Silky and rich with notes of caramel and a kiss of molasses, this brown sugar French style buttercream is the perfect winter buttercream! If French & Italian meringue buttercreams had a sultry, sexy sibling, this brown sugar French style buttercream is it! My advice, Put this luscious goodness on everything.
This French style buttercream recipe uses whole eggs, dark brown sugar, vanilla bean paste for so much amazing flavor depth. What I love about this silky buttercream is how light yet flavorful it is. It’s warm and cozy while being sophisticated and intriguing. This brown sugar French inspired buttercream compliments so many different cakes from apple spice to very vanilla to chocolate sponge and more! And it’s so easy to enhance this recipe with add ins like baking spices or maple syrup, or even alcohol like dark rum.
The process is simple, however, you will need a candy thermometer for the syrup stage.
Just like for traditional French and Italian buttercreams, You will be making a syrup out of the brown sugar and water. This syrup needs to come to 240 degrees F before it’s drizzled and tempered into the whipped eggs.
French buttercream is made with egg yolks and Italian Meringue buttercream is made with egg whites. This one uses the whole egg and let me tell you, it creates a best of both worlds type of hybrid frosting. You get that richness of a French buttercream that isn’t as rich or custard-like while having that light as air texture of an Italian style. This brown sugar French inspired butter cream is gorgeous and not too sweet. And it pipes like a dream.
This creamy buttercream uses whole eggs rather than egg yolks. This created a balanced and lighter buttercream that is truly incredible! And possibly the best frosting I’ve had!
Tips For Making French Style Buttercream
Make sure to use a large saucepan when making this. The brown sugar and water really bubble up and could overflow if you don’t have enough room.
Also, make sure that when you pour the hot syrup into the eggs that you do it slowly. What you want is a steady drizzle that’s thin and won’t scramble your eggs if added in too quickly.
Allow the mixture to whip until it’s just getting to room temperature before adding in room temperature butter. If you add the butter when the mixture is too warm it will get soupy. If you add it when it’s too cold then it could curdle. BUT, just keep whipping and it all will turn out a smooth in the end!
What if it gets soupy? You can pop the mixing bowl in the fridge and chill it for 5 minutes then try again.
What if it is too cold and curdles? You can either whisk it gently over a barely simmering pot of water. Or just keep whipping it with your mixer for awhile until it gets smooth.
Watch the video below to see the magic that is this brown sugar French style buttercream! Thanks for baking with me!
This buttercream can be made a few days in advance and kept refrigerated. To soften it up before piping just place it back into the mixer and whip it until it is smooth and silky.
Brown Sugar French Style Buttercream
Silky and rich with notes of caramel and a kiss of molasses, this brown sugar French style buttercream is the perfect winter buttercream!
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Dark brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup water
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 Cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 Teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
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Combine brown sugar and water in a large saucepan. Set over medium heat. Monitor this mixture with a candy thermometer.
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Place eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to whip them on medium high speed. They should triple in volume and be pale and fluffy.
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Keep mixer beating eggs on high. Once the brown sugar mixture comes to 240 degrees F, remove from the burner immediately. Then slowly pour it into the eggs. When pouring, pour no thicker than a pencil trickle in. Pour away from the whisk attachment so it doesn’t splatter.
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Then allow this to mix for approximately 5-8 minutes, until the bowl of mixer is getting close to room temp.
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Then begin adding butter by the tablespoon. Allow each pat of butter to incorporate before adding more. Beat mixture for an additional 5 minutes. It will be silky and smooth and glossy.
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Finish with the vanilla and salt. Beat one more minute. Then put the buttercream into a piping bag and use immediately.
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