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Buttercream is the frosting of choice for cupcakes, birthday cakes and wedding cakes alike. That's because the rich, sweet flavor pairs perfectly with any type of cake. Best of all, it's very easy to make! Basic buttercream should be in any aspiring pastry chef's repertoire. See Step 1 to learn how to make it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Steps
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Beat the butter. Buttercream's texture is dependent on light, fluffy butter. It's necessary to start with softened (not melted) butter and beat it until it takes on a pale yellow hue and becomes quite malleable — this is important to stop your mixture from becoming too liquid. Use an electric mixture or a stand mixer to beat your butter; it'll be a lot harder to whip in enough air using a whisk. -
Add the sugar. Start with 3 cups of confectioner's sugar. Measure it out and dump it gradually in your mixing bowl with the fluffy butter, then beat on low until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Turn the mixer to a higher speed and keep beating until the combination is light as a feather.
- If you want to make chocolate buttercream, now's the time to add some unsweetened cocoa powder. Start with 1/2 cup. If you want the buttercream to be more chocolatey, you can always add more.
- You can flavor your buttercream with other spices if you're not into chocolate. Consider cinnamon, cardamon, dried crushed rose or lavender - whatever suits your fancy.
- Adding the sugar all at once can ruin your buttercream's consistency and smoothness.
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Whip in the vanilla, salt and cream. To finish your buttercream, add the vanilla and salt, and start with 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) cream. Beat the mixture until well combined. Your finished buttercream should be light, fluffy and spreadable.
- If it seems too dry, add another tablespoon of cream - up to four total.
- If it seems too wet, add more sugar.
- You can use a flavor other than vanilla, like almond or mint.
- You can color your buttercream by adding a few drops of food coloring.
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Finished.
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Make buttercream filling . By changing the ratio of butter to confectioner's sugar, you can create a buttercream more suitable for filling cakes and cookies. It's a little lighter than buttercream frosting, and can be flavored in any way you like. Here's how to make it:
- Beat 1 cup of softened butter until fluffy.
- Add 1/2 cup shortening and beat well.
- Add 1 pound of confectioner's sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and keep beating.
- Add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until creamy and spreadable.
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Finished.
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Make buttercream fondant . If you're looking for a frosting more stable and sturdy than buttercream, but with the same rich flavor, buttercream fondant is for you. It's made with marshmallows and butter flavoring, so it emulates the flavor of buttercream but won't melt as easily. Here's how to make it:
- Microwave 8 cups mini marshmallows, 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons butter extract until the ingredients are melted together.
- In a separate bowl, beat 2 pounds confectioner's sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) water and 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) white corn syrup.
- Combine the marshmallow mixture and the sugar mixture in a mixing bowl, and beat until fluffy.
- Turn the dough onto a nonstick surface and knead for 10 minutes. Grease your hands with vegetable shortening to keep the dough from sticking.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for an hour before rolling it out and using it.
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Finished.
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What Are Some Tips On Creaming Butter?
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat are the two ingredients for a simple buttercream?Maha Mohamed is a Custom Dessert Artist and the Owner of Sweet Treats SJ. Maha has over ten years of experience creating custom treats for special occasions. She specializes in custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate-covered treats.Buttercream is mainly made with butter and sugar! The key is making sure that the butter is soft, not melted—if you were to stick your finger in the butter, it should easily go down.
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QuestionHow do I store buttercream?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerPlace the buttercream in a clean bowl and cover with a lid or cling film. Place in a cool place overnight/for 12 hours at the most. It cannot be kept longer or it will start to go off. Also, if the room temperature is too warm, you'll need to refrigerate it but will need to let it return to room temperature (2 hours or more) before beating it with a wooden spoon to restore it to the right consistency. Where possible, make buttercream just before using it.
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QuestionWhy is my buttercream lumpy?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerUse butter that is room temperature to make buttercream. If it is still cold, it will create lumps. Check that the butter is softened before going ahead with making the buttercream.
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Tips
- If it's too liquid add powdered sugar, if it's too stiff add milk.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
About This Article
Article Summary
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To make basic butter cream, start by beating 1 cup of soft butter until it’s a pale yellow color. Then, add 3 cups of sugar to your bowl and mix until you have a light consistency. Now, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream before beating the mixture thoroughly. If the mixture is too dry after mixing, add 1 tablespoon of cream. To give your butter cream a unique flavor, you can use almond or mint instead of vanilla, or you could color it with a few drops of food coloring. For buttercream variations, including how to make buttercream fondant, read on!
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