| |

How to Make German Buttercream Recipe |Science+Video|

ByHani Updated on
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

German buttercream is my childhood favorite. It’s silky-smooth, custard-based frosting made by whipping butter into a rich egg-and-starch custard. You’ll be surprised by how light and not overly sweet it is. Versatile and reliable, it’s perfect for filling, frosting, and piping details and swirls onto cakes.

How to make Vanilla German Buttercream

Featured Comment – “I grew up eating cakes with German buttercream. It has a delicate yet rich flavor that American buttercream does not have. I’ve tried for years to find a recipe that came close. This was so simple to make and absolutely delicious!” Bree

WHAT IS GERMAN BUTTERCREAM AND WHY I LOVE IT

  • Enriched custard buttercream – In simple terms, this buttercream is made by beating butter into a thick, rich, egg and starch-based custard, aerating it into a silky-smooth buttercream.
  • Not too sweet – If you are not a fan of heavy or overly sweet buttercream, you need to try this. It’s light and silky-smooth, with a subtle sweetness.
  • Versatile – You can use it to fill cream puffs, eclairs, cakes, or pastries. It pairs well with fruit, and the chocolate variation is my go-to recipe for Dobos Cake.
  • Stable – Desserts made with German buttercream keep well at room temperature for 2 days.
  • Pipeable -It also pipes beautifully on cupcakes and cakes.
  • Freezer-Friendly – I often make a large batch and freeze the leftovers for later.

SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Eggless alternative – Growing up, I often helped my mom or my grandmother make it with a pudding mix; they didn’t use any eggs because eggs were expensive. The idea was to use the pudding in place of an egg-rich custard, then beat the butter into the cooled pudding. That’s why you’ll hear me refer to it as pudding buttercream.
  • Pudding (not instant) – I’m referring to puddings like Dr. Oetker’s that are made with a thickening agent (cornstarch), a yellow/orange color (beta-carotene), flavoring, and salt. To make a thick pudding, mix 74-80 grams of pudding mix (usually 2 packets) with 2 cups (500 ml/grams) of milk.
  • Bird’s Custard Powder – Is vegan and doesn’t contain gluten, and these are the ingredients: Maize Starch (cornstarch), Salt, Color (Annatto Norbixin), Flavoring, and according to the manufacturer, it thickens using Dairy Milk, Goat’s Milk, Soya Milk, Rice Milk, and Lactose Free Milk.
  • Milk substitutions – It’s perfectly fine to use a dairy-free milk alternative. Keep in mind that the milk’s flavor might slightly affect the buttercream’s flavor. Oat milk and unsweetened soy milk are quite neutral in taste and yield optimal results.
  • Butter substitutions – Use vegan butter (Earth Balance, for example).
  • Gluten-Free – My recipe relies on cornstarch and flour to create starch-bound custard. If you need a gluten-free version, you can replace flour with a starch.

INGREDIENTS

  • Custard
    • Milk – I prefer to use whole milk. Reduced-fat milk can also be used, but it yields slightly less rich custard. If you’re using reduced-fat milk, you can enrich it by adding an extra egg yolk or two. Alternatively, you can replace part of the milk with whipping or heavy cream. I don’t recommend using fat-free milk. It produces custard that lacks depth.
    • Egg yolks (from large eggs) – Eggs help thicken the mixture and act as an emulsifier, adding richness and creaminess while also giving the buttercream its signature subtle yellow color.
    • Granulated Sugar – It seems so obvious, it sweetens the custard. But, hold your horses, there is more to the sugar than meets the eye. Sugar helps delay egg coagulation by coating the proteins, essentially preventing the custard from turning into scrambled eggs. And sugar also helps balance the flavors.
    • Thickening Agents – I use cornstarch and flour to thicken the custard. A combination of both provides just the right amount of stability and creaminess, and it’s neither too opaque nor too clear.
      • Cornstarch is a pure starch and helps thicken custard through thru gelatinization process, which is why the mixture looks kind of like a gel and is somewhat clear in appearance. It is ubiquitous in pudding mixes and a reliable thickener for puddings, sauces, and more. The issue arises when a cornstarch-based custard sits for too long. Over time, a process called retrogradation occurs. It’s when starch molecules begin to crystallize and release water, causing the custard to lose some of its structure and become a bit thinner. This can weaken the buttercream’s stability, which is why I like to include a second thickening agent.
      • Flour – I use it because it makes custard luxuriously creamy and opaque, and, most importantly, it is more stable than cornstarch. Flour contains protein, and the presence of gluten provides a more reliable, resilient structure.
  • Butter Mixture
    • Unsalted butter at room temperature – If you haven’t made this buttercream recipe before, try a 2:1 (custard-to-butter) ratio first. And if you prefer a more buttery, richer taste, increase the butter to a 1:1 (custard-to-butter) ratio.
    • Powdered Sugar – I also use powdered sugar in this recipe; it adds more stability to the finished buttercream, and it allows me to increase the sweetness if needed.
    • Vanilla Flavoring – You can use Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste; if you don’t have either, you can omit 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar and use well-pulverized Vanilla sugar instead.
    • Salt – Add salt to balance the sweetness.

