All-Natural Tinted Buttercream

ombre frosting
Photo: Raymond Hom
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
10 mins
Yield:
4 cups

Color us impressed. We've always wanted a natural way to tint frosting any shade, and new plant-based food dyes let us go Technicolor.

Ingredients

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • McCormick Color from Nature food colors, in Berry, Sunflower, and Sky Blue

Directions

  1. Beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla, milk, and salt and beat until buttercream is smooth. (At this point, buttercream can be covered and refrigerated up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.) Use food colors to tint as desired.

Cook's Notes

For the hues shown, place 1/2 cup buttercream in each of seven small bowls. Tint as follows, then let stand 10 minutes before using to allow dyes to fully saturate.

Red
Add 1/4 teaspoon Berry and 1/8 teaspoon Sunflower.

Pink
Add 1/4 teaspoon Berry.

Orange
Add 1/4 teaspoon Sunflower and a pinch of Berry.

Yellow
Add 1/4 teaspoon Sunflower.

Green
Add 1/8 teaspoon Sky Blue and 1/8 teaspoon Sunflower.

Blue
Add 1/8 teaspoon Sky Blue.

Purple
Add 1/8 teaspoon Sky Blue and 1/8 teaspoon Berry.

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