My sister came over a few days ago and wanted me to help her make a cake for her sons first birthday. Of course I love every opportunity I get to help someone bake and I feel pretty cool when they ask for my baking opinion =). She wanted to make a mini tiered cake (and I don’t own the mini tiered cake pans so I had to get creative) and she wanted a delicious, white, fluffy frosting to cover it. She asked if we could get a really white frosting without the yellow tint. I told her the trick is in the technique. It’s not just about the ingredients you put into the frosting, but also the method in which you prepare the frosting. In my opinion, these are the keys to a very light, fluffy, creamy, and amazingly delicious buttercream frosting:
1. Really whip the butter. I am talking until it’s basically white. Really pay attention to the shade of the butter when whipping, making sure it becomes very very pale.
2. Use heavy cream. Cream makes everything better, and creamier of course.
3. Lots of butter. Yes there are days I try to be a little healthier and reduce the amount of butter I add to my buttercream frosting but those days I will admit, it’s just not quite as good. This is an indulgent frosting and sometimes it’s definitely worth it.
4. Ratio is important, don’t add any more powdered sugar than listed or the proportions won’t be right and your texture wont be what I call perfect.
5. Don’t overdue it with the vanilla, add no more than 1 1/2 tsp. If anything reduce the amount. The beauty of the flavors of the buttercream comes from the butter. Basically it makes it taste like ice cream, it doesn’t need to be enhanced, just lightly highlighted.
6. Whip it some more. Once you add the cream you still want more air and fluffiness in there. This isn’t a one minute frosting recipe but I’m telling it’s well worth the time and patience invested.
My sister and I both agree this is the best Buttercream Frosting, EVER! Don’t forget the trick is in the technique. There are hundreds of buttercream frosting recipes out there, but the one that sets this apart from the others is preparation (and the use of salted butter). I hope you love this recipe! Now go make a batch of this luscious frosting and have cake today. Any day is a great day for cake =)!
….And wait! Don’t throw that frosting out! I frequently end up with a little frosting left over when I’m frosting cakes or cupcakes because I can’t perfectly evenly divide it out. And no way am I going to throw good frosting down the drain! So, what to do with it (PS feel free to any additional ideas in a comment below)?
Ideas for leftover frosting:
- sandwich between Nilla Waffers and roll edges in sprinkles for an easy treat the kids will love
- spread over warm toast, add a pinch cinnamon if desired
- spread over graham crackers, optionally sprinkle with chocolate chips
- add a spoonful or two to your morning bowl of oatmeal (I tried a cream cheese in my banana oatmeal one morning, wow good)
- use it as a dip for pretzels
- dunk teddy grahams or gingersnaps (its like homemade Dunkaroos)
- spread over fruit, such as bananas or strawberries
- melt chocolate frosting and pour over ice cream
- add chopped nuts to it, chill and cut in squares
- spread over warm pancakes or french toast
- fold in some whipped cream or cool whip and use it as a fruit dip
- add some caramel sauce and dip apple slices
- turn it into a simple craft with the kids, tint it with food coloring, get out all the different varieties of sprinkles, icings and little candies you have in the cupboard and let them spread it of graham crackers and decorate as desired.
- and of course last but not least simply place leftover frosting in an airtight container, store in refrigerator (up to 4 days) and enjoy throughout the next few days by the spoonful (if you don’t want to temp yourself so much, freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator – never microwave to thaw).
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)*
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use clear if desired)
Directions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, using the paddle or whisk attachment whip butter on medium high speed (if using whisk attachment whip on high speed) until nearly white and very fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes, frequently scrapping down the sides of the bowl. Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until blended, then increase speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes, frequently scraping down the sides of the bowl. Immediately spread over cooled cake or cupcakes.
- Note: if you want an alternate flavor of frosting, coconut or almond extract would be a great substitute for the vanilla extract, just add it to taste.
- *I like to break the rules of baking =), I use salted butter. I like how the salt in the butter balances out the sweetness and I don't like to add in salt myself because I feel like it doesn't have a chance to dissolve well enough since it's not heated. If you prefer unsalted then feel free to use that instead, although I'd recommend adding at least one cube salted butter then two unsalted, try it out you may just love it. Sometimes I like to use 3/4 cup salted 3/4 cup unsalted - especially for white cupcakes it just seams to be a good balance for a delicate cupcake. Try to look for a salted butter that has no more than 100mg of salt per 1 Tbsp serving.
- Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
Make A Mini Cake Using Glass Storage Containers
If you were wondering how to make the mini tiered birthday cake, this is how I did it:
1. Line each a 1 cup, 2 cup and 4 cup oven safe, round glass storage container with aluminum foil, pressing and molding the foil directly to the insides of each container and leaving an slight overhang of foil on the sides (to lift out the cake), then spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray (or use a baster and baste with vegetable oil or melted butter) then dust with flour and shake off excess.
2. Preheat oven according to directions listed on cake mix box and prepare cake according to directions listed on package.
3. Fill foil lined cups 2/3 full (you may have just a bit of excess batter).
4. Bake in preheated oven*(baking time will vary based on what type of cake mix you use, so judge accordingly), I made the confetti cake and it took about 25 – 30 minutes for the one cup, then an additional 5 minutes for the 2 cup, then another 5 minutes for the 4 cup (so you should be removing the smallest first, letting the medium bake a little longer and the largest bake the longest), insert a toothpick into the center of cakes to check for doneness.
5. Allow cakes to cool in glass bowls several minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool run a knife evenly along the top (about 1/2 – 1 inch down) to make cake even and remove excess on top.
