Whipped Buttercream

I MAKES 3 /2 CUPS FROSTING, ENOUGH TO FROST AND FILL ONE 8 INCH LAYER CAKE OR TO FROST 24 CUPCAKES  

I love using this as a frosting or a filling because it is light and creamy, and less sweet than the Classic Americana Icing. It tastes just like whipped cream. 

Cream the butter on medium speed, 3 to 5 minutes, in a standing mixer or with a hand mixer until soft, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. 

In a small saucepan, combine V4 cup of the milk, the flour, and the vanilla extract, and whisk until there are no lumps. Over medium heat, slowly add the remaining V4 cup milk, whisking constantly, and cook until the mixture comes to a low boil. Then reduce the 

Immediately remove the pan from the heat, but keep stirring. 

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TO MAKE THE CAKE AS PICTURED ON PAGE 30, bake two batches of cake in 8- and 6-inch pans. It s best to use two of each size for two layers. Extra batter from the 6-inch cake can be used to fill a small tray filled with cupcake liners. Prepare the Love Blossom flowers a few days before (page 226) and the Vanilla Whipped Buttercream (page 84), tinted pale lemon yellow. Use at least three different colors for the flowers, in pink tones—or as I do for baby boy showers, shades of pale blue. Fill, frost, and chill the cakes, then follow the directions to tier the layers on page 242-... 

To BAKE THE CAKE AS PICTURED, prepare 4 batches of cake as follows 2 batches for two 12-inch pans, I batch for two 9-inch pans, I batch for two 6-inch pans. The filling is I batch of Espresso Whipped Buttercream (page 85), and the frosting is 2 l/2 batches of... 

Gut each cake into 3 layers. Prepare I V2 batches of Vanilla Whipped Buttercream. Place each layer on a cake round and brush them with the orange-flower water syrup. Spread V4 cup Vanilla Whipped Buttercream onto 2 of the 3 layers of each cake. Stack the layers so that you have 2 cakes, each with 3 cake layers and 2 buttercream layers. 

To make a crumb coat, cover each cake with a thin layer of Vanilla Whipped Buttercream. Chill again in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. 

For a recent a birthday party, I tinted Vanilla Whipped Buttercream (page 84) a pale yellow. After the party, the host called me to ask me about the yellow frosting. "It was so amazing what was it Little did she know that she had tasted it numerous times when it wasn t tinted a color. It s true after all People eat with their eyes, and simply tinting frosting can affect their taste buds. 

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