I’m enjoying Operation Buttercream, especially because the bride and groom are both very reasonable people. The groom has expressed few strong preferences about the wedding but he does like white chocolate. Hence white chocolate cupcakes are on the menu.

The test bake submitted to the couple for approval is a vanilla cupcake with a filling of white chocolate ganache, a topping layer of the same and white chocolate buttercream icing. My thought process – it’s difficult to make a recognisable white chocolate cake. White chocolate is cocoa butter, sugar and milk. It doesn’t have any cocoa solids in it. As a substance or flavouring it disappears when incorporated into cake batter. A simple vanilla cupcake with a ganache centre will showcase the white chocolate. A thin layer of white chocolate keeps the cake fresh as well as adding flavour.

White chocolate buttercream will hopefully give the best combination of flavour and ease of piping. A full piped rose of white chocolate would possibly send guests into sugar shock.

The cupcakes are this recipe – perfect vanilla cupcakes. High level overview of method – make the cupcakes, cut out a small hole in the centre, then fill and top with white chocolate ganache, make the white chocolate buttercream and ice. Working with white chocolate is straightforward if you’re gentle with it. Buy good quality white chocolate – I use Callebaut cooking chocolate. Don’t use ordinary white chocolate chips they have stabilisers in them.

I found a useful gadget for cutting a uniform hole the centre of the cupcakes. It’s a cheap plastic thing but it doesn’t need to do any heavy work so it works fine.

Recipe – White chocolate ganache filling

The ganache needs to cool so make it about 30 minutes before you want to use it. If you’re making the cupcakes the same day, they need to cool completely as well.

Ingredients

• 175 grams white chocolate
• 60 mls heavy cream

Method

1. In a small glass or plastic bowl combine the white chocolate and the heavy cream.
2. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then let the mixture sit for another minute.
3. Stir until smooth, then cover the ganache with plastic wrap and set it aside to cool.
4. Once cooled, pipe the ganache into the cupcakes. Then pipe a thin layer on the top of the cupcakes. Tip: Pipe all the centres first and then the top layer. This allows the filling to cool and provide a firm base for the top layer.

Recipe – White chocolate buttercream icing

Ingredients

• 85 grams white chocolate
• 60 mls heavy cream
• 225 grams unsalted butter – room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt (1g)
• 450 grams icing sugar

Method

1. Combine the white chocolate and heavy cream is a microwave proof bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then let the mixture sit for 1 minute. Mix until combined, then place the bowl in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Beat the butter at a medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy. 
3. Add the white chocolate mixture to the butter, then add the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Tip: If using a stand mixer, make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl well. The chocolate mixture will settle to the bottom.
4. Add 1/2 of the icing sugar on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Tip: Throw a tea towel over the top of the stand mixer, it reduces the cloud of sugar in the air. When well incorporated, add the remaining sugar.
5. Beat on a medium speed for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
6. Adjust the consistency of the icing – add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time if too thick and if too thin, add icing sugar a heaping tablespoon at a time.

Notes on this test bake

• I used titanium dioxide powder to make the icing white. My intuition was that the powdered food colouring would blend better with the white chocolate buttercream. It worked well so will stick with it. I used about a tablespoon for the icing for a dozen cupcakes.
• Buttercream icing (all types) needs to be made in a mixer. But I have started ‘finishing it’ in the food processor (found in a Youtube video). Makes more washing up (one of my personal dislikes is washing up the food processor) but it reduces air, smooths out the buttercream and allows for minor adjustments of colour and texture.
• I experimented with a Russian piping tip but got blobs of icing rather than flowers. This may need practice.
• I don’t discard leftover icing, I keep it in the fridge and take it out to practice or use for experimenting with colours and shapes.

Thank you for reading the blog – let me know if you have questions or suggestions.