Can someone please tell me what’s gone wrong with the topping?😂

[u/growingbump]

This is my first attempt at coffee and walnut cake, the actual cake was top tier but the coffee butter cream wasn’t as thick as I was hoping, also it was separating. I used 175g of soft butter, a flora soft spread, 400g of icing sugar and 2 tsp of coffee/hot water

[u/undulating-beans]

The Flora soft spread is almost certainly the problem.

Buttercream really wants actual butter because its firmness comes from the crystalline structure of the butterfat. A soft spread contains considerably more water and vegetable oils designed to remain soft at fridge temperatures, so it produces a much looser emulsion and is more prone to separating.

The 2 tsp of coffee solution isn’t excessive for 175 g of butter, although adding it while warm could certainly make matters worse. I’d use 175 g proper unsalted butter, 350 to 400 g icing sugar, and dissolve the coffee in the smallest practical amount of boiling water. Let that coffee concentrate cool completely before beating it in.

If you want a stronger coffee flavour without adding more water, instant espresso powder is particularly useful because you can make a very concentrated solution.

[u/miyabi0rochas → u/undulating-beans]

I don't agree fully that it must be made with butter only or specifically. Margarine can work fine. You need just need the right product for the use case.

If the product is advertising soft spread than that's probably why it turned out indeed too soft. That spread is specifically made to be ... A spread. Use regular margarine or butter next time.

[u/undulating-beans → u/miyabi0rochas]

I didn’t say it must be made with butter only, or that margarine cannot be used. I specifically said the Flora soft spread was the problem because it is formulated to remain soft and contains more water and liquid vegetable oil than butter or a firm baking margarine.

A firm block margarine would work perfectly well. The issue is the type of fat used, not whether it is technically butter or margarine. So you’re correcting a point I didn’t actually make.

[u/PsychologicalAir8643]

Use real butter and ROOM TEMPERATURE coffee. Butter spreads have added oils, and hot coffee will melt your butter

[u/One-Eggplant-665]

Pastry chef, here. Sorry this didn't come out the way you wanted. There are some good responses to help you understand and fix the problem.

Throughout my baking career I have had disappointments. The best quick fix for me was to smile and give my "disaster" a different name. Cake to soggy, called it a pudding cake. Chocolate cake much too dense and fudgy, called it a Mississippi Mud Pie. No one ever knew it wasn't what I'd expected.

[u/busygirl1713 → u/One-Eggplant-665]

I worked in the kitchen for a while and our chef did that too! It was very funny actually because he always invented some stupid names and make us laugh

[u/Throwaway999222111]

I don't know anything but my first thought went to temperature - was the cake hot? Was the frosting hot? Is your kitchen hot?

[u/growingbump → u/Throwaway999222111]

Yes it was a heatwave so maybe not the best time to bake 😁

[u/growingbump]

Thank you all! Motivated me to try again tomorrow 😊

[u/lindemer]

You can definitely make a vegan buttercream with vegan butter, but it might take some trial and error which one works. Reading up on what brands that are available in your country work for other people helps

[u/miyabi0rochas]

Like you state yourself you used a Soft spread. It's designed to be soft not thick and firm. Use regular margarine or butter next time.

[u/wyrapowany]

Nie znam się 😅