6. Turn cakes upside down and frost, frosting largest first, then medium and finishing with the smallest (note that frosting sets quickly so keep that in mind if adding sprinkles).
7. Celebrate and enjoy!
*I feel silly even putting this but don’t cover cake with the plastic storage lid when baking (kind of a given but I just wanted to clarify, bake it uncovered you don’t want that lid to melt =).
Kathleen: What a great post! Love me a good butter cream!!! All your tips are fabulous :) September 10, 2012 at 11:10am
sally @ sallys baking addiction: frosting = dip for pretzels. ABSOLUTELY! I do this more often than I’d like to admit. ;) September 10, 2012 at 11:27am
The Cooking Actress: Such a beautiful buttercream recipe! Those photos make me want to have a lick! September 10, 2012 at 12:19pm
Faith: This post made my mouth water! What a beautiful cake! September 10, 2012 at 12:31pm
Nupur: Thats a really nice idea and a perfect recipe .. life saver :) September 10, 2012 at 3:05pm
Anu: Nice and informative one. The cake looks stunning. September 10, 2012 at 5:46pm
Anonymous: How long can u leave cake out after frosting of on? Thanks September 10, 2012 at 7:38pm
Diane: What a cute little cake!
A quick tip for lining the bowls with foil– first turn the bowl over and press the foil on the outside of the bowl. Remove it gently, and then turn the bowl right-side-up and your foil will fit inside easily! September 10, 2012 at 8:48pm
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious: I just had a buttercream disaster so I will most definitely be following your directions/tips the next time I attempt to whip up some buttercream, which may be a while! September 10, 2012 at 9:08pm
Jaclyn: Anonymous – I wouldn’t recommend letting it sit out at room temperature uncovered very long, I would recommend (if not eating immediately after frosting) transferring it to some sort of container that will protect it from becoming dry and so forth, I actually just ended up using a cardboard box because it wouldn’t fit in my cake carrier by like about 1/2 inch. I would recommend eating it the day that it’s frosted but it’s fine one more day following. September 10, 2012 at 9:22pm
Elajr: Can this frosting be piped into roses or other shapes to decorate a cake? Can we add color to this? Thanks. September 11, 2012 at 8:10am
nkokar: From my experience, any buttercream with powdered sugar has never really been truly smooth–there is always a slight graininess. Might that be due to the corn starch included in the sugar–or, perhaps, the sugar never fully dissolving in the preperation?
I have prepared buttercream in other fashions–SMBC, IMBC, boiled flour-based, etc–and those do not express the graininess issue, and each use granulated sugar, fully dissolved.
Or am I doing something wrong here? September 11, 2012 at 9:09am
Sarah: No way, this is the best way to do it. Powdered Sugar will never truly make a good buttercream. You’re definitely going in the right direction with the granulated. February 10, 2013 at 9:48am
Jaclyn: Elajr – I’m a total amateur at cake decorating but it’s something I am actually wanting to learn in the very near future, I’ve been pinning a bunch of different frosting techniques I love to test them out. Anyway to answer your question, this is a very light fluffy frosting, it it is fairly sturdy, but keep in mind it has quite a bit of air in it (which makes it fluffy) so I don’t know that you’d want the air bubbles in the roses? I only pipe the twirls and so forth so the air doesn’t matter much. You could always test one out first to see how it would hold up. You can definitely add color to it though. I hope that helps a little =). September 11, 2012 at 4:11pm
omgstoryofmylife: Looks great! You could mix leftover frosting with cake scraps and dip those in melted chocolate to make cake balls! You can then add a lollipop stick to make them cake pops. September 11, 2012 at 4:14pm
Karen Robison: Frosting = dip for Fritos scoops. I have loved that combination for YEARS. September 12, 2012 at 6:42am
Christine: I made this frosting yesterday for my own birthday cake. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME….oh yeah. Seriously the best buttercream EVER! And the leftover frosting I LOVE in between graham crackers. Thanks for posting!! September 12, 2012 at 9:15am
Jaclyn: nkokar – I’ve never really had a grainy buttercream? Maybe you are referring to the slightly dry outer crust that forms on the outside of the frosting once it has set? I do usually have that but I guess I just like it =). This frosting is very smooth and fluffy though so you should give it a try!
Christine – HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you had a great one, and I’m glad you agree with me about the frosting that it’s the best ever =)! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! September 12, 2012 at 2:35pm
Whitney: I made this last night and it was amazing :) I have been perfecting my cake baking abilities and have gotten them down pretty well, but my husband never quite loves the frosting. He stated he likes professional frosting. I made your recipe and [since I ran out of butter ;)] I just used a box cake mix. He loved the frosting!!! Absolute success! Thanks September 12, 2012 at 3:00pm
Brittany: Thanks for the tutorial! I’ve been stumped with buttercream. Can’t wait to try this technique/recipe! September 12, 2012 at 7:59pm
Anonymous: Your instructions say use the paddle attachment, but the photo shows the whisk attachment? Please clarify. September 14, 2012 at 10:16am
Jaclyn: Anonymous – sorry for the confusion, either one will work great. I’ve used both. They both produce the same result, the main idea, no matter what you use of the two attachments is to really really whip it and watch for the shade to become very very light. You could even make it with an electric hand mixer. Hope that helps =). September 14, 2012 at 1:50pm
FrugalFoodieMama: This is going to be my go-to from here on out when I need a good buttercream. Thanks so much for sharing! :)
I featured your recipe on my ~A Little Sunday Potluck~ post today. To see my post & grab your Featured button, just click the link! :)
http://www.thefrugalfoodiemama.com/2012/09/a-little-sunday-potluck-91612.html September 16, 2012 at 6:21am
Jelli: This frosting looks great! I’ve used many a buttercream recipe and so far have been loyal to IamBaker’s recipe, but this one certainly must taste better since it doesn’t use shortening. Found you from FrugalFoodieMama’s blog. September 17, 2012 at 8:50am
Jaclyn: Thanks FrugalFoddieMama!
