Buttercream cake won’t set

[ellenc]

Hi I’ve tried to make a cake twice and had the same problem both times. I use a 1:1 ratio of butter to icing for my buttercream as I find the 1:2 ratio too sweet. When I’m finished decorating my cake I put them in the fridge and both times when I’ve taken them out of the fridge, the cake sweats and starts to melt overtime and the sponge is so dense. Does anyone have any advice? Thank you )

 

[A Guy]

Welcome to Help Me Bake @ellenc I'm sure Angie will have some advice once she sees your post

A Guy

 

[Angie]

Hi @ellenc

Welcome to the site.

With regards to your issue with the cake. I would say it has to do with the ratio you are using. I use a ratio of 2:1 with buttercream and icing sugar and only use block butter to ensure that the buttercream holds its shape. Butter melts and softens very easily at room temp which is why your cake is melting (because you don't have enough icing sugar to hold the structure).

Do you leave the cake out on the side when you take it out of the fridge? If so, the cake will sweat because you've taken it from a cold environment to a room temp (warmer) environment very quickly, so to slow the process down try and place the cake in the coolest place in your house or in a box so it can acclimate slower to prevent the sweating.

I understand why you want to reduce the ratio for sweetness so the only other thing I can suggest for that is either adding a pinch of salt of using salted butter for the buttercream as this will cut the sweetness and enhance the flavour. To be honest you may be better adding your own pinch of salt into the mix rather than using the amount in salted butter. I would also try and increase the icing sugar amount to help keep the structure of the buttercream.

With regards to the cake going dense, the fridge can dry out the cake as can the buttercream so the next time you put one in there, get a bin bag or plastic bag and lightly cover the cake. This should help with it drying out and will prevent any fridge smells absorbing into your cake.

I think that covers everything, hope this helps.

Best wishes.


Angie

 

[ellenc]

Hi @ellenc

Welcome to the site.

With regards to your issue with the cake. I would say it has to do with the ratio you are using. I use a ratio of 2:1 with buttercream and icing sugar and only use block butter to ensure that the buttercream holds its shape. Butter melts and softens very easily at room temp which is why your cake is melting (because you don't have enough icing sugar to hold the structure).

Do you leave the cake out on the side when you take it out of the fridge? If so, the cake will sweat because you've taken it from a cold environment to a room temp (warmer) environment very quickly, so to slow the process down try and place the cake in the coolest place in your house or in a box so it can acclimate slower to prevent the sweating.

I understand why you want to reduce the ratio for sweetness so the only other thing I can suggest for that is either adding a pinch of salt of using salted butter for the buttercream as this will cut the sweetness and enhance the flavour. To be honest you may be better adding your own pinch of salt into the mix rather than using the amount in salted butter. I would also try and increase the icing sugar amount to help keep the structure of the buttercream.

With regards to the cake going dense, the fridge can dry out the cake as can the buttercream so the next time you put one in there, get a bin bag or plastic bag and lightly cover the cake. This should help with it drying out and will prevent any fridge smells absorbing into your cake.

I think that covers everything, hope this helps.

Best wishes.


Angie

Hi angie thanks so much for the advice! I might try the buttercream 2:1 ratio, I just find it so sweet! Even when I do the 1:1 I find it very sweet too, that’s with using half salted and half unsalted butter and even a pinch of salt Is there any other way of getting buttercream to stabilise? Yes, when I’ve taken the cake out of the fridge I’ve just left it on the table, I’ll try finding a cold area. Regarding the sponge, thanks so much, I’ll try that! Would you recommend me using something like Swiss meringue buttercream instead for the sweetness? I’ve heard people say it’s not as sweet. Thanks so much again

 

[Angie]

Hi @ellenc

You're most welcome.

I know what you mean, I'm not a lover of buttercream which is why I always cover my cakes in jam and then icing. The 2:1 will hold the structure, but you could even just 'up' your ratio by half and check the consistency out that way. Always use block butter though because if you use spreads, they have a large water content and don't hold their shape like the block of butter does.

You can use cornflour to thicken the buttercream or use trex, so use half butter and half trex although I've never tasted it with trex but because it's shortening it has a higher fat content and less likely to melt quicker.

Ahh so you've tried the buttercream with the salt then.

If you can find a cold room like a conservatory or even put the cake in a box once out of the fridge it will keep the 'coolness' of the cake in the box and the heat out for a while acclimatising.

You can use Swiss meringue but again this can also be a little temperamental if you don't get the consistency right or temps of ingredients right when you mix it. However, this is a less sweeter option.

The only buttercream I found I liked was the strawberry milkshake one as I added Nesquik to the ingredients and it gave it a better taste.

Do all you cake have to have buttercream or is it just something you prefer to do?

 

[ellenc]

Hi @ellenc

You're most welcome.

I know what you mean, I'm not a lover of buttercream which is why I always cover my cakes in jam and then icing. The 2:1 will hold the structure, but you could even just 'up' your ratio by half and check the consistency out that way. Always use block butter though because if you use spreads, they have a large water content and don't hold their shape like the block of butter does.

You can use cornflour to thicken the buttercream or use trex, so use half butter and half trex although I've never tasted it with trex but because it's shortening it has a higher fat content and less likely to melt quicker.

Ahh so you've tried the buttercream with the salt then.

If you can find a cold room like a conservatory or even put the cake in a box once out of the fridge it will keep the 'coolness' of the cake in the box and the heat out for a while acclimatising.

You can use Swiss meringue but again this can also be a little temperamental if you don't get the consistency right or temps of ingredients right when you mix it. However, this is a less sweeter option.

The only buttercream I found I liked was the strawberry milkshake one as I added Nesquik to the ingredients and it gave it a better taste.

Do all you cake have to have buttercream or is it just something you prefer to do?

I’m making a salted caramel cake today for my birthday. I just like the look of buttercream cakes too! If you have a different icing recipe that you use and find good then that would be great! I’ll try a bit of cornflour to see. I’ve seen people use meringue powder too, I don’t think they do it where I’m from, I’ve never seen it anwyay. Thanks so much for the advice I really appreciate it )

 

[Angie]

Aww, fabulous happy birthday!

Well if buttercream cakes is what you like the look of then that is what you must do. Have you ever thought of using less buttercream and layering the cake and piping the buttercream so you still have it in albeit not as much?

I must admit the chocolate buttercream I use for my chocolate log is fab, it's pretty much the same ratio of 2:1 but with a tablespoon of cocoa powder in it. I think that's the only one really I can eat that along with the strawberry milkshake one.

I do have frostings and toppings on the site

Frostings and Toppings

Various toppings for your cakes and bakes.

www.helpmebake.com

Ganache is always another one that's fab one to use too.

Apologies for the delayed response but I'm decorating at the minute so I'm a bit back and forth up a ladder.

If you need anything else then just let me know, but good luck with the cake. I'm sure it will be fabulous!

 

[ellenc]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. Good luck on your decorating! ❤