This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream recipe has been featured in an extensive how-to post on The Recipe Girl blog: How to Make Wedding Cupcakes.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream recipe was first featured here on RecipeGirl many years ago when I baked cupcakes for my son’s kindergarten teacher’s wedding. She wanted cupcakes and had heard that I might be able to do them for her. I worked for a catering company in college, but this was a little outside my comfort zone and expertise! She loved my blog, and she begged me to help. How could I resist?
I ended up taking on the project, and it was so much fun. Her wedding wasn’t terribly big, but I was tasked with making about 125 cupcakes. My kitchen was covered in cupcakes! It was a lot of work, but it was terribly satisfying to know that I was helping out this sweet teacher.
The wedding cupcakes were a huge hit at her wedding, and everyone specifically noted how much they loved the frosting. This is the frosting recipe! It’s so delicious, and it’s now a big-time favorite for a lot of people.
If you have questions about this icing and wedding cupcakes… it may be helpful to read through the comments/questions/answers below the recipe- many of your questions may be answered there! Also visit this post: How to Make Wedding Cupcakes for all of the details on when to make the cupcakes and how to store and transport them to the wedding.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream is my go-to recipe for icing basic cupcakes and wedding cake. Every time I share the recipe on Facebook, I hear from other people who say it’s their go-to recipe too. It turns out perfect every time. It’s so easy to make, and it works through a piping bag well. The recipe will frost 12 cupcakes with a generous swirl. Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to frost more cupcakes!
Note that this recipe also works wonderfully for layer cakes. It spreads on smoothly, and you can pipe on decorations too. I use it for everything. It has been my go-to frosting recipe for so many years!
A simple swirl on cupcakes creates a beautiful dessert for weddings with little candy pearls sprinkled on top.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream is a very popular buttercream recipe- made by thousands who sing this recipe’s praises. I have used this very recipe for all of my cupcakes for so many years now. It’s a keeper recipe!
It does work beautifully for weddings, but it’s not limited to just weddings! This buttercream is a nice one to use for all sorts of occasions. I call it Wedding Cupcake Buttercream because of my original story in using for the first time for the wedding.
There are a few questions that people tend to ask related to this recipe, so I’ll go ahead and address them here.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I like to use salted butter for just about everything, but I definitely use salted butter for this recipe. The salt will tend to cut down on the sweetness a bit. That’s a good thing!
How far in advance should I frost the cupcakes? And should I refrigerate them?
When I make these, I like to frost them the same day if at all possible. If you’d like to frost them the night before, that’s ok too. After adding the frosting, I like to put them in cupcake boxes and refrigerate them until they are ready to serve (overnight is fine). Once you put them out on display, they will defrost nicely and taste just as good as if you’ve made them the same day.
What should I do with leftover Wedding Cupcakes?
Keep leftover cupcakes in a covered container in your refrigerator for a few days. I’ve also frozen them in a covered container and they thaw nicely and taste pretty good that way too!
If you’re looking for more frosting recipes you might also enjoy my Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting or Cookies and Cream Frosting. My Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is another favorite for topping wedding cupcakes. Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a beauty as well.
Wedding Cupcake Buttercream
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use clear extract, if you really want it white)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or regular whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more. Add more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency.
- Scoop into a piping bag and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes, or spread onto cupcakes as desired.
Video
Notes
- *This recipe doubles or triples well.
- *There is no need to sift the powdered sugar, unless you're worried that your sugar is quite lumpy.
- *Do not try to replace the butter with margarine or shortening- it won't work out well.
- *Add in color, if desired. I like to use colored gel paste instead of liquid food coloring- then you're not messing with adding additional liquid to the perfect consistency of the frosting. Gel paste is sold at craft stores and baking supply shops.
Good recipe but it’s not going to be pure white with the Butter
Right- some butter is less yellow than others, so that’s what to look for.
I was so intimidated to make cupcakes for my granddaughter’s birthday. So many people! This recipe delighted every last guest! My MIL even took one to her dad in hospice & he loved it. Thank you so much!!!
This frosting just changed the game. Hands down the best frosting I made! It almost tastes like soft serve ice cream!!!
I am going to add three different gel colorings to get the right green color for leaves., Does adding all that gel coloring and incorporating it well sound ok? Is there a limit on drops?
It should work out…
I have a question.. does the gel food coloring make the frosting taste bad?
No, I use it all the time.
My go to recipe now. I’ve found that the brand of butter makes a big difference. I experimented with several and found that Kerrygold has the most amazing flavor. It has a marked yellow color, so I add white food coloring to it and it looks great.
They look so professional and pretty .
First time making this kind of icing and it was easy and taste great ! I made a double batch too . I made cupcakes for my granddaughters 7th Birthday party . I think they are a hit !
I made your chocolate wedding cupcakes and made this scrumptious white vanilla buttercream to pipe on, tripled this recipe! In the refrigerator now to serve tomorrow because it is hot and humid in the Mid-Atlantic! Thank you!