Someone left a comment asking if this can be stacked and covered with fondant but for some reason the comment deleted when I published it anyway to answer that question, I don’t like fondant so I haven’t ever tried before so with that said I can’t say for sure. It is a very fluffy frosting but it seems sturdy enough as long as you aren’t using a thick layer of fondant. Hope that helps! September 17, 2012 at 9:09am
Lizzy Do: YUM! I’m so glad to have a tried and true buttercream frosting!!! September 23, 2012 at 4:54am
JennBen: I just made this frosting and it is the best frosting I have ever had! I have been looking for over a year for the perfect recipe and now I finally found it…Thanks for the great instructions. Do you have a great chocolate frosting with the same attention to detail? September 27, 2012 at 8:15am
Jaclyn: JennBenn – Thanks for the comment, I’m glad you loved it =)! I haven’t posted a chocolate one yet, I’m sure I will in the near future. It will be something very similar to this with an almost identical preparation and I will probably just omit a bit of the powdered sugar and replace it with sifted cocoa powder and leave everything else the same. I hope that helps a little. September 27, 2012 at 8:46pm
Jelli: I’m back to tell you that I used your recipe for my baby’s 1st birthday cake. It was light and fluffy, just as you promised. I’m not a big buttercream fan, but this was definitely one of the top bc recipes I’ve tried, and as an avid baker (and seller of cakes) I’ve tried a mighty many. Thanks for the recipe, Jaclyn! P.S. I made a 9″ 3-layer cake and didn’t have any leftover frosting. October 6, 2012 at 5:16pm
Jaclyn: Jelli – Thanks so much for returning to leave a comment. That’s great to hear from an avid baker and seller of cakes =)! I’m so glad you like it! October 8, 2012 at 10:12am
Kat: Seriously, you and your sister win for hands down best frosting ever. I just ate about 3T. off my spoon. Thanks for the extra 10 lbs! smiles! October 20, 2012 at 2:10pm
Jaclyn: Kat – haha thanks =), glad you loved it! Thanks for the comment! October 20, 2012 at 3:03pm
Anonymous: Wow! I really really honestly did not know frosting could taste so great!
Aand I loved the ideas for leftovers.I think I’ll end up just eating it with a spoon though. ;D October 26, 2012 at 6:18pm
Brandie: So I don’t have a stand mixer, but I do have a kitchen aid hand mixer with basic attachments – anyway that would work or does it have to be a stand mixer?
I tried buttercream ONCE – candy thermometer, melted sugar, the whole deal and it was terrible. Tasted like straight up butter. I’d like to try again. October 27, 2012 at 3:44pm
Jaclyn: Brandie – that should be fine, the key is just to really pay attention to the shade of the butter, it should be nearly white and it should be extremely fluffy. You just want to get lots and lot of air in there, so just whip and whip and whip a little longer =). I hope you enjoy! Wish I had a spoonful or 10 now! October 27, 2012 at 8:52pm
Anonymous: thanks for the tips… much fluffier than my usual recipe, and got good reviews from the eaters :) November 3, 2012 at 3:25pm
collinha: Can this be made into chocolate? If so, what would your suggestion be for the amount of cocoa to add? November 8, 2012 at 9:32am
Jaclyn: Thanks for your comment, it inspired me for my next post =). I should have it finished and up tomorrow – Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Hope you enjoy! November 10, 2012 at 12:46am
Emily: I made this on Sunday for my son’s first birthday party. It was perfect. Light and fluffy and a huge hit! Everyone loved it and could not stop talking about it. It went great with the chocolate cake I made. I can’t wait to try out some more of your recipes! November 13, 2012 at 9:43am
Laura Christie: How did you get the frosting to look so smooth on that cake!? November 15, 2012 at 10:36am
Jaclyn: I just used the icing spatula pictured above – the first photo. There are plenty of specialty tools out there for cake decorating but I keep it pretty basic otherwise my kitchen would be overrun with kitchen accessories, I feel like it already is =). November 16, 2012 at 10:25am
Heidi: Super cute cake! My best friend is getting married next month and asked me to do her wedding cake, so I’ve been looking for ideas–this little cake might be what she’s looking for. :) Thanks for the frosting recipe, too. November 15, 2012 at 6:58pm
covering: OH my word this is the BEST buttercream ever!!! I may never use another recipe for buttercream frosting again, how can you top perfect and this stuff is perfect! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH :) I could hug you! I’m trying to decide if I want to share the beaters with my kids or just lick them myself ;)
-annabelle December 2, 2012 at 1:07pm
Jaclyn: Glad you loved it! I always have the debate of sharing the beaters or not too =). Thanks so much for your comment! December 4, 2012 at 10:53pm
Anonymous: the receipe u have above about how many cups of buttercream does that make? thank you December 2, 2012 at 10:42pm
Jaclyn: I’m sorry I actually have no idea in cups because I’ve never measured it. I would say it’s enough for 24 cupcakes or a 2 layer cake. Hope that helps! December 4, 2012 at 10:52pm
Anonymous: I made this recipe for my sons 3rd birthday party. I made my first 3 tiered cake. I had to make this recipe twice to cover the cake. I substituted 2 Tablespoons of half and half for the heavy cream since that was what I had. It was absolutely delicious! I also sifted the confectioners sugar before adding it to the whipped butter, vanilla and half and half. I used unsalted butter. December 5, 2012 at 8:32pm
Melinda Kern: will the vanilla add a brown tint to the frosting? i see you said you can use a clear one but ive looked and cant find it. December 10, 2012 at 10:59am
Jaclyn: Melinda – it’s hardly noticeable so I just use the regular vanilla. I hope you enjoy this frosting! December 10, 2012 at 11:01am
