fig leaf buttercream
When I think of summer cakes in California, I think of this buttercream. When I want simple but elevated, I think of this buttercream. When I think of pairings for fruity cakes, I think of this buttercream. When I am in the mood to impress, I think of this buttercream.
I love this buttercream because it is so simple yet will immediately and quickly elevate any bake it is paired with. Vanilla cake vs vanilla cake with fig leaf buttercream. Chocolate cake vs chocolate cake with fig leaf buttercream. See! Instant elevation. Instant higher levels of intrigue and curiosity.
Note that the fig leaf flavor is actually quite subtle! Which works great because it opens up the possibilities for flavor combinations and pairings so much more.
A few fun suggestions or ideas for what to pair with this fig leaf buttercream:
vanilla cake with fig leaf buttercream
strawberry cake with fig leaf buttercream
buttermilk cake with raspberry jam and fig leaf buttercream
toasted coconut cake and fig leaf buttercream
chocolate cake with fig leaf buttercream
apricot almond cake with fig leaf buttercream
lemon poppy seed cake with fig leaf buttercream
oat chiffon cake with fig leaf buttercream
noyaux cake with cherry preserves and fig leaf buttercream
toasted flour cake with fig leaf buttercream
fig leaf buttercream
Ingredients
- 200 grams egg whites
- 350 grams sugar
- 452 grams butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 100g fig leaf oil, or more
Instructions
- Place a pot filled with water on the stove top and bring it to a boil. In your mixing bowl, thoroughly mix egg whites and sugar until well incorporated. Place mixing bowl on top of the pot and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves and it reaches 160°F (71°C). Using your finger, you can carefully rub some of the mixture between your fingers; you should not feel any sugar granules. Remove from the stove and attach it back to the standing mixer.
- Using the whisk attachment, begin to whip the cooked egg white and sugar mixture on high speed to cool it down. Continue to beat the mixture until you get stiff, glossy peaks (usually around 10-15 minutes). Once you reach the stiff peaks stage, slowly add 1 inch cubes of the room temp butter. Continue to beat on high for another 10 minutes. Add salt. Buttercream should be light, airy, and doubled in volume.
- To flavor with fig leaf, add 100g of fig leaf oil. Continue to beat until thoroughly combined. You may add additional fig leaf oil based on your preference for flavor.
