Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream frosting, or buttercream icing, goes well with just about every cupcake. It is easy to make and easy to pipe and this cupcake frosting holds its shape beautifully.

This recipe is for a plain butter cream frosting but I have also listed alternatives. Once you have made a buttercream icing and you see how easy it is to make and how fantastic it tastes you will want to experiment with colors and flavors.

Flavor alternatives are listed at the end of the recipe. To change color add a few drops of food coloring until you reach the desired shade. It is best to be careful and conservative when starting to add the color as a few drops goes a long way!

Prep Time	Cooking Time	Servings	Difficulty
10 minutes	N/A	24	Easy

Ingredients:

• 125g (4oz) butter
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

Method:

Have butter and milk at room temperature.

Place butter in small bowl of electric mixer and beat until butter is as white as possible.

Gradually add about half the sifted icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk, beating constantly.

Beat in the remaining icing sugar, and milk, if necessary.

Mixture should be smooth and easy to spread with a spatula. Add extra milk or icing sugar until cupcake frosting is of a spreadable or piping consistency.

If you are piping the frosting it will need to be thick enough to hold its shape. When you have achieved the right consistency, the frosting will pipe beautifully.

I love buttercream frosting as this basic recipe can be colored or flavored to suit any cake or cupcake.

Try some of these flavor alternatives to complement your cupcakes. I just love the brandy buttercream and keep thinking of cake flavors that it is suitable for - it is definitely an adults only frosting.

Variations:

Chocolate: make up the basic recipe and add 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder to the icing sugar.

Brandy: add two tablespoons of brandy to the mixture for a beautify brandy frosting that teams well with my fruit mince cupcakes.

Citrus: replace milk with lemon or orange juice.

Colored: add a drop of food coloring to frosting until you reach the desired color.