Best Basic Buttercream Recipes

BASIC CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Beat butter and 1/4 cup cocoa powder together in a bowl with an electric mixer on low until light and fluffy. Gradually add milk, remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix at slow speed until smooth. If stiffer icing is needed, or if the weather is very warm, add a little extra sugar. This recipe is enough to cover and fill a 9- by 13-inch sheet cake or two 9-inch layers.

BASIC VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

VEGAN BASIC VANILLA FLUFFY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined (about 5 minutes).
• Add the sugar, and beat for about 3 more minutes.
• Add vanilla and soy milk.
• Beat an additional 5-7 minutes until fluffy!
• This is enough to frost your average 13x9 cake, or at least 12 cupcakes.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM AND VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Using a hand whisk, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. The egg white mixture will be gloppy and thick, but as the mixture begins to warm up, it will become more fluid. Continue to gently whisk the mixture until it is very hot to the touch (130°F on a candy thermometer).
• Move the bowl to the stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium-high speed until they have tripled in volume and are thick and glossy and hold stiff peaks (like meringue), 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed until the mixing bowl is just cool to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes. Kick the mixer back up to medium-high speed and add the butter one piece at a time, adding the next piece just as the previous one has been incorporated. Stop the mixer every so often to scrape down the escaping buttercream from the sides of the bowl. At some point, the buttercream will take on a curdled appearance; don't worry, this is normal. Just keep on mixing until it comes together. Once all the butter is incorporated and the frosting is fluffy and creamy, blend in the vanilla and salt until fully combined.
• Covered with plastic wrap, buttercream will last 2 days at room temperature or 7 days in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, the buttercream must be brought to room temperature before you use it. Either way, the buttercream must be rewhipped-either by hand if kept at room temperature or with a mixer if refrigerated-before you frost a cake with it.
• Raspberry Buttercream:
• Mash and strain 4 cups (10 ounces) of raspberries, fresh or frozen, through a fine mesh sieve to catch the seeds. (If using frozen berries, measure them before thawing.) Discard the seeds and set aside the puree while you follow the method for making Basic Buttercream. Add the berry puree at the end of the recipe, with the vanilla and the salt.

BASIC BUTTER CAKE & BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to moderate.
• Grease & line pan(s).
• Beat butter, vanilla and sugar in small bowl until light and fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time.
• Stir in flour and milk (in 2 batches).
• Spread into tin, and cook for approximately 25 - 35 minutes (until skewer comes away clean).
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then turn onto wire rack.
• Serves 6.
• FROSTING.
• Beat butter in small bowl until as white as possible, gradually beat in half the icing sugar, milk, then remaining icing sugar.
• Add flavoring and coloring as required.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Cream shortening and butter until fluffy.
• Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended.
• Add salt, flavoring, and cream and blend on low speed until moistened.
• Beat at high speed until fluffy.
• Note: If adding more flavoring, the flavoring with the cream should be 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM FILLING AND FROSTING

Steps:

• Beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM FOR PISTACHIO LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, until combined, 1 to 2 minutes total. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium.) Beat in vanilla until smooth.
• Add food coloring, a little at a time, to achieve desired color. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. To use, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• * Note: In Making And Baking Gingerbears, there are three color variations given: Beige Buttercream Frosting * In a small bowl, combine frosting, cocoa powder and food colors until well blended. Add water if needed to thin to spreading consistency. Brown Buttercream Frosting * In a small bowl, combine frosting and cocoa powder until well blended. Red Buttercream Frosting * In a small bowl, combine frosting with enough red food color to reach desired color. In a large mixer bowl at low speed, beat 5 cups of the powdered sugar, shortening, water, vanilla, almond extract and salt until well blended. Beat in enough of the remaining powdered sugar until of piping consistency. Tint with food color if desired.Use for piping flowers, leaves and shells. Frosting does not harden, so do not stack cookies.Brown Buttercream Frosting: Add 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder to each 3/4 cup of frosting.Note: Both the Basic and Brown Buttercream Frostings can be kept covered in the refrigerator for several weeks.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• The first step is to start cooking the sugar. Pour the water and sugar into a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. When the bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan, insert a candy thermometer in the mixture.
• Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy and slightly holding soft peaks.
• The sugar is ready when it reaches 250 degrees F, what is known as the soft ball stage. Make an Italian meringue by pouring the cooked sugar down the side of the bowl while you continue to whip the egg whites. Do not pour the hot sugar onto the beaters, or it will splatter. Continue whipping the meringue on medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is warm but not hot, about 5 minutes. Add the butter all at once and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until the buttercream is thick, smooth, and shiny, about 10 minutes. At his stage, you can add flavoring, if desired.
• The buttercream can be used immediately or can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for several weeks if held in an airtight container. If it has been chilled or frozen, allow the buttercream to come to room temperature before using, then whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed until it returns to its initial volume and is once again thick, smooth, and shiny.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Mix the ingredients together
• Place on cooled cake and ice inbetween the two cakes
• enjoy