THINGS YOU NEED

This post contains Amazon affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love. Learn more about my affiliate policy here.

CUSTARD/PUDDING

I start by whisking together the milk, sugar, and egg yolks. To prevent lumps, I mix the flour and cornstarch into about 1/2 cup of this mixture until smooth, then pour it back into the remaining liquid and whisk to combine.

Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. Once it comes to a gentle boil, reduce the heat and cook for another 2–3 minutes to cook off the floury and starchy taste. The mixture will be thick. Remove from the heat and immediately strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing it through with a silicone spatula. Discard any cooked egg bits left behind. Cover the custard directly with plastic wrap, pressing it onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

COOL CUSTARD

Before combining the custard with butter, let it cool to room temperature. To speed this up, place the bowl in a cold water bath or refrigerate it instead.

How to cool pudding

CREAM BUTTER AND CUSTARD

One key lesson I’ve learned from making this buttercream for years is that both the butter and custard must be at room temperature for a smooth, silky texture and buttercream that doesn’t curdle or separate.

Start by creaming room-temperature unsalted butter with powdered sugar, then gradually mix in the room-temperature custard using a wire beater. Finish with vanilla extract, and if you have it, a little vanilla bean paste for an extra boost of flavor.

To quickly bring refrigerated custard to room temperature, microwave it in 5-second intervals, stirring gently between each burst. It usually takes about 10 seconds total.

This buttercream is not overly sweet. If you prefer sweeter taste, add 1/2 cup more powdered sugar.

delicious buttercream

COLORING AND PIPING WITH BUTTERCREAM

  • You can color German Buttercream with gel food colors and use a wide range of piping tips to create pretty piped designs.
  • Just like any other buttercream, heat will make German Buttercream softer.
  • If you notice the buttercream is getting softer as you pipe with it, place it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
Pipe swirls with German Buttercream

CAN I USE IF TO DECORATE A CAKE

German Buttercream can be used to ice the outside of the cake. However, it is a bit different to work with than Swiss Buttercream. It is more elastic. I’ve used it to ice my Brushstroke Ghost Cake (via YouTube).

How to make Ghost Brushstroke cake for Halloween

HOW TO MAKE WHITE BUTTERCREAM

German Buttercream has a creamy color with a yellow tint. Personally, it doesn’t bother me. But I know you might occasionally want pure white buttercream instead. To remedy off-white buttercream, you can either add White food coloring or, if you are brave enough, add a minuscule amount of Violet or Purple. By minuscule, I mean a tip of a toothpick dipped in food coloring.

  • First and foremost, if you are planning to neutralize yellow with purple, test it on a small portion of buttercream. If I don’t have purple, use sky blue and electric pink instead.
  • You can see my results in the picture below. Notice whiter buttercream in the middle?

HOW TO MAKE DIFFERENT BUTTERCREAM FLAVORS

If you like to play with different buttercream flavors, try infusing milk. You can try coffee beans, mint, vanilla beans, and lavender. Or, as one reader suggests in the comments section, replace some of the milk with condensed milk. Or use concentrated, reduced fruit purees or thick caramel sauce, about 1/2 cup per batch.

Recipe for basic Vanilla German Buttercream

SUCCESS TIPS

How long does buttercream keep?

It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Let it come to room temperature before using. A cake frosted with buttercream can be kept at room temperature for 2 days.

Can you freeze German buttercream?

Yes, it can be made ahead of time. It can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let it defrost on the counter overnight and re-whip before using.

My buttercream looks broken; it looks separated.

