FROSTINGS AND FILLINGS

ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS BEFORE choosing a frosting. First, how will the frosting work with the cake layers? A rich, decadent chocolate ganache would overwhelm a delicate white cake. In addition to intensity, think about the flavors. An orange layer cake will work well with orange-flavored frosting, but complementary pairings such as walnut cake layers with maple meringue frosting also are possible.

The second basic question has to do with decorations. In order to pipe rosettes or stars through a pastry bag, the frosting must be fairly stiff and dense. Meringue frostings and soft buttercreams are too loose. These frostings are better for swirling, combing, or stippling.

This chapter begins with two basic master recipes, each with five flavor variations. One frosting is designed for optimum flavor and silkiness; the other is sturdy enough for the most elaborate designs.

The buttercream frosting (our first master recipe) has a rich, smooth texture and strong buttery flavor. The consistency is soft and supple. European buttercreams often contain six egg yolks. We like an American-style buttercream with just a few tablespoons of beaten whole egg. Made this way, the frosting tastes like butter and sugar and not eggs. However, we prefer not to omit the egg altogether. Even this small amount greatly improves the texture of the frosting and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.

When you want to make more elaborate decorations, try our second master recipe for decorating frosting. This frosting contains more sugar, which gives it a denser, stiffer texture designed to hold its shape. We found it helpful to add a little lemon juice to cut the sweetness in this frosting.

These basic recipes are followed by a series of frostings developed for specific cakes, such as whipped cream for a yellow layer cake with strawberries or maple meringue to coat an old-fashioned buttermilk cake. Refer to the individual cake recipes in the previous chapters for suggestions on which frosting will work best.