Best Brown Sugar Buttercream Recipes

BROWN-SUGAR LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment. Butter paper, and flour pans. Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together flour and salt. In another bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture and starting and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter between pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans, about 30 minutes. Invert cakes, remove pans and parchment, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Trim tops of cakes with a serrated knife to make level, then cut each cake in half horizontally. Reserve 1 bottom layer for another use. Place remaining bottom layer on a cake stand, and spread evenly with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Repeat with a second layer and another 1 1/4 cups frosting. Place third layer on top. Spread entire cake top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Refrigerate cake until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting, smoothing top and sides. Serve immediately with marzipan animals, or refrigerate up to 2 days; if refrigerated, let cake come to room temperature before serving.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING FOR BROWN-SUGAR LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Brush down sides of pan with a damp pastry brush, and cook, without stirring, until dark amber. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in cream until completely smooth.
• Whisk together remaining sugar and the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm. Transfer bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk on medium-high speed until fluffy and cool and stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Slowly pour in caramel with mixer on medium speed, and whisk until completely incorporated. Continue to whisk until smooth, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.

BROWN SUGAR LAYER CAKE WITH CRANBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Flour the pans and paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, butter, oil and salt. Beat on medium-high until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between each egg.
• Set mixer to low and alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in three additions. Mix until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, finish folding in the dry ingredients: Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the batter is evenly mixed.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans (about 2 2/3 cups per pan), smooth the tops and tap the pans on a countertop to release any large air bubbles. Bake cakes until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and carefully place them parchment-side down onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the cranberry jam: Combine cranberries, sugar, 1/2 cup water, orange juice and zest, ginger and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until the cranberries have burst and juices are thick and jammy, about 5 minutes. Cool mixture to room temperature, then use an immersion blender or food processor to purée the mixture until smooth. Set aside. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups.)
• Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Return the bowl to the stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form and both mixture and bowl are cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and reduce the speed to medium. With the mixer running, add the butter a couple of tablespoons at a time and beat the buttercream until smooth and fluffy. During this step, the buttercream will likely break and look curdled: Turn up the speed on the mixer for a few seconds, and it will come back together. Continue until all the butter is incorporated, then add the vanilla and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cooled cranberry jam, and mix until well combined. If the buttercream is extremely soft or runny, refrigerate for about 10 minutes, then whip until smooth.
• Assemble the cake: If necessary, use a serrated knife to trim the cake layers so they are flat and even. Add a small spoonful of buttercream onto a cardboard cake round or serving plate, and place the first layer of cake, cut side up, on top.
• Spread about 3/4 cup buttercream on top of the cake. Spread about 1/4 cup cranberry jam over the buttercream. Be careful not to spread the jam all of the way to the edge so it doesn't spill out the sides. Place the second cake layer on top, and repeat with buttercream and jam. Place the final layer on top, cut side down, and spread the top and sides of the cake with a thin, even layer of buttercream. (Store leftover jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
• Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes. Then spread the remaining buttercream in an even layer over the cake. Serve at room temperature.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms of each with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla. 3Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour and cocoa mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture (batter may look curdled).
• Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean and layers begin to pull away from sides of pans, 20 to 25 minutes total. Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove wax paper, and cool completely.
• Put 1 cake layer, rounded side up, on a cake plate and spread with about 1 cup buttercream. Top with another cake layer, rounded side up, and spread with another cup buttercream. Top with remaining cake layer and frost top and sides of cake with remaining buttercream.

BROWN SUGAR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Put egg whites, sugar, and salt into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture registers 160 degrees, about 4 minutes.
• Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added). Beat until frosting is smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes.

BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.
• Transfer to the clean bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and cooled, about 15 minutes.
• Raise speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, until fully incorporated.

BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites and salt in a large bowl.
• Stir together brown sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, washing down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. When sugar syrup reaches boil, start beating whites with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until frothy, then add lemon juice and beat at medium speed until whites just hold soft peaks. (Do not beat again until sugar syrup is ready.)
• Meanwhile, put candy thermometer into sugar syrup and continue boiling until syrup reaches 238-242°F. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof 1-cup glass measure. Slowly pour hot syrup in a thin stream down side of bowl into egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Beat meringue, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula, until meringue is cool to the touch, about 6 minutes. (It's important that meringue is properly cooled before proceeding.)
• With mixer at medium speed, gradually add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated. (If meringue is too warm and buttercream looks soupy after some of butter is added, briefly chill bottom of bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter.) Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all of butter is added, but will come back together before beating is finished.) Add vanilla and beat 1 minute more.

BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites and salt in a large bowl, and just let it sit for now.
• Stir together brown sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. This brings the bubbles down and stops them from boiling over the pan.
• When sugar syrup reaches a boil, start beating egg whites with an electric mixer at med-high speed until frothy, then add the lemon juice. Beat at med. speed until whites just hold soft peaks. DO NOT BEAT AGAIN UNTIL SUGAR SYRUP IS READY.
• Meanwhile, put candy thermometer into sugar syrup and continue boiling until syrup reaches 238-242º. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof 1-cup glass measure.
• Beating the egg whites at high speed, slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl into the egg whites.
• Beat meringue, scraping down bowl, until meringue is cool to the touch,about 6-7 minute IT IS IMPORTANT THE MERINGUE IS PROPERLY COOLED BEFORE PROCEEDING.
• With mixer at medium speed, gradually add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated. (If meringue is too warm and buttercream looks soupy after some of the butter is added, briefly chill bottom of bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter).
• Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all of the butter is added, but it will come back together before beating is finished).
• Add vanilla and beat 1 more minute.

BROWN-SUGAR BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Put egg whites and sugar into the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue beating until mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter, several tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. (If the frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Reduce speed to low; mix to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Add egg whites and brown sugar to mixer bowl and simmer over a pot of hot water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 140-160°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot, about 5 minutes if you used room temperature egg whites. About 8 if they were cold. With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl is no longer hot (this can take up to 10 minutes or so). Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if it curdles, keep mixing on medium-low and it will come back to smooth). Add vanilla, salt and cinnamon liqueur, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.

BROWN SUGAR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Put egg whites, sugar, and salt into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture registers 160 degrees, about 4 minutes. Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added). Beat until frosting is smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes. Buttercream can be refrigerated airtight for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature, and beat before using.

BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL RUM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until sugar has reached soft-ball stage (235-240F).
• Meanwhile, place egg whites into a clean, stainless-steel mixer bowl and with the whip atachment, beat on low speed until foamy. Raise the speed to medium high and whip until stiff, but not dry.
• While the mixer is running, add your brown sugar syrup slowly into the beaten egg whites in a steady stream. continue beating on high speed until the mixture has cooled down--about 3 minutes.
• Add the softened butter 1 tablespoons at a time with the mixer running. Add vanilla and rum. Keep beating the buttercream until it is smooth and creamy.
• Please Note: After you add the soft butter, the buttercream is going to "break" meaning it will look curdled and runny. Don't worry! Keep on whipping and it will come together!.

APPLE NUTMEG PINE NUT CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 24 count regular-size cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• In a heavy-duty mixing bowl, cream together the butter and shortening on medium speed. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the superfine sugar with the mixer set to low speed. Once combined, set the mixer to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes.
• Sift together the cake flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Begin to add the sifted dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the warm milk.
• Mix together the apples and nutmeg. Cook in the microwave for 3 minutes, and then drain any excess juices. Fold the apples and half the toasted pine nuts into the batter. Add the vanilla extract.
• Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 16 to 20 minutes. Use a toothpick to poke in the center of the cupcake and if it comes out clean then the cupcakes are done. Remove from the pan and place onto a tray to cool.
• Using a pastry bag and piping tip, frost the cupcakes with the Brown Sugar Buttercream, and garnish with caramel sauce and remaining toasted pine nuts.Read more at:
• In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter. Boil for 1 minute, remove from the heat, and cool slightly. (If it cools completely, it will harden too much and make it difficult to cream with the butter.) In a heavy-duty mixing bowl, cream the remaining 1/2 cup butter with the melted butter /brown sugar mixture. Add 3 cups powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Turn the mixer off, add the milk, and mix. Add the remaining 3 cups powdered sugar and the vanilla and mix together until smooth.

CONFETTI CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in butter. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in milk and extracts. Gently fold in jimmies., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For buttercream, in a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, brown sugar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, about 2-3 minutes., Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes., Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and enough food coloring to achieve desired color., Immediately spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Decorate with sprinkles. Store in refrigerator.