Sometimes, creating the yummiest frosting is not enough. One should also consider the longevity and stability of the frosting so it reaches the consumer in perfect condition. Our column this week tackles this.

Hi, Chef Jun Jun and Chef Adoree. I envy those bakers who make perfect cupcakes, those with mouth-watering, velvety smooth swirl on top. My buttercream icing looks stiff and flat. How do I create those distinct lines on the swirl? (Maya de Guzman of Quezon City)

Adoree: Hi, Maya. A good start would be to have a nice piping tip; you will be needing a big star tip. The piping tip has to be wiped clean every time so the lines created will be very distinct. The consistency of the icing should also be right so the lines stay in place. For buttercream icing, use butter if you want it velvety smooth; make sure the temperature of the butter is right so that it does not get too soft when creamed. If you want a buttercream that will stand longer, you can use part butter and part shortening. The presence of the shortening, which stays solid at room temperature, will stabilize your buttercream, and you get that ‘perfect’ swirl on top. Using purely shortening will give you stiffer buttercream, but you can thin this by adding corn syrup. So, try this also and see which consistency you prefer.

Jun Jun: That’s true, Maya. A simple boiled icing is also good as a topping for other cupcakes. You can also use cream cheese frosting and whipped cream as well; but if you do, make sure the cupcakes are chilled all the time.

Greetings from Cavite! I am Mayet Cumapitang. My question is about whipped cream icing. How do you make it smooth and creamy without the unwanted holes? Also, how do I make it last longer to withstand the weather? Thank you, Jun Jun and Adoree!

Adoree: Hi Mayet. Beating the cream at medium speed all throughout the whipping process eliminates those holes so be patient when beating the cream. For a stabler whipped cream, you can use non-dairy whipping cream. It has vegetable fat in it so it stays without melting for a longer period as compared to regular whipping cream.

Jun Jun: That’s right, Mayet, whipped cream must be cold when being whisked for icing consistency. The bowl and the wire attachment must also be cold to give it good texture. Always start at low speed and slowly increase it when the cream is slowly being formed. Using non-dairy cream of course will give you some disadvantage since this does not come from milk so it doesn’t have the melt-in-the-mouth effect. Use a mixture of both heavy cream and non-dairy.

May I ask what is the stablest icing (aside from fondant) if I am going to transport the birthday cake for at least one hour? Can you also give tips on how I can make the icing in advance so that I do not panic a few hours before the event? Thank you so much! (Maite Anastacio of Pasig City)

Adoree: Maite, you can do ganache glaze which I think is safe for an hour or two. Not to mention, it is also easy to make. Just heat up some whipping cream and pour it over chopped chocolate; stir to melt the chocolate and pour it on your cake. I suggest you make the ganache when your cake is ready so you can just pour the ganache over it right after making the ganache. Good luck!

Jun Jun: That’s right, Maite but make sure that the mixture of chocolate and cream is stable so don’t overheat the cream. My method is heating both the cream and chocolate so that their temperatures are more or less the same. This way, their blending is stabler and overcooking the chocolate doesn’t happen. You can also make a ganache using white chocolate but less cream is used since white chocolate is completely fat.

Hi, Adoree and Jun Jun. May I just say that I love your column and tandem! Keep it up and more power to both of you! I would like to ask if it’s possible to sprinkle nuts on the whipped cream icing and if it will last. I am kinda worried that the nuts will slide down when the whipped cream starts to soften. How do I go about this? Or should I just resort to lighter sprinkles? (Agnes Gobrido of Taguig)

Adoree: Thank you very much, Agnes! It is you, our dear readers, who keep us going. If you like to sprinkle nuts on the whipped cream, just make sure you chop the nuts almost finely so that the nuts will not be too heavy to fall off easily. Also, you have to stabilize your whipped cream by either using non-dairy whipping cream or adding some unflavored gelatin to your regular whipping cream. This way, your whipped cream does not melt easily. You should also spread just enough whipped cream to create a layer that is just right to cover your cake. A thick layer of whipped cream is prone to melting and making your nuts slide off easily.

Jun Jun: That’s correct, Agnes. Whipped cream is a bit light so if the nuts are a bit big, they will just sink into the icing. The technique is just to spread enough icing on the cake to prevent the nuts from sinking. But do not apply overly thick icing on it.