If the buttercream looks broken or separated, gently warm it to help it come back together. Heat it in 5-second intervals in the microwave or over a pot of simmering water, whisking well after each interval until it becomes smooth and emulsified.
Alternatively, warm about 1/2 cup of the buttercream for 5–10 seconds, then beat it back into the remaining portion until fully combined and silky again.

Butter to custard Ratio

2:1 Custard to Butter is a ratio that yields a light, silky smooth texture.
1:1 Custard to Butter yields rich and slightly heavier buttercream.

Buttercream becomes runny

Excessive stirring of cooling custard, especially one made with only cornstarch, can make it runny.

Whipped Vanilla German Buttercream in a bowl
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

German Buttercream

Makes 4-5 cups of custard-based buttercream.
Course Dessert, Frosting
Cuisine American, Slovak
Keyword buttercream, custard, frosting
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling 2 hours
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 5 cups
Author Hani Bacova

Ingredients

Custard

  • 2 cups milk 500 ml/grams
  • 4 eggs from large eggs
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch 25 grams
  • 3 tbsp flour 27 grams

Buttercream

  • 2 cups room temperature butter 452 grams
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 120-125 grams, use more for sweeter buttercream
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

Instructions

Custard

  • In a saucepan, whisk together milk (2 cups, 500 grams), egg yolks (4), granulated sugar (3/4cup, 150 grams), and salt (1/8tsp).
    Pour about 1/2 of this mixture into a dish. Into it, then add starch (3tbsp, 25 grams) and flour (3tbsp, 27 grams). Whisk well so there are no lumps.
    Pour the flour/starch mixture into the remaining milk mixture in a saucepan and combine.
  • Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. Custard will gradually thicken. I find it's best to use a whisk.
    Bring it to a boil. The mixture will be thick, so look for a bubble that pops, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cover tightly with a plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature.
  • To speed up the cooling process, you can place the custard into a cold water bath. Or, if you plan to make the buttercream the next day, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate it overnight.
    If you refrigerate the custard, let it come back to room temperature before mixing it with the butter. To speed things up, I microwave the cold custard in 5-second intervals, stirring gently after each heating until it’s smooth and room temperature, but not warm.

Blend Custard and Butter

  • Using a wire beater, beat room-temperature unsalted butter (2 cups, 4 sticks, 452 grams) for 15-30 seconds.
    Then add powdered sugar (1 cup, 125 grams) and beat on low until fully incorporated into the butter. Increase the speed to medium and beat for a couple of minutes.
  • Gradually add room-temperature custard to butter, creaming well after each addition.
    Once fully blended, beat in Vanilla Extract and/or Vanilla Bean Paste.
    Beat on high for 10 seconds. German buttercream is ready.
    To eliminate air bubbles, switch to a paddle attachment and let it run on low speed for 5 minutes.

Video

Notes

  • Storage – It’s okay to leave it at room temperature. It’s a fully cooked buttercream. You can leave it at room temperature for up to 2 days.
  • Fridge – Store in the fridge for up to 10 days. Let it come to room temperature, then remix till smooth.
  • Freezer – Freeze for up to 3 months. Let defrost, and remix before using.
  • Separated buttercream – This usually happens when there is too much of a temperature difference between the butter and the custard. The quickest way to fix separated buttercream is to melt about ½ cup of the broken buttercream until smooth and fluid. With the mixer running on low to medium speed, slowly pour the melted mixture back into the remaining buttercream. Then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 1–2 minutes, until the buttercream becomes smooth and fully emulsified again. Separation can also surface after freezing and thawing the buttercream.
  • German Buttercream Uses
  • Filling for cream puff, cakes.
  • Piped swirls on cupcakes and cakes.
  • It pipes beautifully on cakes and cupcakes.
  • You can frost the cake with it. I’ve done this in the past, though I find it a bit more elastic than Swiss or American Buttercream.
  • Can I color German Buttercream? – Yes, you can color this buttercream. I use gel food colors.

PIN IT for later

Hi, I’m Hani

Welcome!
Thank you for visiting Haniela’s. On my blog, you’ll find delicious sweet & savory recipes made with simple ingredients. Why not start a new adventure? Discover a world of cookie decorating with my step-by-step tutorials.

Read more about me

Hi, I’m Hani

Welcome!
Thank you for visiting Haniela’s. On my blog, you’ll find delicious sweet & savory recipes made with simple ingredients. Why not start a new adventure? Discover a world of cookie decorating with my step-by-step tutorials.

