If you love the taste of pastry cream, you will certainly want to try this delicious French buttercream! Made with egg yolk, butter, and a sweet homemade sugar syrup, this elegant buttercream has a smooth, silky texture, a mouthwatering vanilla flavor, and a beautiful yellow color. It is the perfect buttercream for making luxurious desserts to impress your guests!
Jump to:
- 📖 What are the different types of buttercreams?
- 🌟 Why this is the best French Buttercream Frosting recipe
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 👩🍳 How to make French Buttercream Frosting
- 🍰 How Much French Buttercream Do I Need to Make For A Cake?
- 📚 How to Flavor French Buttercream
- ❄️ Storage and Freezing
- 🔍 Troubleshooting
- 🎓 Expert tips
- 🥣 Equipment Notes
- ❓Recipe FAQs
- 🧁 More Frostings
- French Buttercream
📖 What are the different types of buttercreams?
American buttercream (AMBC) is the sweetest and most commonly used buttercream. It uses whipped butter, powdered sugar, and sometimes a small amount of milk or cream. It has a reasonably stable texture.
Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) is slightly less sweet than American buttercream. It uses Swiss meringue as a base, in addition to egg whites and sugar. It is then whipped with vanilla extract and salt. Also, it has a very stable texture.
Italian meringue buttercream (IMBC) uses the same base ingredients as Swiss Meringue buttercream, plus sugar syrup to sweeten and stabilize it.
Russian buttercream is slightly thicker than whipped cream. It consists mainly of butter and condensed milk, but sometimes vanilla extract and salt are added for flavor. This buttercream only holds for a short time and does not do well with heat.
German buttercream is a custard-based buttercream made with egg yolks, milk, butter, and flour or cornstarch. It is rich and complex in flavor but much less sweet than American buttercream.
French buttercream uses egg yolks, butter, and sugar syrup. It is natural yellow in color and has a creamy, custardy texture. It is very soft and best used as a filling or to create a smooth finish. Let me teach you below how to make it!
🌟 Why this is the best French Buttercream Frosting recipe
- It takes little time - My simple French buttercream recipe has just a few steps and requires less than 15 minutes of your time!
- No fancy ingredients required - Each of the six French buttercream ingredients used in this recipe are everyday pantry staples you likely already have at home.
- It is delicious - I use the highest-quality ingredients to create the best taste and texture. Everything is 100% made from scratch, giving it a natural and delightful flavor.
- It is versatile - Because of its soft, silky, and creamy texture, you can use it for simple and elegant desserts.
- It is a short yet detailed guide. This isn't just a recipe; it is a guide with all of the tips and tricks you need to succeed in making the perfect French buttercream, even if you are a beginner!
📝 Ingredient notes
Granulated sugar - Plain, white granulated sugar is necessary to create the sugar syrup and give the buttercream its sweetness.
Water - You will need a small amount of water to boil with the sugar.
Butter - Butter is what gives buttercream its creamy texture and rich flavor. For the best results, you always want to use a high-quality, high-fat butter. I use European-style butter with an 82% fat content. It is necessary to use unsalted butter so you do not alter the salt levels in the recipe. It is also crucial that the butter is at room temperature.
Egg Yolk - You will need the yolk only of five eggs. Egg yolk provides stability and gives the buttercream its yellowish color.
Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds a delicious vanilla flavor. For the best taste, use pure vanilla extract.
Salt - Salt is an essential ingredient you must not skip, as it helps balance the sweetness.
🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
👩🍳 How to make French Buttercream Frosting
- Before starting, make sure the butter is at room temperature. It mustn't be too hot (i.e., melted) or cold. For more tips, see my guide on how to soften butter quickly.
- Prepare your stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
- With the mixer set to medium-high speed, whip the egg yolk for approximately five minutes. It should become light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Next, prepare the sugar syrup. Boil the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat for five minutes until the temperature reaches 240F / 116C.
- Once the sugar syrup reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the heat immediately. Then, slowly pour it over the egg yolk while the mixer is at low speed.
- Once the sugar syrup is fully incorporated with the egg yolk, increase the speed of the mixer. Continue whipping the egg mixture for approximately five minutes or until the mixer bowl is no longer hot.
- When the egg yolk mixture cools to room temperature, begin adding the softened butter one tablespoon at a time while the mixer remains on medium speed. Very important not to add the butter while the egg yolk mixture is hot as that would melt the butter and result in a soup as opposed to buttercream!
- Once all the butter is added, return the mixer to medium-high speed and whip for another four minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and voluminous.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt, and whip for another minute until the texture becomes smooth and silky.
- Use immediately and enjoy!
💡 Top Tip: When making the syrup, add the sugar first, then slowly pour the water along the edges. Avoid stirring, as it can cause the sugar to stick to the sides of the pan.
🍰 How Much French Buttercream Do I Need to Make For A Cake?
Using this recipe as written, you can generously frost 12 cupcakes. However, to make a French buttercream cake, you will need approximately 2x the amount for a 6-inch cake, 2.5x more for a 7-inch cake, or 3x more for an 8-inch cake.
The amount can vary depending on the complexity of the cake and your personal preference.
📚 How to Flavor French Buttercream
You can easily experiment with different flavors to give your French buttercream a delicious twist. Swap out the vanilla extract for other flavors or mix in cocoa powder to make a chocolate French buttercream cake. You can also add espresso powder, fruit puree, nut butter e.g. pistachio butter, jam, liquors, or lemon or orange zest. Always add the flavorings at the very end (last minute). I recommend starting with a little and then gradually adding more to taste.