Melinda Kern: Thank you! December 10, 2012 at 12:56pm
tonitruj: I have tried to make fluffy buttercream before and the butter breaks. I thought it was from all of the whipping, is there a secret to making sure that doesn’t happen, or is it just the ratio’s in the recipe? December 12, 2012 at 7:37am
Jaclyn: It’s probably the ratio that was the problem before because this recipe whips up very nice and fluffy and definitely no butter breaking. I hope you have a chance to try it =)! December 13, 2012 at 8:31pm
Justin D: I’m with you on the salted butter in baking. I used to always use unsalted, then switched and it’s so much better. I actually often don’t omit the salt the recipe calls for when I use salted butter, and never have an issue. My baked goods have never come out salty. December 14, 2012 at 11:02pm
Jaclyn: That’s what I’ve done too, I’ve tried unsalted vs salted and I usually always like the little bit of added salt that the salted butter gives better. They say that the salt amounts in salted butter varies so much between manufacturer that it’s best to use unsalted, but when I checked the amounts at the grocery store there really weren’t much different. Not enough that it would ever be noticed I’d think, unless you were using a few lbs =). December 17, 2012 at 12:09pm
Ronda Stark: I made this frosting today and I still have the problem that my frosting never gets thick enough to put in the pipping bag. It always looks like it is separating. I didn’t have heavy cream I had to use whipping cream, could that have been the problem? Your recipe didn’t say to, but do you have to sift the powdered sugar? I have tried several different recipes, one with shortening and yours that doesn’t call for it, with the same results. Please help!!!! December 20, 2012 at 3:47pm
Jaclyn: Ronda – Sorry you are having difficulties. I don’t think the whipping cream should have been a problem. This is the only time I have heard of this happening. How long are you whipping it for? Is it smooth before it starts to separate? December 24, 2012 at 3:31pm
Ronda Stark: I whipped for as long as you said to. It had the same consistency as the frosting I made with the shortening. It never looked smooth and fluffy. I added more powdered sugar thinking because I didn’t sift it that I didn’t have enough sugar in it, but it never stiffened up. December 24, 2012 at 9:01pm
Jaclyn: It won’t ever really “stiffen” if that’s what you are looking for, it is much more of a light and fluffy frosting. More of a lucious, slightly delicate, melt in your mouth kind of frosting. I’m not really sure what to tell you as to what step/ingredient to adjust without seeing the process in which you’ve made it. I wish I could help more! December 25, 2012 at 1:51am
Jaclyn: I would try using butter that is maybe more firm next time. Just note that the frosting doesn’t really “stiffen” if that’s what you are looking for. This is more of a light and fluffy frosting, a luscious melt in your mouth, somewhat delicate frosting. It should hold it’s shape though if that’s what you mean by the word stiffen. I would recommend using heavy cream next time though too as it whips better than a regular whipping cream (it won’t make a huge difference but it may help a tad) Hope that helps! December 25, 2012 at 1:55am
Alice: Thank you for this recipe. I made peanut butter cream frosting over the holidays from another recipe. I used 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of peanut butter and I loved the consistency of the frosting. I made a peppermint butter cream and it wasn’t the same. It’s because recipe only called for 1 cup of butter and the same amount of 10X sugar. It was still yummy, but I am looking for the consistency for frosting. Also thank you for the ideas for left over frosting. I was sitting here thinking, why not add more butter and it should be the same as the peanut butter. Thanks again December 27, 2012 at 7:11am
Beth Kealy: Best frosting ever!!!! Thank you so much. I just made a batch for my husband’s birthday cake. It turned out beautifully!!!! Thank you thank you!!! December 27, 2012 at 3:40pm
Jaclyn: Youre welcome =)! Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your comment! December 27, 2012 at 4:23pm
Zoe: Cake balls! If you just made a cake you probably have extra crumbs too! Yum! January 1, 2013 at 10:03am
Jaclyn: wonderful idea =)! January 1, 2013 at 10:49am
Whitney: I have made this frosting several times now. It is my go to buttercream. Is there a way to make the frosting strawberry flavored? All my attempts have turned into a liquidy mess from the strawberry juice even if I fold them in. Thanks :) January 3, 2013 at 8:45pm
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it Whitney. What I would do for a strawberry version is either us strawberry extract such as this
http://www.olivenation.com/Pure-Strawberry-Extract-P350.aspx?gclid=CNf2voCdz7QCFal_QgodSWEA1Q or if you don’t mind imitation flavor they usually have an imitation strawberry extract at the grocery store. Or I would try freeze dried strawberries ground into a powder in a food processor. Hope that helps! January 4, 2013 at 10:30am
mea: This was so good on the cinnamon rolls I made yesterday. My kids cannot stop talking about them :) January 7, 2013 at 8:58pm
Jaclyn: Sounds delicious to use it for cinnamon rolls! So glad it was enjoyed! January 7, 2013 at 10:12pm
Lauren: Hi,
I was wondering how much buttercream this makes? How many cups, or how many cupcakes it approximately frosts? Thanks. January 10, 2013 at 1:25pm
Jaclyn: I have no idea in cups I just made it today so I wish I would have measured =), It makes enough to frost about 2 dozen cupcakes but it you want a ton of frosting you may want to make 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 the recipe. Hope that helps! January 13, 2013 at 7:40pm
Sana: hey….was just curious u used powdered sugar not icing sugar m i rite? n can i frost the cake with this recipe the night bfore i serve it to guests?