OMG! Why have I never seen or tried this recipe before!!!! Amazing! Such a smooth and creamy texture! Love the flavor, not overly sweet and it pipes beautifully!
Indeed! This recipe is foolproof! 🙂 I’ve made 16 dozen mini cupcakes for my mom‘s memorial service and used this butter cream frosting. She always had a tray of mini cupcakes for every daily event, knitting, church fellowship, bridge group, check exercise group. Absolutely amazing. Thank you so much this is definitely a keeper.
Can I use 3 6 inch pans for this recipe? I want to make my husband and myself a special 35th anniversary wedding cake. We love wedding cake and I want to try your recipe.
yes, but you will most likely have leftover batter. Just fill them about 3/4-full and watch for timing to see when it tests done. Good luck, and Happy Anniversary!
It shows 2 cups butter (2 sticks) which isn’t right. 2 cups would be the full pound so do I do that or use 2 sticks butter which is only 1 cup
Where are you seeing that it says 2 cups? The recipe calls for 1 cup (2 sticks).
this is the same one I have been making for years.. I change it up with cream cheese, choc peanut butter or another flavors depending on the cupcake, a hit every time
I love this recipe, best ever.
I have a big wedding coming up and have made these several times. They are wonderful. What I can’t remember is how many cupcakes will one recipe of icing cover if it is piped on? I remember it covers fewer cupcakes if it’s piped on versus just spread with the knife.
I believe one batch of the icing covers 12 cupcakes when piped on.
This recipe is amazing and easy to make. Thank you so much for sharing . God bless
I make wedding cupcakes all the time with the wedding cake buttercream. Greatest recipe ever!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Either, but I like to use salted.
Your recipe looks easy enough. However, I’m curious, if prepared the day before, do they require refrigeration? Also, how do they hold up sitting out for a few hours?
Yes, on the refrigeration. It all depends on how warm it is. If it’s not hot, you’ll be fine.
First time making this recipe (and only my third time making buttercream in the 50 years I’ve been baking). I’ve only used store bought…but last year decided to start making buttercream. LOVE this recipe. It was so easy plus easy to ice cake and decorate. Thank you!
Before I try these cupcakes, I’d like to know if I can add a teaspoon or less of almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract and what is the best way to store the frosted cupcakes if I make them a couple of days earlier? Thank you:)
Yes, on the almond extract. I’d refrigerate them in a sealed container, if you have to make them ahead.
I made an 8″ layer cake. It was beautiful and delicious! For a larger crowd, how many recipes would you need to make to fill three 14″ cake pans? Because the butter makes the frosting so soft, would three layers slide off of each other? Thank you!
I’ve really only made this cake the way you see it here, so if you do something different then you will be experimenting! No idea about how many recipes will fill the larger pans.
Can you tell me how many cupcakes this frosting can pipe?
12
HI,,if i wanted to add almond extract. .how much should i typically add? Oh, i live in a hot humid environment.. will this hold up to the heat…if not how should i adjust…Thanks.. Michelle
This buttercream will not work well in a hot and humid environment, so you’ll have to experiment and see if it works there. You can substitute almond extract for the vanilla.
This has to be refrigerated correct? Also, how do I dye the icing red? I have previously used shortening with other recipes and it always turns out pink
It’s best if you refrigerate it, yes. I like to buy color “gel paste” to use for coloring. You’ll be able to get a deeper hue than using liquid.
Not expecting too hot of a venue, but does this frosting hold up well being set out for a time without refrigeration? Doing a wedding and dont want the frosting to melt. 🙂
It will get soft in warm weather– I mean… think “butter” and how warm it needs to be to begin melting. But many have made these for weddings with good success, so you just have to determine if the temperature will work using buttercream.
Your go-to buttercream frosting recipe sounds delicious. I’m trying it out on the family this weekend. Stay tuned for the “family review.”
Can I use whole milk instead of cream?
The consistency won’t be quite as creamy, but yes.
I’m going to make these for my sons wedding. Can I make the buttercream frosting a few days before hand?
I have not tried doing that myself, but I think others have. I would definitely experiment with making it ahead and refrigerating and see if it works for you. Better to be safe than sorry since it’s for a special occasion!
It was far too buttery for our taste – but perfect with an extra teaspoon of vanilla!
I get requests for your frosting all the time, we love it, can you tell me if I make the frosting two days ahead and keep it refrigerated?
This was perfect! I added 1/8 teaspoon of pure lime extract and couldn’t have asked for a more yummy frosting!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I decorated a wedding cake with fresh fruit and this frosting complimented it all so wonderfully. I love how sturdy it was too! Everyone was happy!
can heavy whipping cteam be frozen for future use
I don’t think so.
Delicious Thank you for sharing,
I want to add almond extract to mine. How much should I use?
1 teaspoon should be fine.
I have made these cupcakes and the butter cream frosting before and love both! It is sweet, but isn’t that was wedding cake/cupcakes are for? I will make again and again and may even experiment!
Have to agree with Cyndi… Way too sweet, & simply doesn’t pair well with any cake or cupcake. Icing &/ or frosting is supposed to ‘compliment’ the cake, not ruin it! Very regretfully, this particular recipe wasted my time,efforts & cupcakes!!! Flavorless except for the overkill of toothache sweet.
