Swiss Meringue Buttercream For Sprinkle Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment*. Dust with flour and knock out the excess flour. *NOTE: I use parchment paper, but instead of buttering and flouring my cake pans, I trust "Baker's Joy" (easily found at WalMart) Whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl, add egg, and beat until just combined. In a small bowl, whisk together ice-cold water, milk, and buttermilk. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with water mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl. With mixer on medium speed, beat for a few seconds to incorporate. Remove bowl from stand mixer, scatter sprinkles across the top of the batter, and fold them in with a rubber spatula. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar just until soft peaks form; do not over-beat. Gently fold egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake, rotating pans halfway through baking time, until a toothpick inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes Transfer cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack, remove from pans, and let cool completely. Remove parchment. Place one cooled cake layer on a cake turntable (or a serving platter). Using a serrated knife, trim top of cake to create a flat surface, and evenly spread about 1 cup of buttercream over top. Add next layer, trim it, and frost it as before, then add third layer (trim the final layer for a completely flat top, or feel free to leave it domed for an old-school appearance). For the Swiss Meringue: Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips). Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes. With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. To finish the cake: Place turntable on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Frost sides and top with remaining buttercream. Grab a fistful of sprinkles and turn the turntable with your free hand while tossing the sprinkles at sides of cake. Using the sprinkles that are on the parchment (sprinkles that didn't stick), continue turning and throwing until cake (including the top) is covered in sprinkles. NOTE: I like to place a baking sheet underneath the cake, so easily grab any fallen sprinkles Chill the cake for about 5 minutes to set before serving.

Steps:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day.

Steps:

• Heat sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
• Return bowl to mixer, and whisk, gradually increasing speed from low to medium-high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Switch to a paddle attachment. Beat until air bubbles are gone, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Beat in food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until desired color is achieved. (If making more than 1 color, divide buttercream and work in batches.)

Steps:

• Wipe the bowl of an electric stand mixer and the whisk attachment with lemon juice to remove any trace of grease. Add sugar and egg whites to the bowl.
• Whisk sugar and egg whites together in the bowl of the stand mixer over simmering water, whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), about 10 minutes. Return bowl to the stand mixer.
• Whisk sugar-egg white mixture in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until mixture is thick, glossy, and temperature of outside of bowl is room temperature. Change attachment to the paddle attachment and continue mixing on low speed. Add butter, 1 cube at a time; mix until silky-smooth. If mixture curdles, continue mixing and it will return to smooth.
• Pour vanilla extract and sprinkle salt into butter-sugar mixture; beat until fully incorporated.