I’ve been meaning to add a buttercream recipe to my blog for ages and just haven’t quite gotten around to it. I think part of my reluctance to post was that I’m not the best at piping and so had no idea how to present it to show off it’s yummy deliciousness. However, a couple of day’s ago I came across 3-second buttercream rose tutorial by Toni at This Mama. Unfortunately the site is no longer live but she made it look so simple that I couldn’t resist whipping up some vanilla cupcakes and a batch of buttercream to give it a try.
I was pretty pleased with the results *smug grin* so I decided buttercream finally deserved a place on my blog.
I’ve shown it here as cupcake frosting, but it’s extremely versatile and can be used for all sorts of cakes and desserts – cupcakes, sandwich/layer cakes, macarons and, my favourite, as a delicious buttercream layer beneath the fondant icing on the decorated celebration cakes I make for my family. If you’re making my all-in-one vanilla sponge birthday cake, then this is the recipe I use for the buttercream.
What’s the secret to perfect buttercream?
Buttercream is extremely simple to make. However, to ensure that you can create beautiful cakes with it you need to make sure it’s the right consistency.
At this point I want you to imagine you’re making a sandwich. I’m sure that, like me, you’ve experienced those times when you’ve taken the butter out of the fridge and attempted to spread it onto your sandwich only to find that you end up ripping the bread to shreds instead – butter still in one lump, bread with a great big hole in the middle. Now imagine how soft your butter needs to be to ensure that doesn’t happen. That’s the consistency you want your buttercream – just spreadable, but not runny.
So how do you get your buttercream to the right consistency?
It’s important to ensure that your butter is soft in the first place – just spreadable (like you would use for that successful sandwich). The best idea is to leave it out of the fridge for a little while to soften. However, I find that if I forget, I can cut it into cubes and beat it on a high speed in my Kitchenaid mixer and it softens pretty quickly (this only works because I have a powerful stand mixer. I used to try it with my hand mixer but I found my arm going round and round with the beaters stuck in the lump of butter instead of the butter softening as I wanted).
Unfortunately you start with the butter at just the right consistency and then add a load of icing sugar causing it to thicken up. So you need to soften it a little again.
This is where the milk comes in. Gradually beat in the milk a few drops at a time and check the consistency before adding more. For icing using 250g butter and 500g icing sugar I find about a tablespoon of milk is the right amount, but I add it at no more than ½ teaspoon at a time as other factors such as the temperature of your kitchen can also impact how soft the buttercream gets and it’s easy to add more but impossible to take it out.
How to stop everything getting covered in sugar when you make icing?
I’ve no idea. Whenever I make anything with icing sugar everything gets covered. If anyone has any suggestions on preventing this please, please let me know!
What You’ll Need
Before you start, make sure you have all of the equipment needed.
NOTE – These are affiliate links which means that if you purchase from Amazon after clicking on one the product links below I may earn a small commission. All of the products linked are ones I use in my kitchen.
Weighing Scales- Measuring Spoons
- Knife – to cut the butter
- Electric Mixer (or a bowl and hand mixer or wooden spoon)
- Sieve
- Piping Bags – if you’re planning on piping the cupcakes
- Piping Nozzle – To pipe the cupcakes as shown in the video you’ll need a JEM 1B nozzle. To pipe the cupcakes as shown in the pictures you’ll need a Wilton 2D nozzle.
Easy Vanilla Buttercream
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 500 g icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Approx. 1 tbsp milk - I use skimmed but any is fine
RECIPE VIDEO
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut the butter (250g) into cubes (about 1″) and beat in an electic mixer until soft.
- Add the icing sugar (500g) and beat until fully combined – I prefer to add the sugar a couple of spoonfuls at a time as this minimises the amount of sugar that flies out all over the kitchen! You’ll find that at first it’ll start to look lumpy but keep persevering and it’ll smooth out.
- Add the vanilla extract (½ tsp) and mix until fully combined.
- (See note about about the required consistency) Take a look at the consistency of the icing, is it spreadable? If not add ½ tsp milk and mix until fully combined. Check the consistency again and repeat until it is just spreadable.
- Once you’ve got the icing to the right consistency – have fun piping, spreading, or just licking if off the spoon!
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Fancy trying a different flavour of buttercream on your cakes?
Then take a look at my new recipe for delicious NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM
Free From/Suitable For…
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Gluten-Free
- Egg-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Soya-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphite-Free
- Lupin-Free
If you’re looking for a dairy-free buttercream recipe then try my Vegan Vanilla Buttercream.
The ingredients for this recipe are commonly available free from all these allergens. However, please ensure you double-check allergen information for all ingredients.
Kinga Nemes says
I made it and the linked vanilla cupcakes yesterday as a practice round for when I make it for someone’s birthday this weekend. I have tried another recipe also but this is far superior and therefore will be using this.
I would like to add color when is the correct time to do that please?