thx January 11, 2013 at 1:34pm
Jaclyn: Yes I used powdered sugar. Also, I wouldn’t recommend frosting it the night before just because you’ll lose a lot of the air that you whipped into it and it won’t be as fluffy but if you need to then you can. I hope you enjoy! January 12, 2013 at 2:30pm
Robbie: I enjoyed reading the comments about your frosting and plan to try it in the am. I have to make cupcakes for a wedding shower and am wondering how well this will pipe unto them. Looking at the lovely cake you made I can see some piped buttons. Do you think this is “firm” enough? Got some beautiful sugared flowers from a woman in Ohio to add as crown jewels, but want to be sure I am using a frosting that will keep its shape. Just threw a disaster down the drain. thanks February 1, 2013 at 6:33pm
Jaclyn: Robbie – This is a fairly fluffy frosting, with that said it holds it’s shape fairly well for a fluffy frosting but keep in mind it will also start to settle a bit after a few hours and lose some of the air that was whipped into it. If you are looking for a firm frosting you may want to consider a different recipe but I would highly recommend that you do dry this one sometime =). February 2, 2013 at 9:16pm
Cupcake Decorating Made Easy! « The Lilly Mint Blog: [...] The best frosting to use is Buttercream – I love this recipe [...] February 8, 2013 at 12:51am
Ginger: What kind of (heavy) cream do you need?
Coffee cream or..? February 8, 2013 at 4:08am
Jaclyn: Ginger – just regular heavy whipping cream =). February 8, 2013 at 10:34am
Ginger: Thankyou!
I have another question hihi, do you use 4 times a half a cup of powdered sugar of do you use four AND a half cup of powderded sugar?
I’m not so good with cups, cause I live in holland, but is it really that much as 950 grams of powdered sugar or am I wrong?
Oh I’m so excited to try this out! February 9, 2013 at 4:35am
Ginger: So I actually mean to say could you tell me how much 4 and a half cup of powdered sugar is in grams? cause on the internet they say all kind of different proportions February 9, 2013 at 4:56am
Jaclyn: And that’s 550 grams total =). February 10, 2013 at 10:41am
Jaclyn: Hi Ginger – it should be 550 grams of powdered sugar. I hope that helps and I hope you love it =)! February 10, 2013 at 10:39am
Rhea: What’s a good substitute for heavy cream? February 10, 2013 at 4:04pm
Jaclyn: Half and half. Some have use coffee creamer too. February 10, 2013 at 6:02pm
Rhea: So you just add the plain coffee cream to the mixture and that’s it? What’s half and half? Sorry I’m not familiar with that. Hehe! February 10, 2013 at 9:06pm
Jaclyn: Yes plain coffee creamer would work if you can’t find heavy cream or regular cream, and half and half is just a mixture of half milk and half cream (a lot of people use it in coffee so you can usually find it near the coffee creamer (in the US anyway). Hope that helps! February 12, 2013 at 11:10pm
Rhea: I can also use whipping cream instead of heavy cream, right? Same measurements? February 16, 2013 at 8:18pm
Jaclyn: Yeah that should work just fine, and yes same measurement. Hope you enjoy Rhea! February 17, 2013 at 10:52am
Michele: How would you incorporate some “cherry” flavor to it? February 11, 2013 at 10:44am
Jaclyn: Cherry extract or freeze dried cherries pulverized in a food processor then whipped into frosting. Hope that helps! February 11, 2013 at 6:43pm
Heart-Filled Cupcakes | Miss Boulanger's Boulangerie: [...] Megan has posted the recipe on her blog so follow this link to make the cupcakes: Pink Heart-Filled Cupcakes. Because I dislike artificial strawberry flavor, I topped them with this fluffy frosting recipe from Cooking Classy. [...] February 11, 2013 at 8:34pm
Henna: Um. This may sound really stupid but would a food processor do? I mean, I just have a mixer/grinder. Would it work the same way? :/
I tried somebody else’s buttercream recipe with the food processor but it turned out to be too thin. Please help? :( February 12, 2013 at 8:06am
Jaclyn: Henna – Not a stupid question =). I would not recommend using a food processor for this as it more purees and grinds things rather than whipping them. If you have a hand mixer you can use that, you may just need to whip it a bit longer than listed – just pay attention to the shade and make sure it gets very pale. Hope that helps! February 12, 2013 at 10:50pm
Lisa: Loved the flavor of the recipe!!! Since this is not a stiff frosting, I just refrigerated my decorating bag for about 15 minutes and the roses came out beautifully. The regular consistency was fine for everything else. Even a group of teenagers were impressed! February 13, 2013 at 6:18am
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you loved it =)! Thanks so much for your comment as others will find it very helpful! February 14, 2013 at 9:18am
Mina: Great post. However, I’d really like to know what quantity is a ‘stick’ of butter. I live in Sweden and our butter is packaged in 250 and 500 grams. Hope I get an answer to this question as I’m gonna whip me some buttercream day after tomorrow. Thanx in advance. February 13, 2013 at 2:53pm
Jaclyn: Mina – 1 cup of butter is 227g therefor the recipe would be 340 grams of butter total. I hope you love it! Oh and I just noticed you asked about 1/2 cup that is 113g.
