Uses For Buttercream Frosting
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Nothing compares to a homemade buttercream. The simple frosting is light, fluffy, and ideal for piping pretty swirls atop cupcakes, decorating sugar cookies and cakes, or just eating straight from the bowl. If you've ever attempted to make homemade buttercream, you know it can be surprisingly finicky. But help is here! With this easy recipe, I’ve brought together all my top tips, so you can achieve perfect buttercream every time.
Before you do anything else, sift your confectioners' sugar through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Don’t skip this step; the last thing you want is lumps clogging your piping tip or blemishing the surface of your cake. Set aside.
Now grab a handheld mixer and another large bowl or, if you prefer, fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Make sure your butter is room temperature; it should dent under gentle pressure but show no signs of sweating or melting. Now, beat the butter on medium-high speed, stopping to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until it's pale and fluffy; expect 2 or 3 minutes for this.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sifted confectioners' sugar in 2 or 3 additions, beating until incorporated after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed. Adding the sugar gradually ensures the butter is more evenly incorporated and minimizes mess. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until incorporated and the buttercream is fluffy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, adding more cream if you want a thinner buttercream.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
The best thing about this recipe is how customizable it is. For a simple flavor change, try subbing out the vanilla for other extracts, like mint, almond, or maple; use a light hand to start. For a bright refreshing flavor, add citrus zest while beating the butter and some freshly squeezed juice when adding the heavy cream. You could even turn this into a chocolate buttercream by adding in 1/2 c. cocoa powder with the confectioners’ sugar—add some espresso powder too to make the chocolate flavor really pop!
Though, technically, you can make buttercream ahead of time, I live by the adage “freeze your cake, not your frosting” and strongly recommend making it day-of. If you do want to make it ahead, it’ll keep for 2 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer. Before using, let it come to room temperature and then re-whip it, adding a little extra cream if needed, to restore its fluffy consistency.
(230 g.) confectioners' sugar
(2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
(or more) heavy cream, room temperature
pure vanilla extract
kosher salt
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