If you’re anything like me, decorating a cake, cupcake or even a cookie is sometimes the best part about baking, not least if you can sneak in a bite or two of the frosting straight off the beater.

An elegant buttercream or ganache is what sets apart even the humblest vanilla cake, layering it with silky-smooth swirls to complement its tender crumb. Of course, when you get down to it, there’s an endless variety of frostings to choose from. No buttercream is created equal. Take French buttercream for instance. Light and fluffy, yet rich and shiny, it’s made by first heating a sugar syrup and then whipping it into beaten egg yolks and soft butter. French buttercream is similar but different to Italian buttercream, which is silkier as it relies on heated sugar syrup being poured over beaten egg whites to create a meringue!

If you’re as intrigued about the different recipes and keen to perfect the fine art of cake decorating, Foodhall Cookery Studio regularly hosts workshops and classes (including on Zoom) guaranteed to equip you with all the skills you need to become an expert baker! Here they’re sharing some of their favourite frosting recipes with us

• Chocolate fudge frosting
• Cream cheese frosting
• French buttercream
• Vanilla ganache.

Bookmark this post as one you’ll be returning to whenever you need to elevate the flavours of your favourite sweet bake!

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Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:

• 75g unsalted butter
• 230g icing sugar
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 45 ml whole milk

Method:

•  Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
• Add cocoa powder, vanilla essence and whole milk and mix well till its pipeable consistency.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 125g cream cheese
• 125g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 175g icing sugar
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3rd cup milk powder

Method:

• Beat the cream cheese on low speed briefly to break up the cream cheese and make it creamy.
• Add in the butter and beat on high speed until it is smooth.
• Add in the icing sugar, vanilla and milk powder and start beating on low speed. Once it starts to combine, beat on high speed until the frosting is fluffy and pale.

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French Buttercream

Instructions:

• 100g caster sugar
• 45ml Water
• 5 large egg yolks
• 227g unsalted butter (room temperature and cubed)
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Method:

• Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
• Put egg yolks in a stand-mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and foamy.
• Cook the sugar and water syrup until it reaches 115 degrees C . Immediately remove from heat. With mixer running, slowly drizzle hot syrup into bowl with yolks.
• Continue mixing until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the yolk mixture has cooled to room temperature.
• Add in butter one cube at a time allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla and salt. Continue mixing until buttercream is smooth and creamy. (About 5-6 minutes.)

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Vanilla Whipped Ganache

Ingredients:

• 500 g Whipping cream
• 250 g White chocolate

Method:

• Heat the cream and add it to the white chocolate and emulsify the mixture till it gives you a smooth texture. Set in the fridge overnight
• In a stand mixer whip the mixture using a whisk attachment and whisk it into stiff peaks. You can use this ganache to layer and frost cakes!

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We’d love to hear from you! Do let us know if you try this recipe – you can leave a comment below and/ or tag us in your delicious creations on Instagram @the_foodiediaries.

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