Read more about me

Similar Posts

111 Comments

    1. Hi Leah,
      Hard to say, what temperature are we talking about?
      I actually tested it and left it outside in a small bowl in a heat of 89F(31C) and it became very soft. You can however substitute some of the butter for shortening, that would make it more heat stable.

      Reply

  2. Read over everything but couldn’t find my answer. Does it have to be whole milk? I normally use 1% milk as that is what I drink. Can I use that?

    Reply

  3. I grew up eating cakes with German buttercream. It has a delicate yet rich flavor that American buttercream does not have. I’ve tried for years to find a recipe that came close. This was so simple to make and absolutely delicious! It’s still a little sweet for my taste, so next time I’ll try 3/4 C of the powdered sugar. I did experiment and divide into containers adding lemon extract to one, almond extract to one, and then another I dissolved espresso powder in a little water and mixed in. They all turned out great! Next time I will try I to infuse the milk. I was just impatient.

    Thank you for posting such a wonderful recipe. The cake I grew up on is from a cafe and bakery in Indianapolis. I live about 1,000 miles away now, but my first stop when I fly home is to get a slice of German cake with that amazing buttercream.

    Reply

    1. Hi Bree,
      I’m so glad you like it. And I really enjoyed reading your comment, your enthusiasm is contagious, thank you so much. By German Cake do you mean German Chocolate Cake?
      Yes, you can definitely make it a little less sweet.

      Reply

  4. Hi can this be frozen and used for later? Also can I use custard powder mix instead of making the custard from scratch if I’m in a hurry?

    Reply

    1. Hi Alice, yes, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Re-beat before using. I assume custard powder you have is made from starch, food coloring and milk powder, maybe vanilla powder, right? Though I haven’t used it myself I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. The only trick would be to get the right ratio of liquid to custard powder so the custard has the thick consistency. Hope that helps. Thank you.

      Reply

  5. Love love love the butter cream ! I have never taste anything like this especially this was a first time I made. Thank you !

    Reply

  6. I am an Italian buttercream loyalist, but this looks delish! One question, does this “crust” similar to American buttercream due to the powdered sugar, or does the custard keep it velvety and smooth?

    Reply

    1. Hi Gretchen,
      this buttercream doesn’t crust like American Buttercream. However it hardens in the fridge because of butter content.

      Reply

  8. I was making the custard part and it thickened a lot in the sauce pan while cooking. The texture resembles a thick pudding and I cannot put it threw a strainer. Any idea what I did wrong?

    Reply

    1. Hi, what brand of corn starch did you use? Consistency should be like thick pudding and is it cools it becomes even thicker. If you could send me a picture that would be helpful.

      Reply

  9. Hi Hani ~ it’s been while since i was on your site; so glad i viewed again. I have been wanting to try your cut-out cookie recipe/recipes. There are so many out there and wanted the best one for the holidays, I guess it depends on preference/taste. I am going to try your recipe. Thank you for the break-down and explanation on your recipes; it really helps to make without hopeful failures. You are truly talented baker.

    Reply

  10. I would love to make this German Buttercream, but need to omit the flour. What could I substitute for the flour in this recipe? I have almond flour? Coconut Flour? Would one of these flours be an alternate?
    Some of my family members are gluten-intolerant, and I try to make some of my bakes that cater to their needs. Hope to hear from you soon. I would like to make some goodies for family and friends. Thanks in advance.

    Reply

  11. A few questions can I do a drip edge with candy melts on this frosting? Will it hold fondant details on top? And what do you use for a dam so the layers don’t bulge? Thanks in advance!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Bailee
      If small fondant decorations will be fine however if you plan on covering the cake with fondant I’d use Swiss Buttercream of Ganache instead. As far as the drips go yes those are fine just make sure cake is well chilled so buttercream is firm. Hope it helps. Thank you. If you need to make a dam ring I usually use cake crumbs mixed with buttercream. Hope it helps.

      Reply

    1. Hi Grace, you know I think it could be used but because of the moisture content I’d think it might make shells soggy overtime but I maybe wrong. I haven’t tried it macarons. I kind of prefer flavored ganache. Thank you. Hope it helps.