Unfortunate that it wasn’t for you. Lots of positive reviews on this one just goes to show you that not everyone has the same preferences. This has always been my go-to frosting recipe for cakes and cupcakes!
I made the white wedding cake cupcakes w/the buttercream icing and they were delicious! I made 24 cupcakes and the icing worked perfectly for them. My hubby, who normally doesn’t like much icing didn’t believe I’d made the icing from scratch! Thanks for sharing with us!
I couldn’t find the video. Do you make up the packet cake mix first? I just used the powder part of cake mix. The layers were very flat.
You should be able to see the video now… this recipe is for the buttercream frosting. You need to make the cupcakes separately.
One of my favorite frosting recipes!!
I made this tonight and the recipe is DELICIOUS! I also used the wedding cake recipe and same! I love this and it’s so easy! I did have to add about 6 tablespoons of cream to get my frosting the right consistency but it’s raining here and weather affects recipes. I also used 1/8 t of almond extract and it was perfection.
Made this for thanksgiving and it was the best frosting I’ve ever had. Need to make it again and I just realized I only have half & half, not heavy cream 🙁 Will that make a big difference??
i think that will be okay!
Icing tastes like pure sugar. No real flavor. The wedding cupcake is fairly decent though.
Lori, if i’m using unsalted butter, how much salt should i add? Also, do you dip and sweep or spoon and level when measuring the confectioner’s sugar? Thanks so much!
These recipes are trustworthy and awesome! Thank you so much!
LOVE this icing! I am making the cupcakes for my daughter’s baby shower and stumbled across it on Pinterest. I made the first round of cupcakes last night and brought some in to work for feedback. They were a total HIT. Thank you so much for sharing! This will be my Go-To icing from now on!!
Love this recipe, how many batches did u need to do up the 125 cupcakes?
a lot!
Wow! This frosting is the best! Made the cupcakes from your recipe and this icing and they turned out beautiful AND delicious! Hit of the bridal shower!
Your nutritional label does not give a serving size…what is serving size for those statistics please ?
Hi Cynthia, I don’t have an exact serving size, but if you divide the frosting between 12 cupcakes, the serving size is the frosting on one of those cupcakes.
Awesome Buttercream frosting! Worked great to pipe onto some cupcakes and taste yummy ? too! Thanks!
Going to make your cupcakes with this frosting. I think the only thing I’m going to do it add freeze dried strawberries crushed into a fine powder to add to the frosting to make that POW strawberry flavor.
Can you add white chocolate to this recipe?
I have not tried it.
Turned out great! I was in a pinch for the cream and substituted vanilla silk (soy milk) and it worked fine
My son was getting married and neither he nor the bride had much money so I volunteered to do the cake – which turned into 150 cupcakes. They loved them! (So did i.) This is now my go-to cupcake recipe. The buttercream even lasted through the hot, humid southern spring!
These cupcakes and buttercream frosting are the BEST! I had several in the family try them as we are planning a wedding shower, turned out beautiful and best of all delicious! Easy to make and much better than paying $3 or more per cupcake. I think they are better than what I have bought from cupcake specialty places.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Before I do, can you tell me if is there a particular brand of salted butter you use for this recipe?
I’ve tried it with all brands, and they’re all good 🙂
Do you have a go to cream cheese buttercream that is good for decorating?
This is the one I use: https://www.recipegirl.com/pipeable-cream-cheese-frosting/
Can this buttercream icing be use to make a rustic look on a cake?
I’m not really familiar with what a “rustic look” is like… so I’m afraid I can’t help!
I want to frost but not fill a 9” 2 layer cake. How many recipes of frosting will I need to make?
You can give your 2-layer cake a thin, base layer of frosting with one batch of this recipe. If you want to do any decor on the cake, you should double the recipe.
Can I add a preserve to create a fruit flavored frosting? What will it do to the consistency?
I haven’t tried it!
This was a good, easy recipe, however I found the frosting to be a bit too sweet. Adding extra vanilla tones the sweetness down. I initially put about 1.5 tsp of vanilla and it was too sweet, I added more vanilla (sorry, didn’t measure, just poured straight from the bottle) and that helped.
Please How much butter use in grams?
Google tells me that 1 cup of butter is 227 grams.
Can this icing be done sugar free?
I haven’t tried making it sugar free.
Do you use salted or unslted butter ?
I like to use salted.
Looks very beautiful and great tips.
Seriously one of my favorite Recipe Girl recipes, love it!
These are really pretty!!
Love how easy this buttercream is to make, and so delicious too!
This buttercream is unreal! So gorgeous for any cupcakes!
I love this buttercream recipe! I’m using it for the cupcakes I’m baking tonight.
love these! so pretty!
How much frosting does one batch of this recipe make?
Enough to frost 12 cupcakes.
Just one question, “Who has left over cupcakes or cake?” We never have leftover cake of any kind in my world. LOL. Love the recipe it is whipping up in the mixer right now.
