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German Buttercream

frosting buttercream german cake pastry
img of German Buttercream

German Buttercream is a rich, silky frosting made by combining pastry cream with whipped butter. It’s less sweet and wonderfully smooth, ideal for cakes and pastries.

Info

  • Prep Time: About 40–50 minutes
  • Cooling Time: 1–2 hours (for pastry cream)
  • Servings: Frosts 1 cake or 12–16 cupcakes
  • Calories: Varies per serving

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

  • Egg yolks – 60g (3 large)
  • White granulated sugar – 66g (⅓ cup)
  • Cornstarch – 12g (1 ½ tablespoons)
  • Whole milk – 244g (1 cup), cold is fine
  • Unsalted butter (1) – 14g (1 tablespoon)

Frosting Butter

  • Unsalted butter (2) – 339g (1 ½ cups), slightly softened
  • Powdered sugar – 80g (⅔ cup), unsifted
  • Vanilla extract – 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Fine sea salt – ⅛ teaspoon

Steps

Make the Pastry Cream

  1. Line a shallow tray with plastic wrap to cover the pastry cream later.
  2. In a heat-proof bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar immediately to prevent clumping. Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
  3. In a saucepan, heat milk on medium until bubbles form around the edges.
  4. Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in one-third of the hot milk. Then gradually add the rest of the milk while whisking.
  5. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously until it thickens. When the first bubble appears, cook for an additional minute per cup of milk.
  6. Remove from heat and whisk in unsalted butter (1).
  7. Strain the pastry cream through a sieve onto the prepared tray. Cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature (refrigerate to speed up).

Prepare the Butter Base

  1. In a stand mixer, whip unsalted butter (2) with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway. The butter should become pale and fluffy.
  2. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat again on medium-high speed for 1–2 minutes.

Combine Pastry Cream with Butter

  1. Once the pastry cream is at room temperature, gradually add it to the whipped butter in 2–3 portions, beating for about 1 minute after each addition.
  2. After all pastry cream is added, whip for another minute on high speed.

Final Smoothing

  1. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for a few minutes to smooth the buttercream and remove air bubbles.
  2. Taste and adjust for salt or vanilla as desired.

Notes

  • Ensure the pastry cream is fully cooled to room temperature before adding to the butter.
  • The frosting is perfect for layer cakes and delicate pastries due to its smooth, less sweet profile.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; re-whip before using.

Based on

  • Adapted from professional patisserie techniques and modern buttercream guides.