❄️ Storage and Freezing
French buttercream is not very shelf-stable and is best used immediately after preparation. If necessary, it can be stored in a piping bag for a few hours or an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
If refrigerated, wait until it returns to room temperature before using. To increase the volume again, whip it in a stand or hand mixer for another minute or two.
You can freeze French buttercream in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use it, place it at room temperature overnight to thaw. Make sure to whip for 1-2 minutes before using to restore the buttercream's fluffy consistency.
🔍 Troubleshooting
My buttercream is too runny - If the French buttercream is too runny, likely that the egg yolk mixture was too hot when the butter was added and therefore the butter is melted. To fix it, place the buttercream in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up, then re-whip until nice and fluffy.
My buttercream curdled/separated - If the butter is too cold, it may prevent the mixture from properly emulsifying. Add warmth to the bowl's exterior to fix it (e.g. use a hair dryer), then whip it until smooth.
🎓 Expert tips
- High-fat, high-quality butter is key to a delicious, creamy buttercream.
- Soft, room-temperature butter is a must when making buttercream. See my guide on softening butter quickly for tips on achieving the right temperature without last-minute microwaving.
- The sugar syrup temperature is also critical to the success of this French buttercream recipe, use an inexpensive thermometer to be sure about the exact temperature.
- Before adding the butter, you must wait until the egg yolk and sugar mixture cools to room temperature. Otherwise, it will melt the butter and create a soupy texture.
- For a whiter buttercream, consider making Italian meringue buttercream using egg white instead of egg yolk.
🥣 Equipment Notes
A digital thermometer or candy thermometer is necessary when preparing the sugar syrup to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature.
To make this French buttercream recipe easy, use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer.
❓Recipe FAQs
Although making this recipe without a thermometer using the soft ball method is possible, I do not recommend it, as getting it right to 240F is critical.
You can use French buttercream as a frosting on cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. It is a delicious replacement for cream cheese frosting in cake recipes such as my pumpkin bread or carrot cake. You can also use French buttercream for macarons!
While the two use similar ingredients and have similar uses, Italian buttercream is meringue-based and uses egg whites instead of egg yolks.
Yes, it is perfect to pipe on cupcakes, fill or decorate cakes. However, more complex piping decorations will require plenty of refrigeration so it does not get too soft or melt.
Unfortunately, there is no vegan option, as the egg yolks are necessary for the recipe.
🧁 More Frostings
Have you tried this recipe?
Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your dessert turned out and your feedback also helps other Readers!
French Buttercream
Equipment
Ingredients
French Buttercream
- 300 g (1½ cups) Granulated sugar
- 120 g (½ cups) Water
- 450 g (2 cups) Unsalted butter 82% fat content European-style butter, use it softened
- 200 g (Yolk of 10 Eggs) Egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
US customary cup measurement is an indicative figure only. Measure the ingredients with a digital scale by weight (gram). Baking is art but also science which requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
- First, bring your butter to room temperature. Buttercream can only be prepared with softened butter, neither cold nor too hot (melted butter) will work.
- Prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Alternatively, use your electric hand mixer.
- Whip the egg yolk at medium-high speed for 5 minutes until it becomes light in color and fluffy in texture.
- In the meantime, prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the water and sugar together in a saucepan on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until the syrup temperature reaches 240F / 116C.
- Once the syrup reaches 240F / 116C, immediately remove it from the stove and slowly pour it into the egg yolk while the mixer is on low speed.
- Increase the speed of the mixer and continue whipping the egg yolk-sugar syrup mixture for about 5 minutes or until the bowl of the mixer is no longer hot.
- Once the mixture reaches room temperature, start adding the softened butter tablespoon by tablespoon on medium speed, then turn the mixer back on medium-high speed and whip it for an additional 4 minutes or until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and increases in volume.
- Lastly, add the vanilla extract and salt and continue whipping for another minute until it is smooth and silky.
- At this point, the French buttercream frosting should have the perfect pipeable fluffy texture, but if, for some reason, it is too thin, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Note that the buttercream texture is best when the butter is at the right temperature (room temperature), and the mixture is freshly whipped. I like to use the frosting immediately or store it at room temperature in a piping bag for a few hours. If stored in the refrigerator, you will need to bring it back to room temperature before using it and might need to give it another minute or two to whip in the stand mixer to increase the volume again.
Notes
- Measure your ingredients with a Digital scale for accuracy.
- Use good quality high-fat (82%) butter for making buttercream.
- There is no vegan substitute for this recipe, as eggs are key to its success; however, you can substitute the butter with vegan butter or dairy-free butter.
- It is key to use high-quality vanilla for the best flavor, feel free to try my homemade vanilla extract.
- The French buttercream is naturally more yellowish due to the egg yolks. For a more snow-white buttercream, use other buttercream types, e.g., Italian meringue, which is made the same way but with egg whites.
- Make sure you read my Expert tips section above to maximize your success. A short recipe alone cannot cover all the necessary details and science behind baking.
- The temperature and texture of the butter are key when making buttercream. Wait until it is soft, however, avoid last-minute microwaving.
- When making the sugar syrup, it is critical to reach the exact temperature stated in the recipe. Use a thermometer.
- Do not add the butter before the egg yolk sugar syrup mixture reaches room temperature. If it is too hot, it will melt the butter, resulting in a buttercream soup.
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