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Hi Bold Bakers!
Creaming is the very first method I learned as a young baker because we use it to make medira cake or fairy buns in Ireland. It’s important to know how to cream butter and sugar because it is the base of a lot of your baking like cookies, frosting, and cakes. As kids, we would make buns (which are cupcakes).
Lots of classic cake recipes begin with creaming butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy before then adding the eggs and flour. You can do this using a stand mixer or electric hand beater. Alternatively, you can use a wooden spoon but it will take longer.
I did it by hand as a kid because my mum used to tell me that chefs in kitchens didn’t use machines, they did it by hand. With all of my 8 years being on the earth I wanted to make sure I was doing it just like the chefs in professional kitchens. No cheating in my kitchen, well that’s what I thought it was then anyway. Now I ‘cheat’ every day and am ok with it. Also, she lied!
This creaming method is the first step in many recipes like my Victoria sponge Cake and many other cakes and cupcakes. Mastering this method is important because doing it is the building block for your baked goods.
To Successfully Cream Butter and Sugar:
When creaming butter and sugar the most important first step is to use room temperature butter. Whip the butter by itself first on medium speed until you reach a light and softened mix. This is imperative step before you can add your sugar.
Once you add the sugar go ahead and increase the speed to create a light and fluffy mixture. Stop whisking occasionally to scrape the mixture down from the sides of the bowl back into the middle, then continue whisking.
When the mixture is pale and airy it’s ready to your next steps e.g./ adding eggs for Victoria sponge.
Do you know how many things you can make homemade like Condensed Milk, DIY All Natural Food Coloring, and Rolled Fondant to name a few. My full list of all my Bold Baking Basics is here.
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About Us
Meet Gemma
About Us
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.
Hi Gemma, thanks for this article. My paddle attachment doesn’t reach the bottom of my bowl and as a result, it takes forever to mix even a small amount of batter. Can I mix my batter with my whisk attachment instead?
Hi Gemma
I just love your video on the 1 crazy cupcake but many varieties. It’s so simple. I’m definitely going to give it a try and post my results. Quick question please. Can I also use baking margarine instead of butter or does the butter actually give the cupcakes a better taste and lighter feel. Thank you for posting all your wonderful recipes.
Hello Gemma,
I have a question can I add cocoa powder to make the cream chocolate flavored?
And can you mix this by hand without any electric mixer?
Hi Gemma, I have fresh dairy milk with the cream on top. Can I use that for my butter?
Hi Gemma, first of all, thank you for sharing this topic with us! I have a question, does the sugar get dissolved completely during the creaming process? I used regular granulated sugar before and after creaming it with butter, the mixture is still granulated. Is that normal?
Thank you 😀
How do you know if you have overdone creamy your butter and sugar? I have often read that over mixing can make your cookies spread. This is something that I encounter often even after I have placed by batter in the refrigerator; some overnight. I’m not sure what I am doing wrong.
Hi, when I make the three ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe they don’t taste right. After they’re baked when I bite into the cookie they’re still crunchy with the sugar? How do I fix that? Thank you
Your beautiful mum lied to you!
Is it best to use the whisk or the paddle attachment for butter and sugar?
He GEMMA
I don’t regret getting your page on YouTube ,u just so wonderful,I love your work ????????