Rolled buttercream

They look like ghost cupcakes but they’re actually the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins I made the other day and their ghostly costume, favored by generations of kids at Halloween, is not rolled fondant. It’s rolled frosting, named buttercream even though it’s made without butter.

Let me back up. A friend who knows I enjoy making and working with fondant, but who also knows I am part of the majority that peels off fondant before eating what’s underneath, shot me an email with a recipe and Have you tried this?

I hadn’t. In fact I hadn’t heard of rolled buttercream, but a quick check online showed me these ingredients appear in many places. The finished product, using vegetable shortening and colorless vanilla extract, is pure white, more fragile than fondant and more palatable. It tastes a lot like “buttercream” on supermarket bakery cakes and is equally sweet, if not more so. It’s also faster and easier to make than fondant, which requires glycerine and gelatin, so I decided to see if this could replace it.

The verdict: sometimes. Because it’s softer and more fragile than fondant, it has to be rolled thicker, which makes it prone to the hairline cracks you can see in the photo. I’m not sure I would try to cover a layer cake with one piece; I’d probably use two, one for the top and one for the sides and join them. That could also address the issue of weight: it’s heavier than fondant. After 36 hours, one of the ghosts looked like a muffin with a white hat because the hanging buttercream broke away with its soft heaviness.

Flat seems to be the way to go with this and I can see using it for cutout cookies by simply cutting the same shapes from it. Like fondant, this will need at least a crumb coat beneath it to adhere, although I didn’t bother for the muffins because of their shape and the way I draped the buttercream.

That said, if your choices are this or commercial ready-to-use fondant, I’d go with this if there’s any chance of it being eaten. Wilton makes some fine products — I used their clear vanilla here — but their fondant isn’t one I’d use. It’s leathery and doesn’t taste good.

You can make this by hand, but a stand mixer makes the kneading effortless. A processor would probably work fine too.  By the way, I used the small end of a pastry tube to punch out the ghosts’ eyes and mouths; a straw or coffee stirrer would work as well.

Rolled Buttercream

I made half of this recipe, which yielded 1 pound, 7 ounces/660 g of buttercream, enough for 8 ghosts. Use the full recipe for enough to cover a layer cake.

1 cup/235 mL light corn syrup
1 cup/205 g vegetable shortening, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds/906 g confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, vegetable shortening, salt and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. If using a stand mixer, use the flat beater.

Add the confectioners’ sugar in 3 or 4 additions, beating well after each, until you have a somewhat stiff dough.

If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and knead for 1 – 2 minutes until the dough is satiny. If using a KitchenAid brand mixer, use Speed 2 only and do not exceed 2 minutes.

If kneading by hand, turn out onto a surface that’s been lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar and knead until smooth and satiny.

Can be used immediately or stored airtight at room temperature for several days. Can also be refrigerated; let come to room temperature before using.

To roll out the buttercream, sprinkle the work surface and the rolling pin with confectioners’ sugar as needed to prevent sticking.

Ella’s notes: It’s important to sift the powdered sugar before using it to prevent any lumps, bumps or blobs. I didn’t tint any of it but I think it would take color well.

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Tagged as: cupcakes, Halloween, muffins