Buttercream: basics & beyond
Master buttercream with detailed recipes, ratios, and techniques for Swiss meringue and American buttercream, and learn to create vintage-style cake designs from start to finish.
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Introduction
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Buttercream: Recipes, Equipment, Technique & more
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Intro
In this chapter, we’ll cover every step of buttercream preparation, from selecting the right tools and ingredients to mastering the techniques for consistent results. Good Luck!
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Essential Equipment
Learn the essential tools for making buttercream: mixers, spatulas, thermometers, and how to use them effectively.
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Ingredients Guide
This lesson helps you understand how ingredient quality affects texture and taste. We’ll also go over food safety basics, including pasteurising egg whites.
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Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Here you’ll find a step-by-step method for smooth, stable, air-bubble-free Swiss Meringue Buttercream (imho: the best frosting!).
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American Buttercream
Learn to prepare my favourite version of American Buttercream. This method uses hot milk to dissolve the sugar, giving you a smoother, shinier, less-sweet frosting.
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Troubleshooting
Fix common buttercream issues like curdling, splitting, or runny texture with practical, quick solutions.
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Colouring
Learn which colourants work best for buttercream and how to achieve even, vibrant colours every time.
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Storage
How to store buttercream safely in the fridge or freezer so it keeps freshness and doesn’t take too much space.
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Closing Words
You’ve learned the recipes, now let’s use them. The next section will guide you through vintage cake decorating <3
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Vintage Cakes: Coating, Piping Tips, Decorating Techniques
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Intro
In this section I will guide you through the process of covering your cake, adding textures, and creating classic vintage decorations.
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Perfect Canvas: Essential Equipment for Covering Cakes
Have a look at the key tools for covering cakes and achieving a smooth, even surface.
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Crumb Coat & Final Coat
Learn to apply a crumb coat to lock in crumbs and build a clean, even final layer.
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Texturing and Colour Blending
Understand the techniques for creating soft colour transitions and a blended watercolour effect.
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Piping Tips: Guide & Tutorial
In this demo I’ll guide you through the piping tips I use most often and how to use them for consistent results.
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Cake Decorating Demo
Watch a step-by-step process for decorating a vintage-style cake from start to finish.
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Lettering
Learn my favourite tricks to neat cursive lettering.
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Flowers on Cakes
Garnish mindfully: learn which flowers are safe to use on cakes.
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Edible Glitter
Have a look at the edible glitters I use most and learn how to apply them cleanly.
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Final Words
Thank you for taking this course. I hope you now feel confident in both making and decorating buttercream cakes. Good luck with your projects <3
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Tools & Links
Find links to my favourite tools, ingredients, toppers, edible flowers, and services I use in my cake decorating work.
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Let's Get in Touch
Ask questions and leave your feedback!
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Meet your instructor
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Meet your instructor ✳
Hi, my name is Katie! I’m a cake decorator with over 3 years of experience, specialising in romantic vintage and floral cakes.
Over the years, I’ve had hundreds of happy clients, dozens of collaborations with brands including Pinterest, LookFantastic, Paula’s Choice, Kenwood, LG, and more, gathered over 50 million views across social media, and built a community of 300,000+ followers - all thanks to my signature vintage-style cakes. And I’m so happy to share my knowledge and passion in my carefully crafted course Buttercream: Basics & Beyond.
What you’ll get
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You’ll find detailed recipes and working principles for both Swiss and American buttercream, plus guidance on equipment, ingredients, colouring, storage, and troubleshooting, with all the techniques, ratios, and tips to help you feel confident with each method.
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A full tutorial on how to smoothly cover a cake, add textures, a visual guide to piping tips, step-by-step lessons on vintage-style cake decorating and lettering, plus tips on safely using flowers and more.
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A beautifully designed guide with all recipes, techniques, and pro tips, plus business essentials: legal basics, marketing, and PR. Includes a curated supplier list with exclusive discount codes.
FAQ
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I designed this course with three main audiences in mind:
Beginners who want to learn versatile decorating techniques without needing lots of tools (just 3–5 piping tips are enough).
Decorators experienced in other styles like sugar-paste or rustic designs, who want to explore vintage buttercream techniques.
Those struggling to achieve smooth, stable, air-bubble-free buttercream and want to finally master the perfect texture.
That said, anyone with a love for cake decorating is welcome to join <3
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Yes! I personally love learning from written guides, so I created a full course book with step-by-step explanations and photos to match each lesson.
It’s downloadable and printable, so you can keep it next to you while you practice.
Plus, there’s a bonus section covering:Starting a small baking business
Marketing and advertising tips
Basic filming and editing advice for sharing your work online
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Yes! I set up a dedicated email address for all your questions, requests, and feedback.
Since this is my very first online course, your feedback means a lot and will help me make future editions even better.