My buttercream kept splitting until I tried something with the mixer speed

I was making a big batch of Swiss meringue buttercream for a wedding cake last Friday, and it kept turning into a greasy mess after adding the butter. I read online to try warming the bowl slightly, but that didn't help. On my third try, I stopped the mixer completely and let the whole bowl sit at room temp for about 15 minutes. Then I started mixing again on the lowest speed, and it came together perfectly in under a minute. Has anyone else found that just letting it rest fixes a split frosting?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor_carr259d ago

Oh totally, the rest period is key! I had the same thing happen with American buttercream last month when my kitchen was too warm. It looked curdled and oily no matter how long I mixed. I turned the mixer off, walked away for like 20 minutes, and then started on low. It smoothed right out. I guess it lets the butter firm up just enough so it can emulsify properly. That low speed trick at the end is a lifesaver.

tarajenkins9d ago

My friend had that exact issue last week and @victor_carr25's advice about the rest period totally saved her cake.