I found your cupcake recipe in early 2017 when I needed a recipe for my daughter’s bridal shower. The cupcakes were a HUGE success; so much so, I’ve made them for a baby shower, my nephew’s wedding, my son’s Army send-off party, birthdays, and other special events. I will never use another recipe (not sure my family would let me, lol). It’s truly amazing! Love the chocolate one, too! Both are super moist!
Great to hear!!
i made these for a special occasion and all the family loved them;also made a cake too for my daughter and son in law for their anniversary;
We love your recipe!! Would I need to make any changes if I’m using this icing for a sheet cake?
I don’t think so!
Could I make the icing 48 hours before I plan on piping it? Would refrigerate it until then and then bring it to room temp the day I frost them.
I haven’t tried doing that, so I’m not sure!
Hi!! Making this for my sons birthday this weekend. Would doubling be enough for a half sheet cake?
It should be!
I have half & half, do you think it would be okay to substitute for the heavy cream? I can’t rate it yet because I haven’t tried it.
yes!
Hello… do you think this frosting will holdup outside in the heat of july?
I guess it depends where you live and what the venue is like. I live in Arizona, so it wouldn’t work here at all. I always recommend refrigerating them as long as possible before displaying. The frosting is made out of butter, so you can expect it to soften up rather quickly in warm weather. If it’s too hot, I’d be a little worried.
Wow, I tried your Wedding cupcakes & Buttercream frosting yesterday for the first time. I am not a baker nor a cake decorator but these turned out amazing! The cupcakes are so moist and yummy and the frosting was easy to work with even for a beginner like me. Highly recommend this recipe! Thank you so much!
Where did you find those cupcake liners? So gorgeous
Gosh, I have no idea. Maybe Michael’s craft store?
Hi have try the method but some how it is still grainy. How to over come this ? Have beat long enough but yet still grainy
I’m not sure how to troubleshoot that, sorry!
Is this a stiff consistency buttercream?
Well, it pipes nicely so I guess so. I’d recommend trying it out to see if it works for your needs.
I live in the tropical country and I find most buttercream icing doesn’t hold well. What do u think I can do to keep the icing looking pretty?
Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve!
lori, would you please email me the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe and also the peanut butter frosting..this recipe was delicious… Thank you
Here is the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe: https://www.recipegirl.com/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/
And here is the peanut butter frosting recipe: https://www.recipegirl.com/creamy-peanut-butter-frosting/
Hi Recipe girl can you cut this recipe in half with sucess do you think? I get so many complements when I make these cupcakes for Birthdays!
Sure!
I always use 1/2 unsalted butter and 1/2 shortening so they don’t need to be refrigerated. I’ve found that using only butter makes the icing a little too ‘soft’.
Does the butter for the frosting have to be salted or unsalted or does it matter?
I prefer to use salted. The salt cuts the sweetness a bit.
How long will cupcakes be good for? Want to do some for wedding. How much in advance can they be made?
I’d make them a night or two before and keep them well sealed. Then frost the day of… if the night before, then I’d def refrigerate in cake boxes.
Does this frosting need to have the powdered sugar sifted first? I have always used the Wilton buttercream recipe and the first time I ever tried to decorate a cake with it, I did not sift the sugar and the frosting was too lumpy to go through my decorating tips. Ever since, I have always needed to sift the powdered sugar.
You can if you want. I usually at least run a whisk through the powdered sugar to make sure there are not any big lumps.
Will heavy cream work, or does it have to be whipping cream? Thanks!
Should be fine.
Hi . Do I use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe?
I like to use salted butter.
I’ve used this buttercream recipe for years with only one stick of unsalted butter and a few tablespoons of half and half I always have on hand for my coffee. I start out with 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and add more until the butter flavor is gone. I use half and half to reach the texture I want so I have no clear measurement of it. For chocolate, add a 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
Thank you for your tips!
I made the white wedding cake recipe and wanted to use this icing, but I’m guessing maybe the butter I used was not the best. I used unsalted butter because that’s what I had on hand. It was room temp and did NOT cream up nicely when mixing it in with the powdered sugar. It was very dry and clumped. After I couldn’t get it to blend better I went ahead and tried adding the rest of the ingredients. I had to use a great deal more heavy cream. The icing tastes great but the texture is off. Definitely does not look like the icing here 🙁 I will have to try again maybe with salted butter. Any suggestions?
Hi Toni,
I’m not really sure what went wrong. I always use a good quality butter, always at room temperature, and always salted butter. Be sure to watch the video and follow the same process. Good luck!
Hi Lori,
I really like your buttercream frosting. My question is: I’m making a birthday cake with a edible image on it & also I’m making a 50th wedding anniversary cake (both are sheet cake size). My question is: Is your buttercream frosting stable enough for the edible image, and can I make roses with luster dust on them? I would like to make the roses ahead of time but I don’t know when to add the luster dust ( before or after I refrigerate them. Thank you for any help you can give me.
Keep up the great work you are doing.
