Apricot Buttercream Icing Recipe

Origin: Britain      Period: Traditional

This is the traditional basic buttercream icing flavoured with apricot jam. The quantities here are enough for the top and sides of an 18cm diameter cake (or it will be enough for the topping an filling of an equivalently-sized cake).

Ingredients:

120g butter
220g icing sugar, sifted
3 tbsp sieved apricot jam
squeeze of lemon juice

Apricot Buttercream Icing Preparation:

Method:

To make the sieved apricot jam, heat apricot jam in a pan until liquid, past through a fine-meshed sieve to remove any large pieces then set aside.

Dice the butter then add to a clean bowl and cream until soft. Sift some of the sugar over the top then beat in to combine. Continue this process until all the sugar has been incorporated into the butter. Add the apricot jam and lemon juice and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

To use as a filling, spread the buttercream evenly over the lower half of the cake with a round-bladed or palette knife, ensuring you spread the filling right to the edges of the cake. Sit the top half of the cake neatly on top.

To use as a side covering spread the buttercream evenly around the sides of the cake with a round-bladed or palette knife, ensuring that all the cake has been covered. Of desired, you can use the flat blade of the knife to pat chopped nuts or cake decorations onto the sides.

To use as a topping, pile the buttercream on top of the cake then use a round-bladed or palette knife to spread the mixture smoothly and evenly out to the edges of the cake, ensuring that the buttercream covers the entire top of the cake. You can also use a fork or a knife to pattern the buttercream, if desired. You can also add chopped nuts, cake decorations, fruit and/or candied fruit to decorate, as desired.

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