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The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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What could be sweeter than the BEST Buttercream Frosting piped on a delicious cupcake? This classic buttercream frosting is the one I used while attending culinary school in the ’70s.  Yes, they had those back then. 

I see no reason to change this classic recipe since it is perfect for frosting, cakes, and cupcakes with a spatula or a pastry bag and tip.

Buttercream frosting on a chocolate cupcake

Buttercream Frosted Cupcake

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

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Supplies 

 

Ingredients for buttercream frosting

Ingredients for Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1 Stick unsalted butter softened (room temperature)
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar
  • 5 to 7 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk 
Add confectioner's sugar to butter

Add confectioner’s sugar to butter

Mixer covered with tea towel

Mixer covered with a tea towel

Adding a pinch of salt

Adding a pinch of salt

Vanilla extract added to the bowl

Vanilla extract added to the bowl

Add enough cream

Add enough cream

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Classic Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream Frosting

Icing for cookie cake
4.84 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Rate
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buttercream frosting
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 213kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Stick Unsalted Butter softened not melted
  • 4 Cups of 10X sugar
  • 5 to 7 Tablespoons Cream or milk

Instructions

  • Using an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar together at a slow speed. Then slowly add cream one tablespoon at a time until the icing mixture is firm and smooth.
  • Frost your cake or cupcakes and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
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Tried this recipe?Mention @kippiathome or tag #kippiathome!
Frosting cupcakes with pastry bag

Frosting cupcakes with a pastry bag

 

Cupcake Picks

To decorate the cupcakes for special events add some DIY picks. See how to DIY them HERE.

Football picks

Football picks

 

 

 

Buttercream Frosting Options 

If you would like to balance out the sweetness of the frosting, you can add a pinch of salt to the frosting.

Extracts

Note: Adding an extract to flavor to the frosting can change the consistency of the frosting.  I recommend adding it before adding all the cream. 

Vanilla buttercream: To make vanilla buttercream frosting add 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the frosting. 

Some other extracts I have used in buttercream frosting are coconut, peppermint, and almond.

Spices

Another way to add some flavor to buttercream frosting is with spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, and/or cloves. Add spices 1/4 teaspoon at a time and taste before adding more. 

Tinting 

Buttercream frosting is perfect for tinting any color of the rainbow. I recommend using this type of food color to prevent changing the consistency of the frosting. Use a toothpick to add little at a time. 

Want More?

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration for easy meals and recipes. I put together some recipes. I think you will like it.

If you like easy everyday recipes, you might enjoy my favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox click HERE.

See you soon,

Kippi

 

Recipe Rating




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fwe

Monday 7th of November 2022

The cupcake are the cutest!! it look delicious 🙂 Pinned! moto x3m

Kathy

Monday 25th of April 2022

Hi Kippi I am from Saskatchewan Canada and follow your posts . Have a couple questions about this frosting : I have to do96 cupcakes and was wondering if I could decorate and it would keep for 2 days in cool place before anything starts melting or falling , also how many cups are your stick of butter lol😅 . Thanks Kathy

debbie

Monday 7th of February 2022

I looked at the recipe and wrote down the 3 ingredients but under the pictures it mentions vanilla and pinch of salt. What is the full list of ingredients?

Amber

Sunday 9th of January 2022

What type/brand of coloring do you use? The link does not work.

Julie

Sunday 7th of February 2021

This is how I've always made buttercream , the only difference is that here in the UK we call it icing instead of frosting! Both chilly words! I'm now going to be forced to make cakes just so I can make some buttercream to go on them, my mouth is watering! Thanks for sharing at Handmade Monday this week, you have been featured!

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