Best 7 Classic Buttercream Icing Recipes

QUICK AND ALMOST-PROFESSIONAL BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract.
• Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Add food coloring, if using, and beat for thirty seconds until smooth or until desired color is reached.

CLASSIC BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Place butter, shortening, milk, vanilla, salt and one pound of sugar in large bowl.
• Beat at low speed until combined.
• Gradually add the other pound of sugar.
• Stop and scrape sides.
• Beat on high until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Keep covered with plastic wrap to prevent crusting.
• Chocolate Buttercream: For each pound of sugar used in the butter cream, allow 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, 3 tablespoons butter and 0.125 teaspoon salt.

BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.

CLASSIC VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a small clean dry saucepan, place 2 cups sugar and then pour 1/2 cup water down the sides of the pan. Make an X in the sugar with 1 finger to encourage the water to seep into the middle of the pan of sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until softball stage or 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Meanwhile, in a mixer with a whip attachment, whip the whites until they form soft peaks. When the syrup is up to temperature, drizzle it down the wall of the mixing bowl with the mixer running. Continue whipping until light, fluffy and almost cooled down. Start adding the butter a few cubes at a time to cool the frosting and thicken it. When it gets thick you can stop adding butter; you may not use the whole pound (it depends on how much water you cooked out of your syrup). Add vanilla extract to taste.

CLASSIC BUTTERCREAM ICING (NO SHORTENING)

Steps:

• Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the condensed milk and beat on the medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick.
• You can add gel food coloring at this point.
• Make sure to use the icing at room temperature, and cool once the cake is assembled.

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.

CLASSIC VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; cook over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add a small amount of hot mixture to egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes longer or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature., In a bowl with the whisk attachment, cream butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in cooked sugar mixture. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. If necessary, refrigerate until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Store in the refrigerator.