French Buttercream

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Learn how to make this silky smooth french buttercream frosting. An egg-yolk buttercream  can sound intimidating to make, but I have step by step photos for you so you can master this french buttercream frosting the first time out the gate. Take your cupcakes to a whole new level with this French Buttercream.

 

So when it comes to the art of sweets, the French do it best. And so of course, a French buttercream you know can’t disappoint.

Of course like a lot of things french, like macarons or madeleines, it can always sound a bit intimidating doesn’t it?

But it’s not at all. I promise. Let me pull back the buttercream curtain on this one and show you how it’s done.

What Is French Buttercream?

Besides being delicious? Well, french buttercream is an egg-yolk based buttercream that is made from heating sugar and water together to form a syrup that is then combined with the egg yolks to create a silky smooth buttercream.

It’s not as sweet as traditional buttercream and is more “custard” in texture and flavor.

What Is The Difference Between French and Italian Buttercream?

Well first of all let’s establish there are two major types of buttercream out there. A beaten butter method- like traditional American vanilla buttercream that uses powdered sugar to sweeten it, a flour buttercream (or ermine frosting) that is made by heating flour, milk, and sugar on the stove until it becomes a thick paste, and a German buttercream which is made by making a custard with egg yolks.

But then there are the egg-foam or cubed butter buttercreams. Like swiss meringue buttercream you may  have heard of? Well there is also then an Italian meringue buttercream and this French Buttercream.

If you want to master making all 6 buttercreams then be sure to check out my Buttercream Basics Guide!

Unlike it’s sister buttercreams, swiss and italian, french buttercream gets it richness and it’s color from using egg yolks that are whisked into a foam.

You will heat a sugar water syrup over the stove and then drizzle that into the egg-yolk foam, with the mixer running (so a stand mixer is recommended, but you will see by my step by step photos it can be done with a hand mxier if that’s all you got).

Of course, because it uses egg yolks, it’s recommended you use pasteurized eggs because of the risk of salmonella. Pouring the hot sugar syrup into your egg yolks, probably doesn’t get the temperature up to the recommended 160ยบF temperature to kill any bacteria.

You can read more about the different types of frosting here.

What if I can’t find pasteurized eggs?

If you are worried, or can’t find pasteurized eggs you can also try making this buttercream using the swiss meringue method which is to heat the sugar with the egg yolks over a double boiler until the temperature reaches 160ยบF.

You can also pasteurize your eggs at home with this easy tutorial!

Once you have added the hot syrup, then you will mix until it is cooled then add in your cubed butter. It’s important to not add your butter to early before the mixture has had time to cool because then you will have just a soupy mess on your hands!

This buttercream is light, and silky and less sweet than a traditional American buttercream and totally worth giving it a try.

Vanilla Cupcake with french buttercream and sprinkles


 

A Breakdown of French Buttercream

Taste: Rich in flavor due to the use of egg yolks, and mildly sweet

Texture: Silky smooth and light in texture

Difficulty: This buttercream is also one of the more difficult to make.

Pros: Great flavor and texture:

Cons: Does not hold up heat well, can be a bit more difficult to pipe more intricate decorations with (aka buttercream flowers). The buttercream has a bit of a pale yellow color that is not ideal and a bit more difficult to tint with color.

How To Make French Buttercream

Here is a step by step photo tutorial for you to master french buttercream!

Step 1: Gather your ingredients.

Here is a picture of the ingredients you will need for this buttercream. You will need softened unsalted butter, granulated white sugar, pure vanilla extract, and egg yolks (the water for the syrup in step 1 is not pictured)

Butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks

Step 2:  Make your sugar syrup

Combine your sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then increase your heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.

saucepan and spoon with sugar and water mixed together

Step 3: Whisk your egg yolks into a foam.

You will do this in your stand mixer or medium sized bowl if using a hand mixer. You can even do this with a whisk at this point if you want. The egg yolks will be a bit foamy and pale yellow.

Egg Yolks in a bowl with a spatula

Step 4: Stream in your hot sugar syrup.

You want to do this step with the mixer running. So if you have a stand mixer, it’s recommended. If you have a hand mixer only, I recommend you add a little at a time, mix, then repeat.

Pro Tip:  Don’t  add all the mixture at once or you will end with scrambled eggs instead! Your mixture should increase in volume, and become a lot lighter in color. 

Egg yolks whipped in a metal bowl

Step 5: Add in your cubed butter

You want to continue to mix to bring the temperature down before adding the butter.

Pro Tip: Feel the bottom of the bowl.  Does it feel cool? Now you can add in the butter, just a few tablespoons at a time.

Mix the butter in, and continue to add the butter until all has been added and incorporated.

Butter added to a metal bowl of egg yolks

Step 6: Continue mixing until light and creamy.

This step may take about 5 minutes or so, longer if you are using a hand mixer. And don’t forget to stir in a bit of pure vanilla extract.

vanilla extract added to bowl of french buttercream

Step 7: Time To Frost!

