The Best Butter for Buttercream: Why Quality Matters

When it comes to making the perfect buttercream, the type of butter you use can make all the difference. Many bakers often wonder whether margarine or butter is the best choice, and the short answer is simple: always choose butter. The rich flavour, creamy texture, and natural ingredients of butter elevate your buttercream to a whole new level. Let’s dive into why butter is superior and what to look for when choosing the right kind.

Why Margarine Isn’t Ideal for Buttercream

Margarine might seem like a convenient alternative due to its lower cost, but when it comes to buttercream, it just doesn't hold up. Here's why:

1. Lower Fat Content: Margarine is typically made with vegetable oils and has a much lower fat content than butter. Butter has about 80-82% butterfat, while margarine can have as low as 35%. Butterfat is essential for giving buttercream its smooth, creamy texture. The lower fat content in margarine can make the buttercream greasy, watery, or less stable.
2. Artificial Ingredients: Margarine is often loaded with artificial additives, colours, and preservatives to mimic butter. These ingredients can impact the flavour and texture of your buttercream, leaving an artificial aftertaste or a waxy feel.
3. Flavour Loss: One of the main reasons margarine falls short is in flavour. Butter, especially high-quality grass-fed butter, brings a rich, natural depth of flavour that margarine simply cannot replicate.

Understanding Butterfat: The Secret to Silky Buttercream

The key to making excellent buttercream lies in the butterfat content. Butter is made by churning cream, separating the fat from the liquid (buttermilk). This fat is what gives buttercream its structure and mouthfeel.

• Higher Butterfat = Creamier Texture: Butter with a higher fat content will produce a smoother, more luxurious buttercream. European-style butters, for example, contain around 82-85% butterfat, compared to the 80% in regular butter in the USA. This slight increase in fat makes a noticeable difference in texture and flavour.
• Why Butterfat Matters: Butterfat provides the stability that buttercream needs to hold its shape, especially when piping or decorating. It also helps the buttercream stay soft and creamy at room temperature, making it easier to work with.

The Power of Grass-Fed Butter: A Flavour Upgrade

If you want to take your buttercream to the next level, opt for grass-fed butter. Grass-fed cows produce butter that’s richer in nutrients and flavour, offering several benefits:

1. Richer Flavour: Grass-fed butter has a deeper, more complex flavour due to the natural diet of the cows. This results in a buttercream that tastes fresh, with a slight sweetness that enhances other flavours in your recipe.
2. Better Colour: The natural carotenoids found in grass-fed butter give it a beautiful yellow hue, which can subtly influence the colour of your buttercream, making it look more appetising and natural.
3. Nutritional Benefits: Grass-fed butter contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and vitamins like A, D, and K2. While these nutrients may not dramatically impact the buttercream’s taste, they do provide an added health benefit.

What to Look for When Choosing Butter for Buttercream
When selecting butter for your buttercream, keep the following in mind:

1. Butterfat Content: Aim for butter with at least 80% butterfat.
   Note: I have listed below the top organic, grass-fed, and regenerative butter brands available in both the UK and the USA. If you live in another country, please check your local supermarket for similar options using these guidelines.
2. Grass-Fed: Whenever possible, opt for grass-fed butter. It’s not only better for the environment and animal welfare, but it also delivers superior flavour and colour.
3. Unsalted: Use unsalted butter for buttercream so you have complete control over the flavour. You can always add a pinch of salt later to balance sweetness, but starting with unsalted butter ensures the perfect base.
4. Room Temperature Butter: For the best texture, always start with room temperature butter when making buttercream. This ensures it blends smoothly with the sugar, creating that perfectly whipped, airy consistency.

UK & USA BUTTER BRANDS

Here are some of the best organic and grass-fed regenerative butter brands available in the UK:

1. Yeo Valley Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Yeo Valley is a well-known British brand offering organic, grass-fed butter from their farms in Somerset. Their butter is made with organic milk from cows grazing on naturally rich pastures.
• Why it’s great: Yeo Valley follows sustainable farming practices and ensures the milk comes from well-cared-for, free-grazing cows.

2. Kerrygold

• Type: Grass-Fed
• Description: Kerrygold butter, while Irish, is readily available in the UK. It’s made from milk produced by cows that are predominantly grass-fed on the lush pastures of Ireland.
• Why it’s great: Kerrygold cows spend most of the year outdoors, resulting in butter with a rich, creamy flavour and bright yellow colour due to high beta-carotene content.

3. Abernethy Butter

• Type: Grass-Fed, Handmade
• Description: Abernethy Butter is handcrafted in Northern Ireland using traditional methods. Their butter is made from local, grass-fed cows, ensuring high-quality cream and rich taste.
• Why it’s great: Abernethy Butter is prized by top chefs and has won numerous awards for its deep, creamy flavour and quality.

4. The Estate Dairy

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: The Estate Dairy produces artisanal butter from the milk of their own free-grazing cows on regenerative farms in Somerset. Their butter is cultured, creating a distinct flavor profile.
• Why it’s great: The dairy is committed to regenerative farming practices, and their butter is known for its superior quality and depth of flavour.