Hi Pat, I’m not a cake decorator… so I’m afraid I cannot answer that question. My best advice to you would be to try it out and see what you think– if it works for you!
Not good, I’m sorry. My kids took one bite of a (lightly) frosted cupcake and said it tasted like butter. I tried it myself and found it way, way too sweet. Waste of ingredients.
Sorry you didn’t care for it. Buttercream does, in fact, taste like butter. It sounds like you and your kids would perhaps enjoy a cream cheese type frosting instead of a butter-based frosting.
This buttercream looks amazing! So easy to make and such a lovely result ?
What would you say about using rose water or lavender in the frosting? I’ve been wanting to experiment with those flavors.
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
The buttercream?
Will this or can this icing recipe be used like the Wilton recipe to make flower designs for the cupcakes if using the proper icing tip?
I think so… it’s a pretty good frosting for piping– but you’ll have to experiment to see if it works for you!
I’m making 200 cup cakes for a party and want to pipe on the icing in a swirl on top. How much icing do you think I need. Thanks,
Connie
That’s a lot! This recipe makes enough for 12 cupcakes swirled as you see in the photos.
These are amazing. I get asked to make these constantly! Thanks!!
It’s a keeper!! Great recipe and it tasted wonderful!!! Thanks!
So thankful I found your recipe for the wedding cake and the buttercream frosting. Made them for my son’s wedding and everyone raived about them. They were so good!! The cake is so moist and the frosting is to die for!
Hey! I was wondering if you knew how many cups this recipe makes?! Thank you
I’ve never measured… not sure!
This recipe is fantastic!! Easy to work with! The flavor is out of this world! Do you have have a chocolate buttercream with this same consistency? I would love to have the recipe for it.
Not the same, but I used a good chocolate buttercream for this recipe: https://www.recipegirl.com/2012/04/10/chocolate-wedding-cupcakes/
Love this frosting. I’m making a wedding cake for my daughter. First time ever so I thought I would practice. I found this recipe on pinterest and it’s not only delicious but super easy even having to make my own whipping cream. Turned out better than I could have ever hoped. Thanks so much!
I made the recipe exactly…I used c & h powdered sugar, knudsens whipping cream, great value butter (walmart brand) , and Schilling pure vanilla…the frosting started out crumbly as someone commented earlier but I added a little more cream as your directions recommend, however there is an aftertaste. I don’t know how else to describe it but it tastes like maybe something wasnt fresh even though I bought all of the ingredients today and I could taste more of the butter than anything else which should be a good thing but…but it just had an aftertaste…didnt like…what happened?
I have absolutely no idea! I’ve never had anyone describe an aftertaste before. Not sure!
Does this buttercream crust?
I made this and loved it! One question though the recipe calls for whipping cream which I used but was wondering if it should have been heavy whipping cream? THANKS!
Either should work just fine.
It was my friend’s wedding, I offered to make the cupcakes knowing it was my first time making them. So I was looking for a recipe for the frosting, I came across this one, my friend love the cupcakes and the frosting too she said they were perfect, this will be my recipe from now on. Thank you !!!
I am not a baker but I tried this for the very first time and the cupcakes come out great and the buttercream was awesome as well
Made these cupcakes 4 days ago best recipe ever! I used almond flavoring in the frosting instead of vanilla absolutely delicous taste just like the wedding cakes I remember.. Never refriderated them have one left taste just like the First day.
Today I’m making the chocolate ones can’t wait. Thanks for sharing
Hello, I have recently just made this icing plus the white wedding cake cupcakes and they were loved so much
I have been ask to make a small 6 inch cake and a 14 inch white wedding cake like the one in another post. However, I’m not sure how to make enough buttercream icing for both. Do you have a recipe for the icing of the two cake so I can make sure to make enough icing? Thanks so much!
I’m not sure how to help with amounts for that. Sorry!
Great recipe! Spreads well on cakes.
Do you happen to know how much 1 batch of the icing will make? About how many cupcakes can be iced? Thanks in advance????
1 batch will generously ice 12 cupcakes if you are using a piping bag and swirling the frosting on thick.
I have used this recipes many times for cupcakes and I love it! Have you used this to frost a cake?
Yes, many times- it’s my go-to frosting recipe for everything!
Please email me the recipe. When I go to the link there is no recipe.
If you are viewing this on a mobile device, you need to click the yellow “read more” button to view the entire post and see the printable recipe.
Crazy question in frosting when using whip cream is you use the liquid or whip it first ??
Add the liquid cream to the bowl with the other ingredients, then beat.
Hi there! Does this recipe yield enough frosting to frost the inside and outside of a 3-layer 9-inch cake or should I plan to double?
I would double it – just to be safe!
Do you have a good Raspberry filling recipe I could use to get that true wedding layer cake taste?
I do not- sorry!
This recipe sounds easy and delicious. I am going to make pink CC for Breast cancer awareness to be sold at a bake sale. I don’t know if this question has been answered or not, but I want to use bubblegum flavoring. I would be using Lor-Ann oil, do I substitute the same amount of oil for the extract?
I am not familiar with that product, so I’m not sure!