For the cupcake picture below I used my go to vanilla cupcake recipe. But you can use really any cupcake you want. Maybe my one bowl chocolate cupcake recipe instead?

Vanilla cupcake with French buttercream and sprinkles

Tips On How To Make French Buttercream:

  • You will need to use just egg yolks in this frosting recipe. For help on separate your eggs cleanly, read how to separate eggs (6 ways!).
  • Be sure to add the hot sugar syrup gradually to the egg yolk mixture. Otherwise you will just have scrambled eggs on your hand!
  • Make sure your sugar-egg mixture is cool enough before adding the butter. Feel the bottom of the bowl before adding your butter. If it’s warm, wait a bit more!
  • If your mixture separates when adding the butter, continue to mix. It will come together! You can also try putting your bowl of frosting in the fridge to cool down, then try re-whipping again.

What Can I Use French Buttercream For?

Really anything you would normally put buttercream on! From filling french macarons, to a vanilla cupcake, to your favorite chocolate cake

Can I Make French Buttercream Without A Candy Thermometer?

A candy thermometer is the BEST way to ensure you have reached the correct temperature, but what we are essentially doing is getting the sugar syrup to a “softball stage”. So if you don’t have a thermometer you can:

  • Look for the bubbles on the surface. The bubbles will get bigger and happen more slowly.
  • Drop a spoonful into a glass of cold water to test it. 
    1. If the sugar dissolves –> it’s not ready.
    2. If the sugar forms a soft ball in your fingers –> it’s ready!
    3. If the sugar forms a hard ball –> sorry, you’ve gone too far ๐Ÿ™

Can You Freeze French Buttercream?

Yes! Absolutely. I always make buttercream in advance. You can make this buttercream up to 2 months ahead of time. Read how to store your buttercream below…

How Long Can French Buttercream Sit Out?

If I am using the buttercream within two days I will store covered at room temperature.

If I am using within a week I will store the buttercream in my refrigerator. You may need to re-whip again in your stand mixer to get to that desired consistency.

If I am not using the buttercream within a week, I will store in a container in my freezer for up to 2 months. I will then allow the buttercream to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and whip back to desired consistency.

Want to learn more? Check out these articles!

If you need helping frosting that cupcake then check out this post (+ video!) on how to frost the perfect cupcake. And if you need help in baking the perfect cupcake, here are 15 tips in baking the perfect cupcakes as well.

If you like this tutorial, then be sure to leave me a comment and star rating below..and before you go I have something for you ๐Ÿ™‚

And don’t forget to grab a copy of my Buttercream Basics Guide and master making buttercream once and for all!


Get The Guide Now!

French Buttercream

French Buttercream

A French buttercream made by whisking a hot sugar syrup into an egg-yolk foam! Silky, smooth and mildly sweet.
4.93 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup (226 grams, 2 sticks unsalted butter) cubed and softened at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • mixer
  • wilton 2d tip

Instructions

  • Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear. Increase heat to medium-high and allow syrup to come to a boil.
  • Place yolks in the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the whisk (or, if using a handheld mixer, in a medium mixing bowl) and beat until thick and foamy.
  • Cook syrup until it registers 235ยฐF, then immediately remove from heat. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle hot syrup into the bowl with the yolks: don’t pour the syrup onto the whisk, or the syrup may splatter against the sides of the bowl; instead, aim for a spot close to the whisk.
  • Once all the syrup has been added, keep mixing until the bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch and the yolk mixture has cooled to room temperature.
  • Add butter one cube at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and salt. Continue mixing until the buttercream looks smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. (If the buttercream separates, keep mixing: it will come together eventually.)

Video

Notes

  • Be sure to add the hot sugar syrup gradually to the egg yolk mixture. Otherwise you will just have scrambled eggs on your hand!
  • Make sure your sugar-egg mixture is cool enough before adding the butter. Feel the bottom of the bowl before adding your butter. If it’s warm, wait a bit more!
  • If your mixture seperates when adding the butter, continue to mix. It will come together! You can also try putting your bowl of frosting in the fridge to cool down, then try re-whipping again.
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BostonGirlBakes or tag #BostonGirlBakes!


 

40 Comments

  1. Hello,
    Thank you for this awesome recipe and tutorial! Question: Im making an ice cream cake and my daughter wants this icing. Can I frost it and then freeze ok you think?

    1. Yes, you can freeze for up to two months!

  2. 4 stars
    Tasty recipe. I find one error exists as 1/2 cup is 100 grams and not the 50 grams shown in recipe for granulated sugar.

    1. Thank you Kathy for letting me know I’ll be sure to fix and update ๐Ÿ™‚ glad you liked the recipe!

  3. Nick preston says:

    The video left out an important step, the drizzling of the sugar mixture. Other than that, good video!