Charlotte Oates says
I add the colour after the icing sugar and butter have been combined but before I add any milk. This is because the colouring can change the consistency of the icing a little depending on how much you add so it’s good to get the colour just right and then tweak the consistency.
Make sure you use gel colour rather than liquid ones as liquid ones add too much moisture to the buttercream and don’t have particularly vibrant colours so you need a lot of them to colour the buttercream.
Janie Knight says
Used this recipe for the first time today. I replaced the milk with double (heavy) cream and it is AMAZING. THE CAKE WAS gone before it was totally cold. Definitely using this icing recipe from now on
Jennie says
Years ago (a lot of years!) I bought a Tupperware Bowl with a lid which had a hole in big enough to take a hand mixer. You only get the merest dusting of icing sugar. Hope you can still buy it x
Emma Wynn says
Great recipe thank you.
Don’t know if anyone else had said this but I hold a (damp) tea towel around the top of the bowl to stop icing floating over my entire kitchen!
Joy says
Hello I’m making a birthday cake . Can I use this on top of the cake , a thin layer before I put the fondant icing on. Also what jam would you use in the cake. Thank you
Charlotte Oates says
Yes. I always use this buttercream in a thin layer under fondant if I make a vanilla cake as it adds flavour, helps the fondant to stick and ensures a smoother finish when the fondant has been added. Whatever your favourite jam is should work fine, but I’d usually use strawberry or raspberry.
Newbie baker says
How long can be it stored in room temperature and freezer?
Charlotte Oates says
It’s OK for about a week at room temperature (in a cool room).
It’s fine for a few months in the freezer.
Newbie baker says
Hi! Can I use this recipe to make a filling for my red velvet cookies?
Charlotte Oates says
You can, although you also might like my cream cheese buttercream for that.
Cream Cheese Buttercream
Honey says
Amazing buttercream recipe. So smooth and silky to pipe. Highly recommended. The only down fall is that it’s overly sweet but next time I deffo will add less icing sugar .
eva says
how do you make it white? i need to use it for a wedding cake.
Charlotte Oates says
I always find that the buttercream has a slightly yellow colour from the butter. I have read that adding a tiny amount of purple food colouring can get it more white, but it’s not something I’ve tested.
Marie says
You can buy a butter cream whitener made by “Wiltons”. It works extremely well. I get it online with Amazon Uk. Hope this helps..
Enuma Madu says
Awesome and easy to follow.
Matt says
This recipe makes a great buttercream for Charlotte’s birthday cake recipe – I’ve never really made cakes before and this worked perfectly. A couple of comments – First, as suggested, adding the icing sugar gradually really helps, don’t be tempted to add all at once. Second, The quantities suggested make a LOT of tasty buttercream. I was glad I reduced all the quantities!
Sarah says
This was amazing, made a lot more than I expected it to. I used an orange extract instead of vanilla and it was lush. I would highly recommend to friends and family. This recipe is amazing and it really helps improve my baking/cooking skills since I love to bake.
Kate says
You asked for suggestions how to stop the kitchen getting covered in sugar when making butter cream, i beat the butter, then I work in the sugar to the butter by hand roughly and bit by bit until it’s folded in and then I’ll let it sit under the mixer for a few minutes to mix properly.
lisa says
Hi try putting a tea towel over the mixer helps keep icing sugar from going everywhere this is now my go to buttercream recipe
Jean says
Hi Charlotte I saw someone wrapped a clean teatowel right round the bowl to stop the icing sugar going all over the place, it works I have tried it.
Jean
Kelly says
I stuck to the recipe exactly and not only did it taste amazing but it was great to pipe with stand up nicely thank you
Lauren says
Can you freeze this if there is too much?
Charlotte Oates says
Yes you can.
I like to keep mine in a freezer back to protect it from the moisture in the freezer.
When you defrost it you may find that it is a little stiffer than when you made it originally. I like to beat mine (in the mixer on a slow speed or with a wooden spoon) to loosen it up. If it’s still a bit stiff you can beat in a little more milk to get it back to the right consistency.
Rebecca Gower says
Great recipe!
Karen says
I have to say over the last few years of making cakes for my family Charlottes cake and icing recipe has worked for me every time where others haven’t so thank you so much x
Charlotte Pritchard says
Hi. Can you add food colouring to this buttercream?
Charlotte Oates says
Yes, use gene colours rather than liquid ones as they have a better colours and are thicker so don’t massively change the consistency of the buttercream. I always add mine before adding any milk so I can get the consistency just right.
Saieshni says
Perfect thank you
Emma says
This is beautiful buttercream, but when I used to it as a base for my cake before the fondant icing when the weather got a little warm my cake melted.
Does anyone have any tips on how to stop it melting?
Charlotte Oates says
As buttercream is basically sugar held together with butter, when the weather is warm enough for butter to melt the buttercream will also get very soft. In warmer weather you’ll need to keep your cake chilled or in a cooler spot out of the sun.
If you want a buttercream that’s more stable in warmer weather then I’d recommend trying a Swiss meringue buttercream instead.