Frosting, Buttercream, American

Buttercream frostings rely on the main ingredient of butter and will be the most common type of frosting you will find in a bakery. Plain buttercream is also referred to as American buttercream or simple buttercream frosting. Simple buttercream is considered a beaten butter frosting (which whips the butter first) as opposed to a cubed butter meringue frosting (which has butter chunks slowly added to the frosting).

Flavor of Buttercream:

Very sweet, probably the sweetest of the different types of buttercream

Color of Buttercream:

Ivory

Texture of Buttercream:

Thick and creamy; can become slightly grainy or greasy if improperly mixed; can develop thin crust over time

Stiffness of Buttercream:

Soft and pipable; can melt in warm settings and should be added to cooled sponges

Uses of Buttercream:

Pairs well with most cake sponge flavors, commonly used for sheet cakes and cupcakes

Buttercream Recipe Difficulty:

Easy; requires few tools and ingredients

Ingredients

1 tbsp vanilla 15mL
1 lb confectioner’s sugar 454g
1 cup unsalted butter 225g, room temperature
3 tbsp heavy whipping cream 45mL
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Whip the butter and salt for about a minute using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can use a hand mixer instead if needed.
Sift in the confectioner’s sugar in several batches beating on low after each addition. Scrape the bowl down and repeat the process.
Add a tablespoon of the cream while mixing on low then add the vanilla. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency. You can add more cream or milk if desired for a thinner consistency.

Notes

Sift your powdered sugar to avoid clogging piping tips.

Scrape the bowl down; to help ensure even consistency throughout.

You can use almost anything to flavor buttercream, fruit juice, coffee, orange blossom or rose water, melted chocolate, or Oreos!

If your buttercream has been sitting for a while or was chilled and brought back to room temperature it’s always a good idea to give it a quick whip to restore it’s consistency.

If you’re looking for a very spreadable and very smooth icing, you can add the full amount of cream in (and maybe even a bit more).

Nutrition