Basic Buttercream

611 Ratings
  • 5 136
  • 4 157
  • 3 177
  • 2 104
  • 1 37

Everyone should have a buttercream recipe up their sleeve -- and a little extra to lick from the mixing bowl.

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Recipe Summary test

Yield:
Makes about 4 cups
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

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  • Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

Cook's Notes

This recipe is used with our Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Multicolored Frosting, Brownie Heart Cupcakes, Edible-Flowers Cupcakes, and Chocolate-Chip Frosting.

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Reviews (19)

611 Ratings
  • 5 136
  • 4 157
  • 3 177
  • 2 104
  • 1 37
Martha Stewart Member
08/03/2014
Umm, butter cream without any egg yolks ? It takes 10 mn to beat sugar and yolks, and to heat them up in boiling milk with real vanilla. That's how you get taste. Not with butter and icing sugar.
Martha Stewart Member
07/18/2014
Hi guys! I have a question... I don't have an electric mixer can I still do this recipe?
Martha Stewart Member
03/14/2012
Awesome recipe! (:
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Martha Stewart Member
03/14/2012
Awesome recipe! (:
Martha Stewart Member
01/22/2012
I used this with the one-bowl chocolate cupcakes. Very good. The bad part was that my arm got tired mixing in the sugar incrementally. Seems like to took forever (I followed the directions exactly)!
Martha Stewart Member
12/19/2011
love it
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Martha Stewart Member
07/10/2011
j8
Martha Stewart Member
09/25/2010
Oops...not muffins, the chocolate chip cupcakes!
Martha Stewart Member
09/25/2010
This is a super easy recipe, but not even close to the best buttercream I've had or made. The powdered sugar doesn't make it grainy but it's not a totally smooth frosting either. it is EXTREMELY sweet...I paired it with the chocolate chip muffins and it's almost too sugary to enjoy.
Martha Stewart Member
04/12/2010
Try a couple tsps. of cream instead of water.
Martha Stewart Member
03/20/2010
I added 1tsp of vanilla and 2-3 tsp of water for consistency. I piped onto cupcakes, definitely enough for 24 cupcakes as I only used about 1/2 for the 12 I did. Also, 4 cups of confectioners sugar to a pound is correct. Also, they have nifty 1lb boxes of confectioners sugar as well.
Martha Stewart Member
03/20/2010
I added 1tsp of vanilla and 2-3 tsp of water for consistency. I piped onto cupcakes, definitely enough for 24 cupcakes as I only used about 1/2 for the 12 I did. Also, 4 cups of confectioners sugar to a pound is correct. Also, they have nifty 1lb boxes of confectioners sugar as well.
Martha Stewart Member
03/14/2010
i think it's 4 cups for confectioner's sugar to the pound...
Martha Stewart Member
03/03/2010
how many cups equal a pound?
Martha Stewart Member
02/28/2010
Where is the chocolate in the recipe? The picture shows chocolate frosting.
Martha Stewart Member
03/25/2009
No liquid??
Martha Stewart Member
03/25/2009
This recipe is delicious! I have received nothing but compliments. And my frosting was very smooth and creamy -- no "grainy" issues.
Martha Stewart Member
02/16/2009
Confectioner's sugar is POWDERED sugar - how did it get grainy???
Martha Stewart Member
01/30/2009
Grainy from confectioners' sugar and I even used less than recipe called for (and sifted it). Not very buttery. Good but not as great as I expected it to be.
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