    1. Ooh thank you for letting me know Nick..I’ll be sure to add in a note about that

  4. 5 stars
    It’s looks so delicious and nice article! They are really amazing french buttercream. Thanks for sharing more update!

  5. I just made your French Buttercream recipe and it was delicious! Your recipe was so easy to follow! Thank you for sharing!

  6. THERESA SMITH says:

    Can I add cream cheese to this frosting for carrot cake?

    1. Hi Theresa I have used cream cheese before, but I would try swapping half of the butter for it if I was going to try it. Let me know how it goes!

  7. Janet Landry says:

    5 stars
    Excellent tutorial! Thank you! I’ve tried American, and Italian buttercreams, and this is by far the best. Wonderful taste.

    1. THank you Janet! I’m so glad you loved the recipe!

  8. You wrote 1 cup 2 sticks butter. Is that 1 cup + 2 sticks ? or the fact that 2 sticks = 1 cup meaning just 1 cup butter and not 2

    1. Sorry about the confusion Anu! There should be parantheses there to separate out the different version of the measurement. So you are correct it’s 1 cup (or 2 sticks since each stick of butter is 1/2 cup if you measure that way).

  9. 5 stars
    Hello Heather!!

    I loved your French buttercream recipe!
    I recently wrote an article about how to make a small batch cream cheese frosting and I linked back to your blog in case people were curious about the French meringue frosting!

    Have a great rest of your day ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. That’s so wonderful! Thanks for the link and I will have to check out the article ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Kathleen Russell says:

    Are you able to add color to this recipe? Can I pipe flowers with this recipe?

    1. Hi Kathleen! I haven’t before, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. Because of the yellow tint due to the egg yolks you might just need to add more than normal. I would recommend usign gel food coloring so as not to add extra liquid. I think it might be too soft though to possibly pipe flowers with..but I haven’t tried.

  11. This is just a beautiful classic. How absolutely yummy and pretty lost on this hemisphere. Thanks for sharing !

    1. Aw thank you! Yes it’s definitely not a buttercream I grew up with but I’m so glad that I have discovered it.

  12. 5 stars
    I had no idea how different French buttercream was .. great tutorial and super informative. This seems very easy to make and I can’t wait to try this recipe..

    1. Hi Heather! Thank you glad you liked the tutorial. Yes it’s not as hard as it seems ๐Ÿ™‚

  13. 5 stars
    I always wanted to learn how to make buttercream properly. Glad i found your instructions. Actually its pretty easy to make!

    1. Oh so glad to hear it Ruchi! Yes it’s not that hard to make ๐Ÿ™‚ hope you like it!

  14. Amanda Mason says:

    This is probably the most informative post I’ve read on how to make buttercream!! I love that you listed the difficulty level of this recipe but I’m trying to step up my game so this is right up my alley! Love that you explained the difference between French and Italian buttercream! Great article. Thanks so much for this one!

    1. Thanks Amanda! Glad you found the info helpful and hope you like it!

  15. 5 stars
    I’ve never heard of an egg yolk buttercream! I love swiss meringue buttercream and of course, american buttercream is always an easy go to but we welcome a challenge in this kitchen! The upcoming snow day will be a perfect time to practice (we’re in Boston too!) . I love your tip about making the buttercream in advance and freezing it! I have a big cake project to do this month and that is EXACTLY what I’m going to do!

    1. Heather Perine says:

      Hi Lauren! It’s so nice to hear from a fellow Bostonian. Yes it’s definitely different than your traditional American buttercream. But yes a bit more involved but totally worth trying. Yes enjoy making this on your snow day. I’m buried as well right now ๐Ÿ™‚ So I’ll be in the kitchen as well. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!

  16. 5 stars
    Thank you for the step-by-step instructions. You make it look so easy that I am going to have to give this a try.

    1. You’re welcome Deseree! Hope you like it!

  17. 5 stars
    This frosting looks amazing! I would lick the bowl clean and have to make more.

    1. Thanks Jacque..and no judgement here on licking the bowl ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. 5 stars
    This is a great step by step tutorial! And I had no idea there were so many butter creams, so thanks for explaining that, too.

    1. Hi Colleen! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚ Yes much more than most think. If you’re like me you grew up thinking there was one kind only. This is definitely a more advanced buttercream but totally worth it.

  19. 5 stars
    This is such a great tutorial for French buttercream. I’m not the best baker and have only made the American style buttercream, but this looks and sounds so tasty I may have to try it x

    1. Aw thanks Michelle! You definitely need to try this buttercream. ๐Ÿ™‚

  20. Karyl Henry says:

    I had no idea there were so many different types of buttercream! And I also had no idea it was this easy to make. These step by step directions are perfect for the novice like me.

    1. Hi Karyl! Yes this is a bit different than your traditional American buttercream, but it’s so rich and totally worth trying. Yes glad you like the step by step photos too!

4.93 from 13 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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