Best Buttercream Frosting

The best buttercream frosting is smooth, buttery and sweet.

This butter cream frosting recipe has lots and lots of butter (3 sticks). Sweetened with powdered sugar, it is one of the most popular frostings.

Early frostings consisted of sugar and egg whites and were cooked and poured on the cake. The cake was then returned to the oven. In the late 1800’s, American buttercream frostings began replacing traditional boiled frostings.

Buttercream frosting can be left at room temperature. Cooling buttercream will cause it to harden and crack. When making a buttercream frosting recipe, it is best to use it soon, when it is soft and spreadable. If refrigerated, the frosting needs to sit out until it is room temperature. If it needs to be warmed quickly or if it hardens, it can be heated over warm water in a double boiler and beaten until it becomes smooth and spreadable again. Avoid heating the frosting directly.

This buttercream frosting recipe yields 3 cups.

Ingredients

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Sift the powdered sugar. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, cream the butter.

3. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

4. Add the milk and beat until satiny and good spreading consistency.

5. Stir in vanilla.

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