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hand holding cupcake with frosting piped to look like a rose

Easy Homemade Frosting Recipe

  • Author: Pattymac
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 11
  • Total Time: 31 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Delicious and easy homemade frosting recipe. This is classic American Buttercream and will hold piped decorations beautifully.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup or 200 grams room temperature salted butter
  • 3 1/2 cups or 420 grams sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup of cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla  

Instructions

  • Whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium high in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stop frequently to scrape down the sides.
  • While the butter is creaming add your flavoring. Fat carries flavor so adding your flavoring now is a great way to enhance the taste.
  • Add powdered sugar in TWO additions. It is important the sugar is sifted as lumpy sugar will give you lumpy frosting. Nobody wants that. Mix the first addition for 3 minutes and be sure to scrape down the bowl and the paddle several times to make sure everything is mixing properly. Add the second addition, and do the same.
  • At this point, assess the consistency of your frosting. Time of year and elevation will play heavily into your frosting thickness. Also, if you are frosting a layer cake, you will want denser frosting to go in between the layers.
  • Add cream a tablespoon or two at a time and mix well before deciding to add more. You don’t want it so thin it won’t hold its shape. If you desire color in your frosting add it now.
  • Run the mixer on a lower speed and add color one drop at a time until desired hue is created.

Notes

  • I recommend salted butter, because the salt balances out the sugar really well. I also recommend using a European style butter if you can get your hands on it. French butter has more butter fat, and it makes the best desserts.
  • Save your pennies and invest in a good quality stand mixer. You cannot whip frosting with a wooden spoon. So, please, stop trying to do that.

Visit my All In One Cupcake recipe to see how to further hone your butter and weighing skills.