Buttercream, often called butter icing or butter frosting, is a staple for topping cupcakes and filling celebration cakes. The key ingredients are butter and icing sugar, with the option to add vanilla for extra flavor. Finding the perfect ratio of butter to sugar can be tricky, and I’ve spent the last year testing various recipes to find the ultimate one. Many people want frosting to be sweet but not overly so, making it difficult to strike the right balance.
While personal preference plays a role, my buttercream has received rave reviews for its consistency and taste. It’s ready in a mere 10 minutes! Here’s what you need:
Ingredients (to decorate 12 cupcakes):
* 250g butter
* 375g icing sugar
* One teaspoon of vanilla extract
* One tablespoon of boiling water, if needed
Method:
1. Begin by mixing your room-temperature butter with an electric hand whisk or stand mixer for approximately four minutes, scraping down the sides after two minutes.
2. Continue mixing the butter for another couple of minutes before scraping down the sides again and adding the icing sugar. You can add it all at once, covering the mixer with a tea towel, or add it gradually if you prefer.
3. While the mixture is mixing, add the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides and mixing to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
4. The butter-to-sugar ratio typically calls for 1:2, but I found this to be excessively sweet, especially with the vanilla. It often resulted in a frosting too thick to pipe or spread. By gradually reducing the sugar, I landed on the ideal ratio of 250g butter to 375g icing sugar. This combination creates a beautifully sweet yet mild buttercream with a perfect consistency.
5. If your buttercream appears slightly thick, add a tablespoon of boiling water. Quickly increase the speed of your stand mixer or hand whisk to incorporate the water before reducing the speed.
Once mixed, your buttercream is ready to use. Spread it onto the middle of a cake or fill a piping bag for decorating. Enjoy!