…And this was the first recipe I tried from your website. This is now officially my fave icing recipe that I keep in in my special recipe collection.
I made your Wedding Cupcake Buttercream. It is wonderful! Could you tell me if the buttercream will crust. I need to know asap. My cake is due next week. Thank you
I’m not sure… best to make it and experiment so you know for sure what texture you’re looking for!
I would like to tell you how awesome this recipe is along with your white wedding cupcakes. I’m getting married Saturday and just did about 125 of these lovelies. They are bakery quality and will add this to my cupcakes at my store. Thank you
awesome!!
Can I use heavy cream instead of whipping cream?
That should be fine.
Want to try this tomorrow but for the cream….would that be 10%…15% or 25% fat in the cream….thanks
Any cream should work fine in this recipe.
How many cups of frosting does this make?
I’m not sure about cups… it’s enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes.
Do we put them on the oven it or just refigerate and for how long until the cupcakes are edible?
I’m not understanding your question…
Just made these today. Used Betty Crocker mix, I taste a raw flour in the cupcake. Next time I will use a little from a second box or can I cut back equal amounts of flour & sugar? I added a little almond extract to one dozen & some frosting, nice results. If I added lemon zest and substituted fresh lemon juice instead of whip cream to the vanilla frosting would that work?
Thanks
Hi- I can’t recommend any changes because I’ve only made the recipe as written…
Will the Wedding Cupcaje Buttercream Frosting hold up for an outdoor wedding in late summer in South Carolina? Temps should be in high 70s to low 80s.
It’s hard to say. The best advice I can give is to sample the recipe and see how it holds up in similar weather before you rely on the recipe for the big day!
I made the white and chocolate cupcakes…..Delicious!!!! I have a wedding on Saturday and am traveling 6 hours on Friday. Have you ever made the frosting ahead of time and refrigerated it? If so how did it turn out?
The frosting stiffens up quite a bit when refrigerated… so I’m not sure!
does the wedding cupcake buttercream frosting need to be refrigerated once on cupcakes?
If you’re serving same day, I think it will be fine (I frosted in the AM and served at an afternoon wedding), but if it’s a warm day then they should be refrigerated.
I tried this today and loved it. Best frosting ever. I used milk instead because I did not have cream. It was so good.
@Jenna, I have been a cake decorator for several decades, and have been using this recipe for almost as long. I never use unsalted butter; using unsalted butter in most things is about the same to me as using Vaseline. As for your concern about the gluten in the icing, there is no flour in the icing, so there is no gluten.
I use the same basic ingredients and amounts, but I use buttermilk or even Greek yogurt instead of cream and it cuts the sweetness a little (my preference). I also find if I whip the butter on high until it changes color from light yellow to almost white and then add the sugar and remaining ingredients it makes an even better frosting. Love buttercream frosting, and for cupcakes and cakes I prefer it to cream cheese frosting every time! Oh, another thing to try is 1/2 almond extract instead of all vanilla, makes it a bit more complex flavor wise and I really like it that way.
Thank you for the tips!
I have used this recipe for years. I use half and half though, not cream. I have never had a problem
with this frosting,,,,if it is to juicy, just add more sugar. If it is to stiff, add more half and half. It’s a no brainer.
Wow! Just made this buttercream for my cupcakes! Very happy with the consistency, nice and smooth! I think I will try next with the unsalted butter, just because I like it real sweet. I added extra vanilla!
Lori I made your cupcakes and loved them. I have looked to see if I could find other flavors. Like chocolate what do you add to them vanilla as well? Do you have anywhere that gives different variations of flavors for the batter? Thanks Emily
Here’s a chocolate one that I’ve done: https://www.recipegirl.com/2012/04/10/chocolate-wedding-cupcakes/
I am making these now for the third time. I wish I had written down how many cupcakes the frosting really makes. Seems like it would frost more than 12. Help!!
Thanks!!
Hi there, I use this recipe all the time, adding cocoa for chocolate frosting. Also, at Michaels, Joann’s, and any store that sells cake supplies, you can find white food coloring by Wilton. It is in a little squeeze bottle, not regular coloring containers. I use it all the time to make my frost in white, not a big fan of the butter, off white color!
Thanks for the great tips!!
Hi!
This recipe looks wonderful! I’ve been trying out several frosting ideas for a wedding cake that I’ll be making for a friend in a month. I’m wondering if you think this would be a good recipe for a cake? I’ve been using very similar recipes for buttercream, but it’s my first time baking a wedding cake, so I’m open to suggestion.
Thank you!
Samantha
yes, definitely! https://www.recipegirl.com/2007/03/16/white-wedding-cake/
How much buttercream does this make?
It makes enough for 12 cupcakes, if you frost them as you see in the photo.
This looks fantastic! Will definitely be using this recipe and thank you for the share! I don’t quite understand why people have to be so rude, frankly if they don’t like it or it isn’t for them, then they need to just move on. Please keep the wonderful posts coming! 🙂
Thanks!