February 14, 2013 at 7:53pm
rafat: i am doing the wiltons course. can i use this recipe for decorating cakes , i,e making stars ,flowers tc. even if i decorate the whole cake and let it sit in the fridge will it hold its shape. we r taught to let the icing dry for 30 min s before smothing it and decorating it. wat do u suggest.i dont like the wilton recipe . February 14, 2013 at 8:57pm
Jaclyn: Someone else mentioned they were able to pipe roses with this frosting after letting it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes so it should work out for you. Hope you enjoy! February 17, 2013 at 11:05am
Milly: So I’m baking my first wedding cake, an un-iced 4 tier Victoria sponge. I usually just bake for friends and fun really, and it’s for my Dad’s wedding, so I want it to be perfect! This frosting looks sooo nice, I’d love to use this recipe, but would it keep (what with having cream) over night? I’m going to bake the cakes the day before the wedding and then assemble on the actual day. Any suggestions or ideas would be hugely appreciated! Thank you! x February 15, 2013 at 11:56am
Milly: Oh and I’m going to have the frosting in between the sandwich along with the jam, do you think that would work with this frosting? February 15, 2013 at 12:00pm
Jaclyn: Milly – I would recommend to anyone making a wedding cake (especially if it’s a recipe you haven’t tried before) do a test run even if it’s on a smaller scale because a wedding is such an important even that you wouldn’t want it to go wrong =). Likely it would be just fine but I would recommend trying it out first =). February 17, 2013 at 11:18am
humi: Loved this butter cream recipe.used it for saffron macaron filling flavoring with cardamon.
Was a huge hit February 17, 2013 at 6:05am
Jaclyn: Humi – that seriously sounds amazing and gourmet! I wish I had one =). I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thanks for your comment! February 17, 2013 at 10:51am
Mango Buttercream | Life Less Brooke Would Be Ordinary: [...] The basic buttercream recipe I got from Cooking Classy [...] February 21, 2013 at 4:27am
Tina: I really wanted to use this icing on my friends cake for her baby shower but I would be putting marshmellow fondant over it. This cake would be assembled the day before completely. Will it hold or would the fondant slide off? February 22, 2013 at 10:10am
Jaclyn: I think it should hold fine, it may settle just a bit but other than that it should be fine. February 24, 2013 at 7:22pm
Jamie: LOVE!!! I used all salted butter and I’m glad that I did. February 22, 2013 at 3:31pm
Jaclyn: Jamie – I’m so glad you loved it =)! I know I’m the odd baker out, I’m always using salted butter. I just like it better and I’ve never used it in baking and thought oh wow that’s too salty. I know they say it’s not as fresh as unsalted but I use my salted butter within a few days of buying it anyway =). I think it just balances out the sweetness. February 22, 2013 at 9:52pm
Stormi: I tried this tonight and it was terribly thin I whipped and whipped and whipped some more the butter was very light.. all I have is a hand mixer.. so I guess the recipe isn’t going to work for me :/ February 23, 2013 at 12:58am
Jaclyn: Stormi – sorry to hear that it didn’t work for you. The hand mixer should work fine but maybe your room temperature is too warm or if you used softened butter it may have been melted slightly and that will also cause problems. It is meant to be a light and fluffy frosting and also the butter is meant to become very light when whipped. Did it thicken when you added powdered sugar at all? February 23, 2013 at 11:06am
Kavita: I wondering if this buttercream tastes too buttery? A lot of recipes I have tried taste like i’m eating butter. thanks! February 27, 2013 at 5:13pm
Jaclyn: I personally don’t think that it tastes too buttery, I know what you mean and I feel like these measurements are just right. I think using salted butter also helps that out. February 28, 2013 at 1:15am
Sarah: Do you have a chocolate version? Also does it hold up to food coloring? I’m making my sons birthday cake tomorrow and he wants a football field cake with a football on top March 1, 2013 at 6:05pm
Jaclyn: I’ve tried coloring chocolate frosting in the past and it didn’t turn out at all. It was just a really terrible color =). I would recommend just using the plain buttercream if you want to color it then maybe you could put some chocolate frosting on the sides or between layers. And yes there is also a chocolate frosting I have posted here:
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/11/my-favorite-chocolate-buttercream-frosting
…I wish I had a heaping spoonful now =). March 1, 2013 at 9:43pm
Kathy: I don’t ususally do comments, but after making this icing this past weekend for my sons cake, I had to share! I’ve always had trouble with icing always tasting confection sugary! Following your awesome technique, beating the butter for 8-10 min did make a big difference. I made a white cake and cut into 4 layers and added strawberrys in between the layers, but wanted to share that I added 8-10 oz of coolwhip and alittle more whipping cream to the icing to keep it smooth and all I can say is AWESOME!!!! March 3, 2013 at 2:50pm
Jaclyn: Kathy – I’m so glad you left a comment =), thanks so much! That’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed this frosting, always my favorite kind of comment to hear it was enjoyed =). The strawberry layers along with this frosting sound dreamy and with your cool whip addition it sounds nice and fluffy. March 6, 2013 at 10:23am
Anna G: Just made this frosting for a Key lime Cake and it was fantastic!! I added some orange juice and lime juice and it made it just the perfect tangy frosting!! March 10, 2013 at 5:25pm
Jaclyn: Your additions sound delicious Anna! March 16, 2013 at 9:52pm
caterina klein: Love your buttercream frosting, but mine is not pure white, it’s a very pale yellow. Is there a secet to getting pure white frosting? March 10, 2013 at 6:42pm
Jaclyn: Caterina – I would just say whip it a bit longer. Mine was still very very pale yellow tint but not much color to it at all. Hope that helps! March 11, 2013 at 5:45pm
Harps: hi, your recipe for the buttercream looks great, i was wondering if you can convert your measurements to uk, especially how much 3 sticks of butter represents in grams. Also which uk butter is best to use out of anchor, lurpak, stork. March 13, 2013 at 12:53pm
Jaclyn: The weight of the butter is 340g for 1 1/2 cups of butter, I’m sorry I don’t have the rest of the measurements in weight but you could likely find them online. Also I would recommend the anchor or lurpak not stork. I hope you enjoy! March 21, 2013 at 10:28am
Melinda: Thank you for this tutorial and the pictures. My son’s birthday is next week and we have been testing cupcake recipes and frosting recipes for several days now. :) We are heading to the market shortly to pick up heavy cream and more powdered sugar to try this. Can’t wait. I have a question for you. I’d like to surprise my son with his own mini cake and I LOVE how you decorated yours. Question: how did you get the sprinkles in just the one area on the trim? I get sprinkles EVERYWHERE and that is before they make it to the cookie or the cake! Thank you! March 14, 2013 at 6:06am
Jaclyn: I just poured some of the sprinkles into my hand and picked them up with the fingertips of my other hand and carefully sprinkled them around the edges. I hope your son has a very Happy Birthday!! March 14, 2013 at 3:59pm
Christine: This cake looks amazing…and the glass container idea is genius. I do have a couple questions though question though. Did you shape the cakes to have more defined edges before frosting or did you just leave them with the dish mold and how did you manage to only sprinkle the decorative icing? March 14, 2013 at 8:33am
Jaclyn: Christine – the only thing I did to the cakes was level the tops a bit, then I flipped them to the opposite side and frosted/stacked. Please see the previous comment regarding sprinkles. March 16, 2013 at 8:40am
yvonne: hi! i would love to try this recipe! (looks like georgetown’s fluffy buttercream!)