      Reply

  14. What could be the problem if it doesn’t whip up ? Did everything exactly how it written but it’s to runny can I fix it

    Reply

      2. Was butter and custard about same temperature when mixed? Cake batter sound good!:-)

      4. I’m having the same problem, my frosting looks like cake batter. I nuked the custard to make it room temp, the same as the butter but it’s not coming together. Any help would greatly appreciated.

      5. Hi Lisa,
        Can you send me a picture, please? Is there a separation of butter and custard?
        Try this cold bath- fill a large bowl with cold water and throw in some ice cubes as well. Then place in the bowl with curdled buttercream, and whisk. From my experience cold bath will cause butter to firm up and it will either come together into a smooth buttercream as you are whisking. Or butter will separate from the custard, what I mean by that is that butter will not get emulsified with custard. Then you’ll have to microwave mixture at 5 second intervals at 50%power, whisking thoroughly after each heating, taking care not to overheat though. Or instead of microwaving you can use a gentle heat by using lukewarm bath-just like with cold bath. Whisking constantly.

  15. Hi! I’m making this today with pound cake layers. I’ve tried for 30 yrs to get the perfect frosting for a pound cake….thanks for the recipe and I’ll let you know how well it works!

    Reply

  16. Hi!
    I wonder if I can use this buttercream under fondant when making a cake, and if it would be ok to do so the day before and refrigirate the cake overnight, or i need to add the fondant the last minute. I guess my question is, is this buttercream more moist than the american one? Kan it lead to dissolving of the fondant?

    Thank you for the tasty idea!
    Angeliki

    Reply

    1. Hi Angeliki,
      I don’t normally use this buttercream under fondant, though someone on FB commented they use under fondant and it’s fine.

      Reply

    1. Hi Laurie, good question. It would work but I think cake wafers would get soft, absorbing moisture from the buttercream. I’m actually working on a recipe using cake wafers, but it won’t be out for several more weeks.

      Reply

  18. It looks Yummy! I love custard so I will try this buttercream for sure. If I use a custard made by a bakery ( so delicious ), how much do I need to make the buttercream?

    Reply

  19. Hi Hani!
    It looks delicious!
    A have one question: I want to make a birthday cake – a 3 tier 7 inch round cake. Is this amount of cream enough for this?
    Thanks for the answers and this recipe!

    Reply

  20. It seem this is the recipe for the custard part only. How much butter and powdered sugar is used?

    Reply

    1. Chandra, I highlighted the section with butter and powdered sugar in the recipe box so it’s easier to spot. Hope it helps. Thanks.

      Reply

  21. Hi Hani,
    My question is can you frost the cupcakes and then store them in the freezer for later use?

    Thank you
    Barbara B

    Reply

  22. Hi, with the eggs in the custard does this buttercream require refrigeration once on the cake or is it considered cooked?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jackie,
      yes it is cooked buttercream. Can be kept at room temperature for 2 days, I would refrigerate after 2 days. Thanks

      Reply

      1. Hello! You mention in the recipe that you have made this into a Caramel version, could you share the modifications to the recipe? My daughter is getting married in 2 weeks, spent a year in Germany as an exchange student, now works for the German Travel site,… this would be the perfect frosting for the cake flavor she had chosen. (I’m an experienced cake decorator, and usually have time to experiment with recipes, but not right now, lol) Thank you so much!

      2. Hi Linda,
        it’s really simple. Use more about 1 1/2 cup to cups granulated sugar (you may need use less powdered sugar to cream butter, depends on how sweet you want the buttercream) to make the caramel and then add milk to it, let the caramel dissolve into 1/2 of the milk, it may take few minutes, then mix egg yolks,starch, flour salt with rest of the milk.Rest is the same. I’ll have to make another post showing how to make caramel one, hopefully soon.

  23. Can I use German buttercream to frost a chocolate layer cake filled with Bailey’s/irish cream ganache?

    Reply

  24. I made this for the first time for Easter for a carrot cake. I think this might become my go-to frosting from now on. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  25. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Hani!! I want to make this later this week! We’re having a gender reveal party for our families next weekend and I want to make a cake but use this frosting! Hubby and I are finding out the gender on Wednesday and then we’re using the cake to surprise our families! A couple questions… how would this buttercream work covered in a marshmallow fondant? I want to make a galaxy-colored marble fondant and decorate with pink and blue stars that say “Twinkle twinkle little star, how we wonder what you are.” Also, I don’t have vanilla bean paste but I do have homemade vanilla extract (made with vanilla beans and vodka)… would it work to simmer the vanilla extract in with the custard? I really want to cook out the alcohol since I’m pregnant (even though it’s a minuscule amount lol) but if that won’t work then I can always use imitation I guess!