Okay, I just scrolled up and saw that the yield is 12 cupcakes so I think I just answered my own question… 🙂
Hi!!! I have been on the hunt for an awesome buttercream icing recipe! If i pipe the cupcakes the way you have them piped in your picture, approximately how many cupcakes does one batch of icing cover? 🙂
A few things, butter is one of those things that varies quite a bit based on water content. The cheaper the butter, the more water it typically has. This might be part of the puzzle for those who are getting grainy results. Also, if you want white or close to white, avoid grass fed butter. The fat from grass fed cows is yellow so while it might be what you want to use for other things, don’t use it for frostings unless you like pale yellow or you plan on flavoring it or coloring it. In my area I splurge on Plugra butter for all my buttercream recipes regardless of the type of buttercream. There truly is a difference, you won’t regret it! The texture is much richer, creamier and the butter is much whiter in color. Salted or not is personal preference. Know that each stick of butter has approximately 1/4 tsp of salt but this also varies by brand so you are usually better off just going the unsalted route and adding your own…at least for consistency sake. Also, get a bottle of white Americolor gel, it’s much higher quality than Wilton and tends to last longer. Wilton gels tend to dry out if you don’t use them fast enough.
Another texture problem might be the result of not creaming the butter and sugar long enough. You really need to whip butter and sugar to get a good creamy base. This is true anytime you are told to cream butter and sugar. It will usually even change color, getting lighter the closer it is to being done. This is where the fluff and lightness will come from.
Also, about the powdered sugar debacle. You can get powdered sugar without cornstarch, you just might have to plan ahead to find it and I’d imagine it’s more expensive. Personally, I use Amazon for all my baking products except perishables. I live in Montana so I have very limited access to high quality products. But this only works if you have time to plan ahead right? Supposedly you can make your own cornstarch free powdered sugar in a blender. I don’t have a blender so I can’t try it. I’d imagine if you have a decent quality machine, it would work just fine.
As for flavoring, many have asked about chocolate? Be careful to use high quality dark chocolate or your recipe will end up way too sweet. You want to shoot for close to 72% if possible. I always get the chocolate just melted, and dump it in my frosting when I know it’s not going to melt the butter. Easy peasy.
Just my tips as a reasonably seasoned baker who’s made a bunch of Swiss Meringue Buttercream, German Buttercream and American Buttercream (the style of this recipe). Happy Baking!
Thanks for all of the tips!
What if you want white icing, won’t the butter keep it from being white
Some butter is whiter than others. But it should still turn out a white frosting.
Is your sugar icing sugar or castor sugar please? Australia maybe calls it something different.
Looks like powdered sugar is called icing sugar in Australia. http://www.goingrank.com.au/ingredient-names.html
3 cups of icing sugar…its too much sweet i think..
If cupcakes will be displayed in a tower tier, see if there will be spotlights on them. Yes, had this happen and the frosting on the top two tiers started sliding off, the spotlights were that hot. The spotlights were six feet above the top tier in an AC room at a hotel. The hotel catering was so enamored with the cupcakes and displayed in a tower, they wanted them spotlit as a focal point in the reception room. They were mortified when they had to call me to see if they could be fixed, after they figured out they were the cause.
Yikes! that’s something I’ve never thought of. Thanks for letting us know.
Could you use this as a gob filling ? I am trying to find a recipe that doesn’t use Crisco .
not sure…
Can I use regular sugar or does iy have to be powdered sugar?
Powdered sugar only!
I have had horrible experiences making different frostings, and was apprehensive, to say the least about making my own buttercream.
I used this for a wedding cake (decorated with rosettes) and 75 cupcakes…and it was a huge hit! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
The recipe tripled well, was firm enough for decorating and tasted delicious!
Do you have any good recommendations for a chocolate buttercream or a cream cheese frosting for red velvet cupcakes/cake?
I like the cream cheese frosting that I use for this recipe: https://www.recipegirl.com/2011/11/28/red-velvet-cheesecake-cake/, but I’m not sure how well it would work for piping.
Hello there! I was wondering what kind of butter do I use, unsalted unsweetened or what. Help me out here please! Going to use this recipe for a surprise party and well be making tomorrow! thanks!
I like to use salted butter, but either is totally fine.
This buttercream was delicious! I just made the WASC cake for my cousin’s wedding with this buttercream and it was perfect! Tasted delicious (not too sweet – they salted butter is definitely key!) And was the perfect off-white for a rustic wedding. Received lots of compliments. I was worried about how much to make because there has been conflicting comments above but I tripled this recipe and it was the perfect amount to frost a 2-layer 8 inch round and 2-layer 6 inch round (plus the 6 extra cupcakes I had with a few spoonfuls left over.) For the x3 I did end up using about 10 cups of powdered sugar and only 2 tablespoons of whipping cream (everything else was x3).
I actually make this exact recipe with shortening…have a family member with a dairy allergy…it’s always great, and I always get compliments on it!
Hello, I have a question. I did this frosting on Thursday and it didn’t have the look as yours, mine I feel it was very soft. Do you have an idea why? I did two batches, and first I put what you asked for whipping cream, the second I put only one and like it better. The color was like yours, but my cake didn’t look that good as your cupcakes.
