Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A
How much trex to add to buttercream
In Paul’s buttercream tutorials he says to add structure to buttercream using ganache or trex, I’m a big fan of buttercream, I use it all the time, but it’s sometimes sticky to use, I like to use 2 and a half times icing sugar to butter then get it light and fluffy with a little bit of vanilla and milk, it tastes lovely and I get compliments on my cakes all the time, but I’d like to try adding some trex like he suggested which I’m hoping will make it less sticky., as Paul’s just glides on, does anyone know how much to add?
In Paul’s buttercream tutorials he says to add structure to buttercream using ganache or trex, I’m a big fan of buttercream, I use it all the time, but it’s sometimes sticky to use, I like to use 2 and a half times icing sugar to butter then get it light and fluffy with a little bit of vanilla and milk, it tastes lovely and I get compliments on my cakes all the time, but I’d like to try adding some trex like he suggested which I’m hoping will make it less sticky., as Paul’s just glides on, does anyone know how much to add?
Hello 1979lizzy
In most American forums many people use half butter, half shortening. I believe it helps to stablize the butter cream in hot weather because shortening doesn’t melt as quickly as butter.
If you google ‘half butter, half shortening butter cream’ you’ll come across much discussion on this subject.
I’ve never used trex or any other vegetable fats in cake baking/decorating /filling creams so not able to comment on how it works. I should think it may leave a greasy taste or feel in the mouth since it doesn’t melt in the same way as butter. Best way to test it is to make a small batch.
Thank you madeitwithlove, that makes perfect sense. I have made trex buttercream a few times, once fo a dairy free cake and once for someone who wanted 99 style buttercream i.e loads of buttercream, I did some trex flavoured with lemon and vanilla and some all butter with chocolate and white chocolate, the trex buttercream I use 2 and a half times the amount of icing sugar to fat and beat it till light and fluffy with some whole milk and vanilla or lemon juice for lemon buttercream and you could not tell it was made with white veg fat, the customer chose to have this as she liked it and said it was smoother, but I don’t want to use that all the time, I just wanted to follow the lesson that paul has on “adding structure to buttercream” as he didn’t say how much to add to your usual all butter buttercream. I think in the summer it makes sense, and as I said I find buttercream sticky to spread sometimes even when it is thinned out to a good spreading consistency, maybe I should just grease my spatula’s.
