Wedding Cupcake Buttercream
Classic vanilla buttercream for cupcakes — smooth, pipeable frosting made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little cream.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 cupspowdered sugar
- 1 cup 2 sticksbutter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract use clear extract, if you really want it white
- 1 to 2 tablespoonsheavy or regular whipping cream
Instructions
Instructions
- Ensure the 1 cup (2 sticks) butter is at room temperature. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed, add all 3 cups powdered sugar to the butter gradually and beat until the sugar and butter are well blended.
- Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so the mixture is uniform.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of the heavy or regular whipping cream. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until the frosting is smooth.
- If the frosting is too stiff for spreading or piping, add the remaining cream (up to the 2nd tablespoon called for in the ingredients) a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency, mixing briefly after each addition.
- Scrape the frosting into a piping bag to pipe decoratively, or use a spatula to spread it onto cupcakes as desired.
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spatula
- Piping Bag
Notes
*This recipe doubles or triples well.
*There is no need to sift the powdered sugar, unless you're worried that your sugar is quite lumpy.
*Do not try to replace the butter with margarine or shortening- it won't work out well.
*Add in color, if desired. I like to use colored gel paste instead of liquid food coloring- then you're not messing with adding additional liquid to the perfect consistency of the frosting. Gel paste is sold at craft stores and baking supply shops.
*There is no need to sift the powdered sugar, unless you're worried that your sugar is quite lumpy.
*Do not try to replace the butter with margarine or shortening- it won't work out well.
*Add in color, if desired. I like to use colored gel paste instead of liquid food coloring- then you're not messing with adding additional liquid to the perfect consistency of the frosting. Gel paste is sold at craft stores and baking supply shops.