can i just ask,
1) you said dont add more powdered sugar, can I reduce it? i usually make my buttercream in the ratio of 1:2 butter:sugar because i find all the recipes out there too sweet. would reducing the sugar here be okay?
2) can I halve or third the recipe? would it affect the whipping because there’s too little butter to whip?
3) if i would like, say, oreo buttercream, would it be possible to add in bits of oreo after i finish whipping everything? or say some nutella?
THANK YOU! March 20, 2013 at 2:07am
Jaclyn: 1 – If you want to reduce the powdered sugar yes you can, the ratio listed is just what I prefer because it doesn’t seem so buttery.
2 – Yes you can halve the recipe you just may have to whip longer. If doing a third I would recommend a hand mixer as the attachment of a stand mixer doesn’t reach clear to the bottom so a third the recipe wouldn’t get whipped much.
3 – Yes mix ins are a great addition to the recipe. I would say something like oreos just fold them in at the end, if using nutella you’ll probably want to reduce the amount of butter a bit and I’d probably whip it with everything else to make it fluffy.
I hope you enjoy Yvonne! March 20, 2013 at 4:11pm
Robyn McGill: Thank you for the recipe! I split it in half and made the other half with about a half jar of Polaner raspberry jam (seedless). I will frost chocolate cupcakes with this (some with vanilla some with the raspberry) So good! :-) March 21, 2013 at 12:07pm
Daniela: How long do you think I would have to beat the butter by hand to get the white color that you talk about. Don’t have any kind of electric mixer and I’m trying to make it as white as a baseball. Thanks March 22, 2013 at 2:24pm
Jaclyn: Daniela – I don’t think the same result could be achieved by hand mixing. I’d recommend investing in a cheap hand mixer (if you are able to), you can find them for about $10 – $15 at a supermaket in the US or I’d recommend borrowing one from a friend or neighbor. I wish I could borrow you mine =). March 23, 2013 at 11:51pm
Helena: Looks great and can’t wait to try. Thanks so much.
One question and a couple of leftover suggestions:
How did you manage to get the sprinkles onto the little frosting stars without getting them over the cake? It’s a wonderful effect, but I’m sure I’d get sprinkles everywhere.
Also you could try layering ice cream wafers with your favourite preserves and leftover frosting to make something resembling a Pischinger Torte. Look for round European style wafers about the size of a lunch or dinner plate if possible and choose jam/preserves that are on the tart side. Marmalade would be grand.
