Italian Cream Cake Frosting Ideas For Your Wedding

Italian cream cake is a traditional southern-style cake with pecan, coconut, and almond flavours. It is often served at weddings and other special occasions. The cake is usually frosted with cream cheese frosting, but whipped cream frosting or Swiss meringue buttercream are also good alternatives.

Italian meringue buttercream is another popular choice for wedding cakes. It is less sweet than other frostings, and it holds up well in high temperatures. It is also smooth, which makes it ideal for a clean, polished look.

The pros and cons of American buttercream

American buttercream is a simple type of buttercream to make and is the most common type used in non-professional kitchens. It is made by creaming together butter, confectioners' sugar, and milk or cream. It is also sometimes called crusting buttercream because it forms a thin crust after being exposed to air for some time.

Pros:

• Easiest and quickest frosting to make
• Great for simple cakes and cupcakes, and as a base for intricate designs
• Holds up well in warmer weather when made with at least 50% shortening
• Easy to pipe and colour

Cons:

• Very sweet
• Can have a grittier mouthfeel when compared to other frostings
• Can have a greasy feel on the lips if made with shortening

The pros and cons of Italian and Swiss meringue buttercream

Italian and Swiss meringue buttercreams are similar in that they both use eggs and butter, and require a lot of mixing. However, there are some differences between the two that may make one preferable over the other depending on your needs.

Italian Meringue Buttercream Pros

• Easier to work with and pipes like a dream
• Less sweet than Swiss meringue buttercream
• Most stable of the two and can withstand high temperatures

Italian Meringue Buttercream Cons

• Requires a candy thermometer and can be scary to make because of the hot sugar syrup
• More complex to make than Swiss meringue buttercream

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Pros

• Does not require a candy thermometer and is easier to prepare than Italian meringue buttercream
• Tastes almost identical to Italian meringue buttercream
• Less sweet than American buttercream
• Temperature is less important in the production of Swiss meringue buttercream

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Cons

• More time-consuming to make than American buttercream
• May be a tad lighter than Italian meringue buttercream

Ganache as a frosting option

Ganache is a decadent and versatile option for frosting an Italian cream cake. It is made with just two ingredients: chocolate and cream. The best chocolate to use is high-quality semi-sweet chocolate bars or chips with 35-55% cacao. For the cream, use heavy whipping cream with 36% milk fat.

To make the ganache, first, bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Then, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Next, whisk the mixture until smooth. At this point, you can add in some vanilla extract or other flavorings if you like. Finally, let the ganache cool and thicken before using it to frost your cake.

Ganache can be used as a glaze, dip, filling, or frosting. It is easy to make and has a rich, creamy texture that will elevate your Italian cream cake.

Fondant as a frosting option

Fondant is a type of sugar dough that is rolled out and draped over a cake. It is often used to create a smooth finish on wedding cakes and is available in a variety of colours. While fondant is not a traditional choice for Italian cream cakes, it can be used as a frosting option. Here are some things to consider if you decide to use fondant for your Italian cream cake:

• Pros of Using Fondant: Fondant provides a smooth, flawless finish to cakes and is ideal for creating intricate designs. It is also a good option if your wedding is taking place in a warm climate, as it is more stable than buttercream in hot temperatures.
• Cons of Using Fondant: Some people find fondant too sweet and prefer the taste of buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Fondant can also be more expensive and time-consuming to work with than other types of frosting. Additionally, it does not have the same "melt-in-your-mouth" quality as traditional Italian cream cake frostings.
• Tips for Using Fondant: If you decide to use fondant, it is important to roll it out to an even thickness to ensure a smooth finish. You will also need to prepare your cake by applying a layer of buttercream or cream cheese frosting, known as a "crumb coat," before covering it with fondant. This will help the fondant adhere to the cake and create a neater finish.

The pros and cons of cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a very rich frosting that pairs well with spiced cakes, fruit-flavoured cakes, and other desserts. It is very similar to American Buttercream, except for the addition of cream cheese. Here are some pros and cons of cream cheese frosting:

Pros:

• You do not need any special equipment other than basic baking supplies.
• It colours easily with food colouring.
• The flavour can be changed easily with extracts, powders, emulsions, liqueurs, etc.
• Cream cheese frosting holds up well as a filling or frosting. It can also be piped, but it is recommended to test the recipe's limitations before making it the star of a big event.
• It can be refrigerated for up to a week for later use.
• It can be frozen for several months for later use.
• It can be made in advance.

Cons:

• It does not hold up well under fondant.
• Piped decorations can soften and lose definition.
• It is not stable for warm temperatures.
• It needs to be refrigerated.
• It is not great for sharp-edged cakes.

Frequently asked questions