The country of France has provided the baking canon with no shortage of classics. But outside of croissants, éclairs, madeleines, and macarons, there’s still one classic recipe that flies under the radar. Meet French buttercream : If you ever wished the frosting on your celebration cake was as good as the cake layers beneath, this rich and silky style of frosting is worth a try. With a smooth, custardy texture, French buttercream is elevated but still approachable, both from a taste and technical standpoint. Here’s why it demands your attention.

What is French buttercream?

While most classic European buttercreams (such as Italian or Swiss buttercream ) are made with egg whites whipped to a stiff meringue, French buttercream is made exclusively with egg yolks instead.

Said to have originated in the early 20th century, this buttercream style has connections to pâté à bombe, a classic French dessert base of hot sugar syrup and egg yolks whipped until the mixture reaches a light, creamy consistency, typically…