Alternatively fold vanilla custard into the leftover butter cream and layer with sponge cake and fresh fruit. March 28, 2013 at 3:13am
Jaclyn: Thanks so much for the leftover frosting ideas Helena, they sound delicious! As far as the sprinkles go, I just poured the sprinkles into a bowl then took some out with my fingertips and sprinkled them carefully around the edges. April 2, 2013 at 8:13pm
Chris: Is this a sturdy frosting? Does bit hold up well outside for a few hours? I want to make this frosting for Easter cupcakes, but I don’t want the frosting to melt or get too soft from sitting out. I normally make with some Crisco to stiffen the icing up. Is that a good idea or no? Thank you!!! March 28, 2013 at 12:01pm
Jaclyn: Sorry for the late response! This frosting doesn’t really melt but it doesn’t really stay firm either because it does settle a bit. It’s similar to the average american buttercream it’s just fluffier. April 2, 2013 at 8:14pm
Baby P Baby Shower: [...] Source: Cooking Classy [...] March 28, 2013 at 6:26pm
Joeys Mom: This isn’t “real” buttercream frosting. I am looking for the one that is made with granulated sugar cooked with water then beaten into stiff egg whites and butter. I know the basic ingredients just lost recipe and dont remember the exact amounts needed, for a 3-4 layer cake and enough for piping boarders, roses ect. March 29, 2013 at 8:10am
Emily: That’s an Italian buttercream. Recipe can be found here: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/italian-buttercream-recipe April 4, 2013 at 6:53pm
Grainnie: Hi! Can you tell me how many cupcakes this recipe would frost? This sounds like a really good buttercream recipe, but i just don’t know whether i will need to half or third it…
Thanks! March 29, 2013 at 3:17pm
Jaclyn: You should be able to get 2 dozen frosted unless you want the mile high piped frosting on each cupcake then you’d want to add 1/3 of the recipe more. Hope that helps! March 30, 2013 at 8:55pm
Jamie: The BEST buttercream frosting that I have ever made!! Thanks a bunch. I have been looking for that perfect frosting, and this is it. I actually used orange juice instead of vanilla to put on a double chocolate cake, I was delicious. March 30, 2013 at 9:55am
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you enjoyed this frosting Jamie! Thanks for the tip it sounds delicious! April 4, 2013 at 5:11pm
Ericka: I will do this recipe today, I just to know if the frosting on the sides of a tier cake can hold fondant decorations like hearts and moons around the cake?… Is the buttercream can look like fondant ? …. Thanks April 2, 2013 at 12:12pm
Jaclyn: I’d recommend reading the previous comments above I believe someone had mentioned how they’ve done it before, as I never have =). April 2, 2013 at 2:20pm
SK: How much buttercream does this recipe make? I’m excited to try this, but need to know how much one recipe makes. Please help and thank you!! :) April 3, 2013 at 10:45am
Jaclyn: This makes enough for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes (unless you want a ton of frosting then you may want to add 1/3 more). Hope you enjoy! April 9, 2013 at 6:31pm
Thoughts on Cake Frosting | Milk & Cereal: [...] the frosting, I used this buttercream recipe from Cooking Classy. It’s [...] April 27, 2013 at 10:06am
Bobbie: Is this the same kind of buttercream icing that you would find on a cake in a bakery ? Good old fashioned buttercream ? Like a wedding cake ? The kind that will slightly harden on the outside ? The kind that seems to make a lot of people choose whipped cream icing because buttercream con be sickeningly sweet? Well then this recipe is for me. Please let me know if this is it. I know some recipe’s use shortening; is it one or the other or do some use both? Which one make’s the best icing? May 1, 2013 at 6:34pm
Jaclyn: Yes this is that kind of buttercream :). I think all butter definitely makes the best frosting! May 7, 2013 at 9:26am
Melynda: I apologize if you’ve already answer this but I didn’t have time to browse through all the comments. I’m going to use this recipe for a tiered wedding cake and cupcakes this weekend.
I would like to make the frosting today if I hear back in time. Do you think this will keep fluffy if I make ahead 2 days? May 2, 2013 at 10:58am
Jaclyn: I like it best the first day as it’s fluffiest the day it’s made. I wouldn’t wait 2 days, just my recommendation :). May 2, 2013 at 8:22pm
Mandy: Hey looking foward to trying this icing! I know you’ve said it best to use the same day it’s made, but what if you refigerate it and ice/serve the cupcakes tomorrow? Thanks! May 4, 2013 at 8:37am
Jaclyn: Yes that also works great, you’ll obviously want to allow it to come to room temp before frosting and if it’s not as fluffy you can whip it for a minute or two. Hope you love it Mandy! May 4, 2013 at 12:32pm
Annie: Hi! Tried this recipe for first time today. Unfortunately it came out thin and kiinda tunny and it looks like it’s seperating. I used a hand mixer and heavy whipping cream but I also used tub butter instead od stick…could that be the problem? Is there a brand you recommend? I’m in south east Texas. Thanks for your help! It tastes really good tho lol May 7, 2013 at 8:10am
Annie: Runny** May 7, 2013 at 8:14am
Jaclyn: Yes I wouldn’t recommend the tub butter as they contain more water (also be sure it wasn’t margarine), next time I would use the sticks of butter. Also since you are in Texas your room temperature may be fairly warm so you may not need to let it sit out too long to soften, sometimes I will simply microwave mine (on the butter wrapper as long as it’s not foil lined) in 4 second intervals on high power, then rotate it to the next side between intervals until soft – it should only take about 3 – 4 times. May 7, 2013 at 8:56am
Pixel Shaker: [...] tolerate this daily frosting tasting. Here is my best batch yet! Here are the recipes I used: cake, frosting. If you’re a baker, feel free to share tips and recipes with me. [...] May 9, 2013 at 6:06pm
ela: I made this buttercream today to cover an 8-inch layered cake that I brought to a party and was a little disappointed. First, it’s very sweet. Second, it was fluffy and all after I whipped it but after sitting at room temperature for about 2 hrs., it crusted and the fluffiness is gone. I didn’t like the texture at all. I followed the directions and ingredients to a T. Sorry, I didn’t mean to put down this recipe but I have to be honest. May 11, 2013 at 11:27pm
Tabatha: This stuff just makes me sick, LOL, simply from eating to much. I did double the recipe and added 1 block of cream cheese to it for a little more richness and a little better texture. I LOVED it!!! Some of you that are having trouble with it kind of separating, make sure you use this in a cool environment. Its butter, butter melts. If you use it to pipe with, wear gloves to prevent your warm hands from melting it and giving it the streaky appearance. I made this for my nephews birthday cakes and the comments that I got just made it all that more worth while. Mind you it took me 5 hours of piping to do this, so if you use it to pipe with it is going to take a lot of patience and cooling. May 22, 2013 at 1:34pm
Jaclyn: The cream cheese addition sounds delicious! Thanks for your comment and tips Tabatha! May 22, 2013 at 6:07pm
Joanna: I love the mini cake. I want to make one for my parents anniversary party tomorrow. There will only be 11 of us. How many do you think this cake serves? May 23, 2013 at 6:23am
Jaclyn: Probably about that because I used all of the batter from one cake mix. I hope you do make it and hope everyone loves it :). May 23, 2013 at 9:11am