    Reply

    1. Hi April, congratulations on your pregnancy.
      To avoid alcohol in the buttercream you can also option for water based baking emulsions, or use vanilla sugar instead. I usually don’t use this buttercream under fondant, though I’ve used it once a long time ago(15 years ago). If I was to use it under fondant I’d use a dam on each filling layer to prevent bulging and I’d give it a light crumb coat only. Your design sounds very pretty. Good Luck and keep me posted how it goes. Also, and this might be easier to make for you, is Swiss Buttercream, it’s a bit sweeter than German Buttercream and it works great under fondant.Swiss Buttercream

      Reply

  26. Thank you for your wonderful recipe. I am from Czech Republic and I can surely appreciate it. I am not a big fan of american buttercream, so for my cakes I am usually using Swiss or mascarpone/heavy cream fillings. For the chocolate German Buttercream I just need to add cocoa to the custard or butter/sugar mixture? I do have request for yellow cake with chocolate icing and I would like to try German Buttercream.
    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hello Bohdana, when making Chocolate version I add cocoa powder with flour and starch. Then once the curstard starts to boil/simmer I add chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. You can play with with the ratio. chocolate to cocoa powder. I usually add 1/4 to 1/3 cup good cocoa and then 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips.Hope it helps.

      Reply

  27. I have made tons of frostings/icings – but have never tried a German Buttercream. Sounds wonderful. It’s abit more work because of the custard. Is the flavour that much different from a Swiss or Italian Meringue? Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    1. Hi Pamela,
      I think it’s definitely worth the try. With whipped cream it’s my favorite cream puff filling. And I very often make a chocolate version of it which I like even better than vanilla. It’s a rich tasting frosting. Swiss and Italian they kind of dissolve in your mouth and you need another spoon to taste them. I love meringue based ones, too. German buttercream has the same silky texture but taste lingers for a little longer. I don’t think it’s ideal under fondant but folks on FB told me they’ve used with no issues.

      Reply

      1. I would love to make this German Buttercream, but need to omit the flour. What could I substitute for the flour in this recipe? I have almond flour? Coconut Flour? Would one of these flours be an alternate?
        Some of my family members are gluten-intolerant, and I try to make some of my bakes that cater to their needs. Hope to hear from you soon. I would like to make some goodies for family and friends. Thanks in advance.

  29. This looks FABULOUS! I would like to try it for the cake I’m making for Easter, especially as my grandmother is German and my grandfather is Slovak. Do you think I could flavor it with key lime without curdling it? I was planning to make a coconut cake with key lime curd filling and a light lime buttercream, but having been trying to decide what kind of buttercream to make as an American buttercream seems too heavy.

    Reply

    1. Hi Lorena, that’s so sweet of you to make your grandparents a cake for Easter. I tried to add lemon juice to German buttercream and I left it on the counter overnight and it was fine. I added freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice to buttercream, I didn’t add it to the milk. I added it after I was done beating buttercream. Hope that helps.
      I like the idea of key lime curd filling and maybe make coconut German Buttercream ? Keep me posted how it goes. Happy Easter.

      Reply

  30. Lick the beaters…. lol!!!! This looks so good. I’m a huge fan of custard, so I will definitely be trying this!

    Reply

    1. Hi June, Thank you.
      Few years back I got a card for my mom saying what a wonderful mom she had been because she always turned off the mixture before letting us lick the beaters. I love custard based desserts, too.
      So good and delicious. This recipe is not overly sweet and if you prefer you can add more powdered sugar to make it sweeter. 🙂

      Reply

      1. Hello! What a WONDERFUL recipe! I am going to try it this weekend! Thank you for sharing. I had NO idea German buttercream existed until today, lol. Anyways, I was wondering if I wanted to make a chocolate custard to make this chocolate flavored, how much chocolate or cocoa powder would I use? Thanks 🤗

      2. Hi Tina, Thank you. I usually add 1/4 to 1/3 cup good cocoa and then 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips.Hope it helps. I add cocoa with starch and flour. I cook custard and then when it’s hot I stir in chocolate and simmer for 2-3 minutes like regular custard. You can also add cocoa when you beat sugar and butter.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating