Hi all….I’m busy making loads of MBC for the November 14 wedding cake.  All seem to be fine at the finish, but in two of the batches, some of the sugar syrup hardened along the sides of my non stick pot. Obviously not all of it got into the MBC.  The buttercream seems fine, and I froze them upon finishing.

Here’s the question, when I bring it to room temperature and beat it by hand, will I have problems with it on the cake due to the lack of using all the sugar syrup? What do you suggest?  My plan is to combine all my batches together when they are at room temperature, except some that I am combining with the Dark Chocolate Ganache for the filling.  Do you think the MBC will remain stable if it was at the finish of making?

I think your question is if they were fine when you completed them, will they survive (remain stable) being frozen and thawed and rebeaten? The answer is yes. Do not fear it if looks curdled, separated or spongy. Just keep beating. sometimes large batches of buttercream take several minutes of beating in the stand mixer (after they have already been thawed) to come together into a smooth mousseline, but rest assured it will.

Now, it would be a different story if the proper texture MCB was never achieved in the first place. If the loss of the sugar syrup that stuck to the pot was enough to affect the MBC, it never would have set up properly in the first place.

And I have tried to freeze/chill MBC that never set up in hopes that it would set up, and I can tell you that doesn’t work. However, as Hector Wong wisely pointed out, this failed buttercream can be used for other purposes, including saucing desserts.

If it looked correct before you froze it, you are fine. If it was runny or curdled before you froze it, start again.

Good luck! You are reminding me to get on top of my prep for MY 11/14 wedding cake!

I have seldom use a non stick pot for the syrup, for, lots of syrup remains stuck on the pot!

Hi Tofusalem - mixing the batches together is your best bet!  I’m sure they will be just fine.  I don’t know what you’re planning on mixing the batches in, but you can purchase really really big bowls at the dollar store, stockpots work well too, as do large rubbermaid-like storage containers (but only if they don’t smell like plastic). 

Btw, I never use a non-stick pot when I make MBC either.

Hi all! I wish I new about the non-stick pots sooner. I had no idea that they aren’t good for making the syrup!  It was the smallest I had for the task. I also thought that non stick would mean non- stick!  Stainless steel is better for syrup making?  Anyway,Thank you so much Hector and Patricia. I just thought based on somethings I read on the forum that I would use this on the Wedding cake and it would start to melt away!

Also, do you have any tips regarding the cake toppers and how to avoid ruining the buttercream ?  Patricia, I ask you this because I know you use ribbon on your wedding cakes. My daughter wants dark Forest Green ribbon. I got 7/8 inch grosgrain. Will this be ok on the buttercream? Should I back it with something? Thanks, Claudia

P.S.  Rachel, nice to meet you!

I’ve used grosgrain ribbon… it absorbs butter from the buttercream, which will turn the ribbon a little darker, but you might not have to worry much about that if you’re using Forest Green ribbon.  Some people use florist’s ribbon because it’s water proof and grease proof.  My mother will be trying to get some for my sister’s wedding cake this weekend.  If she’s successful, I’ll let everyone know how it worked out.

Re the buttercream - I used stainless for many years, but now I use an unlined copper sugar pot (yes, it was a splurge, but I had always wanted one).  I pour the syrup directly from the pan into the mixing bowl.  If you’re interested, here’s a little tutorial I put on my blog:

http://butteryum.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-make-italian-meringue.html

Patricia, I saw your wonderful tutorial! Your site is great! I’m fine at making it…I’m very mindful of the temperature of the sugar. It just always seems to stick or crystalize   as it approaches 250. Maybe it is the pot.  I know the MBC is missing that sugar…It tastes fine…I just thought it wouldn’t hold up on the cake without the extra sugar syrup.

Some thing I found helpful to reduce crystallization - wash the sides of the pan down with water and a pastry brush - do this as often as needed while the syrup bubbles away.  Also, I don’t put my thermometer in the pan until the sugar is completely dissolved in the water.  Hope that might help a little.

tofusalem - 09 October 2009 12:46 PM

Patricia, I saw your wonderful tutorial! Your site is great!

Thanks