This is my go-to recipe for icing basic cupcakes and wedding cake. It’s so easy to make, and it works through a piping bag well.
WEDDING CUPCAKE BUTTERCREAM
www.RecipeGirl.com
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tbs whipping cream
1. In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
2. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency.
Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes
Cooking Tips
*This recipe doubles or triples well.
Recipe Source: Adapted from Food Network
9 Comments
silly question…since there is cream in this recipe do you need to refrigerate the cupcakes after they are frosted? Thanks.
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RecipeGirl Reply:
April 5th, 2009 at 10:06 AM
I refrigerated them, but I left a few out for a couple of days and ate those too- they were just fine
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I’ve been using this recipe for years. It makes the best buttercream ever! And I rarely refrigerate them…although they don’t last for more than two days.
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Wow, they look great – will give the recipe a go soon!
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Was wondering is the butter salted or unsalted? Thanks.
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RecipeGirl Reply:
August 9th, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Debbie- on all of the recipes on this site… if it just indicates “butter,” then use salted. If unsalted is needed, I’ll typically indicate so. Enjoy!
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These look stunning! I’m planning to make some wedding cupcakes for a friend before the end of the month. Would you say this one holds up well enough in the heat? I just don’t want it to melt if it’s a light and fluffy frosting. Thanks!
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RecipeGirl Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Caileigh- I’m not entirely sure. I refrigerated all of them until I handed them off to the bride I made them for. It was a very warm day and I know they did not refrigerate them for several hours after they took them from me (and all worked out fine). I think it would be ok as long as you didn’t keep them in a warm place. You may want to do a little testing beforehand. Good luck!
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Hiya
Your cakes look fantastic!!
does it matter it matter if you use salted or unsalted butter? does it alter the taste in any way?
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Hajra- if you use unsalted butter, it will have a little bit different flavor. I’d throw a pinch of salt in there if you do.
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could you tell me which decorating tip you used to achieve the gorgeous swirls of icing? And I love the colors you chose. Very classy and elegant. Thanks!
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Lori Lange Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Emily- I used a 1G Tip by Bakery Crafts for the simple swirl, and I used a 2D Wilton tip for this more funky pattern. See this post for my how-to: http://www.recipegirl.com/2009/03/17/how-to-make-wedding-cupcakes/
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Will using butter alter the white colour of the frosting? Or do you recommend using shortening for a true white colour?
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Lori Lange Reply:
March 5th, 2010 at 6:19 AM
Jessica- The color you see is the color I got… kind of an off-white. I did you clear vanilla extract, but the color of butter definitely affects the end result. Using shortening will create an entirely different flavor to the icing (it won’t really be buttercream). I found this link http://www.ehow.com/how_4534868_pure-white-buttercream-frosting.html and it looks like they used shortening and then butter “flavor” to try and achieve the same result. Hope this helps!
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