is a versatile frosting that can be rolled, draped, and shaped into various designs. It's made by combining powdered sugar, gelatine, and water. Here's how to make it:

• In a saucepan, mix 1/4 cup of water and 1 tbsp of gelatine powder. Let it sit for a few minutes to bloom.
• Heat the mixture on low heat until the gelatine dissolves.
• In a bowl, sift 4 cups of powdered sugar.
• Add the gelatine mixture to the powdered sugar and mix until it forms a smooth dough.

To ice your cake with fondant, follow these steps:

• Start with a crumb-coated cake.
• Roll out the fondant into a thin sheet using a rolling pin.
• Gently drape the fondant over the cake and smooth out any wrinkles.
• Trim the excess fondant using a sharp knife.
• Decorate the cake with fondant cut-outs or moulds.

Tips and tricks for using fondant:

• Knead the fondant before rolling it out to make it softer.
• Use corn starch or powdered sugar to prevent the fondant from sticking to the rolling pin or surface.
• Use food colouring to create different colours of fondant.
• Cover the cake board with fondant to give it a cohesive look.

Meringue Frosting

Meringue frosting is a light and airy frosting that is made by whipping egg whites and sugar. It's a perfect frosting for pies, tarts, and macarons. Here's how to make it:

• In a heatproof bowl, mix 4 egg whites and 1 cup of sugar.
• Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the mixture with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

To ice your cake with meringue frosting, follow these steps:

• Start with a crumb-coated cake.
• Spread the frosting on top of the cake using an offset spatula.
• Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the frosting.
• Decorate the cake with fresh fruits or berries.

Tips and tricks for using meringue frosting:

• Use room temperature egg whites for the best results.
• Add cream of tartar to stabilise the egg whites.
• Don't overbeat the egg whites, or they will deflate.
• Use a kitchen torch to brown the frosting before serving.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many alternatives to buttercream frosting that you can use to ice your cake. Ganache, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream frosting, fondant, and meringue frosting are all excellent options that are easy to make and delicious to taste. With the right recipe and techniques, you can achieve a beautifully iced cake without using buttercream.