5. Ampersand Cultured Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Ampersand is a small artisanal butter producer in Oxfordshire, making cultured butter from organic, grass-fed cows. Their butter is handcrafted in small batches, with a distinct tangy flavour.
• Why it’s great: The butter is fermented for 24 hours, enhancing its flavour. Ampersand focuses on sustainable, regenerative farming.

6. Ivy House Farm Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Ivy House Farm, located in Somerset, is known for producing organic butter made from the milk of Jersey cows grazing on organic pastures. Their butter is rich and creamy, with a distinct golden colour.
• Why it’s great: The farm operates using regenerative principles, ensuring both animal welfare and soil health.

7. Calon Wen Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Calon Wen is a cooperative of Welsh organic family farms producing butter from 100% organic, grass-fed milk. Their butter has a rich, natural taste.
• Why it’s great: Calon Wen farms follow regenerative and organic farming practices, prioritising animal welfare and the environment.

8. Riverford Organic Dairy

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Riverford’s organic butter is produced on their family-run farm, where cows are grass-fed and raised on pasture. The butter is handmade and deeply flavourful.
• Why it’s great: Riverford is committed to sustainable farming and organic principles, offering high-quality, nutrient-dense products.

Each of these brands provides butter from cows that are primarily grass-fed and raised with a focus on organic and regenerative farming practices. Their commitment to sustainability, animal welfare, and soil health ensures that you’re not only getting a premium product but also supporting environmentally friendly agriculture.

Here’s a list of the best quality organic, grass-fed, and regenerative butters available in the US:

1. Organic Valley European-Style Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Organic Valley is a well-known brand offering high-quality organic dairy products. Their European-style butter is made from pasture-raised cows and has a high butterfat content for a rich flavour.
• Why it’s great: Organic Valley is a cooperative that practices sustainable and organic farming, ensuring their butter comes from cows grazing on grass most of the year.

2. Vital Farms Butter

• Type: Pasture-Raised, Grass-Fed, Non-GMO
• Description: Vital Farms produces butter from pasture-raised cows that roam freely on lush, green pastures. Their butter has a rich, deep flavor thanks to the cows’ natural diet.
• Why it’s great: Vital Farms follows regenerative and humane practices, ensuring both high animal welfare standards and environmental sustainability.

3. Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter

• Type: Grass-Fed (Irish)
• Description: Although Kerrygold is an Irish brand, it’s widely available in the US and popular for its grass-fed butter. Kerrygold’s butter is produced from cows grazing on rich pastures for much of the year, giving it a high fat content and distinct yellow hue.
• Why it’s great: Kerrygold’s grass-fed butter is prized for its deep, creamy flavour and its high beta-carotene content.

4. Thistle Hill Farm Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed, Regenerative
• Description: Thistle Hill Farm is a small, family-owned farm in Vermont that produces organic, grass-fed butter. The cows are pasture-raised using regenerative farming practices, resulting in butter with a high nutritional profile.
• Why it’s great: Their commitment to regenerative agriculture and organic principles ensures top-quality butter that’s both environmentally responsible and flavorful.

5. Rumiano Family Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed, Regenerative
• Description: Rumiano Family Farms produces organic butter from cows raised on pasture in Northern California. They are the first dairy farm to be certified regenerative organic, emphasising soil health and animal welfare.
• Why it’s great: Rumiano’s regenerative farming practices ensure nutrient-rich butter and a commitment to sustainable agriculture.

6. Minerva Dairy Butter

• Type: Grass-Fed, Organic
• Description: Minerva Dairy is one of the oldest family-owned dairies in the US, known for its slow-churned, grass-fed butter. The cows are free to graze on organic pastures, which leads to butter that’s rich and creamy.
• Why it’s great: Minerva Dairy focuses on small-batch butter production and sustainable farming, delivering a high-quality product.

7. Kalona SuperNatural Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Kalona SuperNatural produces butter from organic, grass-fed cows raised on small Amish and Mennonite family farms in the Midwest. The cows are pasture-raised and not treated with synthetic hormones or antibiotics.
• Why it’s great: Kalona SuperNatural is committed to organic, grass-fed, and small-scale farming, offering high-quality butter with rich flavor.

8. Maple Hill Creamery Butter

• Type: 100% Grass-Fed, Organic
• Description: Maple Hill Creamery is known for its 100% grass-fed organic dairy products. Their butter is made from cows grazing year-round on regenerative farms, resulting in a deeply flavourful product.
• Why it’s great: Maple Hill’s butter comes from cows that are never fed grain, which contributes to its clean taste and high nutritional content.

9. Straus Family Creamery Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Straus Family Creamery, based in Northern California, produces organic butter from pasture-raised cows. Their butter is churned in small batches and made with cream from cows grazing on organic, regenerative pastures.
• Why it’s great: Straus is a leader in sustainable dairy farming and regenerative practices, offering butter with exceptional quality and flavour.

10. Clover Sonoma Organic Butter

• Type: Organic, Grass-Fed
• Description: Clover Sonoma produces organic butter made from cows that are pasture-raised and grass-fed. The butter is high-quality, creamy, and made from cows that are never treated with synthetic hormones.
• Why it’s great: Clover Sonoma is a Certified B Corporation, committed to sustainability and high animal welfare standards.

These brands offer high-quality, organic, grass-fed, and regenerative butters in the US, known for their flavour, nutritional value, and sustainable farming practices.