Custard Buttercream for Cake
A silky and stable cream made with custard base and butter. Ideal for cakes, cupcakes, and choux pastry.
Updated : 28 July, 2025
Easy
About 10 min.
Ingredients
5
Egg yolks
150 grams
Sugar
10 grams
Vanilla sugar
300 milliliters
Milk
2 tablespoon
Wheat flour
1 tablespoon
Starch
250 grams
Butter
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Advices
Advice
To ensure your custard buttercream turns out perfect, follow these simple rules: Let the custard base thicken while cooking (the flour or starch must cook through but not burn). Let the custard base cool completely before adding butter - if it’s warm, the butter will melt and the cream won’t whip. Use high-quality butter (preferably 82.5% fat) with no substitutes, as poor-quality butter can ruin the texture of the cream.
Preparation
Step 1
You can replace vanilla sugar with vanilla extract. Use any milk (whole milk works best). Choose high-quality unsalted butter (82.5% fat). Let it soften at room temperature.
Step 2
Whisk the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth.
Step 3
Add flour and starch. Mix well until no lumps remain.
Step 4
Pour in about half the milk and mix thoroughly.
Step 5
Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan until hot (do not boil).
Step 6
Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot milk while constantly whisking to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Step 7
Reduce heat to medium and cook the mixture, stirring constantly.
Step 8
Cook until the custard thickens.
Step 9
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature.
Step 10
Whip the softened butter until light and fluffy.
Step 11
Add 1.5-2 tbsp of custard base to the butter and beat. Only add the next portion once the previous is fully incorporated.
Step 12
Continue until all custard is mixed in and the buttercream is smooth and homogeneous. You should get about 750 g (1.65 lb) of cream - enough for a 3-layer 9-inch cake.
Step 13
This cream suits sponge cakes, honey cakes, puff pastry, eclairs, and cupcakes. For piping, chill slightly before using with a piping bag. Enjoy!