My guess is that it has something to do with the butter you used? Was the butter very soft?
Hello Lori,
Quick question I love Cream Cheese Frosting because its not too sweet. But Does not hold its form very well. I would like to try this recipe but Is it very sweet. I really dislike store bought frosting because of how sweet it is. Any suggestions.
Thanks Again in Advance. 🙂
You’ll just have to try it out and see what you think. I personally really like this one a lot. It’s all a matter of personal preference though!
Do you need to refrigerate the frosted cake or cupcakes or can this frosting stay out for a day?
I’d keep them covered and refrigerated if it’s going to be any length of time before you serve them.
Can you use this recipe for a wedding cake? How much frosting does it make?
It makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes generously.
I’m making a 3 tiered wedding cake using your white wedding cake. . How does your butter cream icing do for frosting and decorating with? It looks and sounds very delicious. Any comments welcomed.
Should be great!
My frosting is gritty. How can I make a smooth frosting?
It shouldn’t be gritty… did you use an off-brand powdered sugar, by chance?
Can’t wait to make the wedding cupcakes and the butter cream , I have a great peanut butter butter cream I got many years ago. I would like to share it with you and your readers if that is ok ,
So I did something I never thougt I’d never have the nerve to do… made my own simple wedding cake for a small backyard wedding yesterday. I used your icing recipe and it was amazing!
I have used your wedding cake/cupcake recipe with great success, thank you! I love the almond flavor in it as well. I’m curious…have you ever used almond flavoring in the frosting too? Too much?
Thanks for your help!
I haven’t tried using almond extract.
Hi ! I am going to make the WEDDING cupcakes for my daughter’s Bridal Shower and I will be using your Buttercream recipe but I was wondering if instead of the heavy cream I could use a liquor like Bailey’s Irish cream !! Thank You !!
Sounds like a great idea, but I’ve never tried it so I don’t know!
Lori,
These are absolutely the best cupcakes ever. I’ve made them several times since finding your post and we LOVE them. I read a few of the naysayer comments about salted vs. unsalted and separating so on. Let me just say that following your instructions has produced a perfect product every time so I HIGHLY recommend these cupcakes. I’ve adapted the entire process using chocolate cake mix and making chocolate buttercream with the same great results.
Excellent- so nice to see comments like this. Thank you!
I think I figured out a way to show you my cupcakes from last year. See if this link works. https://www.facebook.com/carrollvipervbc/photos/pb.220881331264.-2207520000.1394204310./10151483884456265/?type=3&theater It’s a link to a pic of the cupcakes posted on our vball club Facebook page. It’s public so you should be able to see it. :o) Getting ready to mix up the frosting shortly for this year’s batch to be on sale in concessions at our tournament tomorrow.
Those look great!!
Hi I am making this now in a double batch but its just not combing together . I have lumps of butter and sugar that wont combine to form the cream 🙁 I have added a little whipping cream but it didnt really help?
I’m not sure what happened!
I made the wedding cake cupcakes with this frosting last year for concessions at a volleyball tournament and they were great. Getting ready to make them again this coming week for this year’s tournament. I have had problems in the past with buttercream and it being grainy when I have made it. Perhaps I am not using higher end powdered sugar. I unfortunately have to bake on a budget. What HAS worked for me is to do 1/2 butter & 1/2 butter flavored Crisco instead of all butter. That’s what I did when I made this frosting recipe last year and it came out perfect. The taste was great and it was smooth, I got tons of compliments and the double batch of cupcakes I had made sold out completely over the course of the day. Wish I could attach a pic of them because they were darn cute, if I do say so myself. :o) And I am NOT a baker or an artist but I cut out small white fondant discs and then drew a volleyball design in edible marker. Everyone loved them. Hoping this years batch turns out as well as last year’s.
Excellent- glad to hear!
Do not over beat this!
This is the best icing I have EVER made! I followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful. My family loved it and were all trying to lick the bowl!!
salted or unsalted butter?
Either… I like to use salted.
Will this work well with findant fondant? I’m making a cat in the hatshowerr cake and I can’t find a good icing. Do you think this would hold up?
I’ve never used fondant, so I have no idea.
I have made this and it was so good. I’m needing a good cream cheese icing recipe. Do you think I could just add cream cheese to this? If so how much?
I haven’t done it, so I’m not sure!
Hi. I am about to make these for a shower on Saturday. It is Thursday night. Do you think the Pearls will melt or shrink? Do you think I should wait to put them on Saturday before the party?
I would not add the pearls until the day you are serving the cupcakes.
This is my go to recipe, everyone LOVES it and raves every time. I’m making a layer cake using a 6″ x 3″ and 9″ x 3″, round. Do you think taking the above recipe x 7 would make enough to ice/decorate both using a pattern all over the cake similar to what you have on your cupcakes?
no idea- You’ll have to experiment and see!
Our cupcakes came out hard. I think it was because 350 was the wrong temperature for the cake mix we bought??? We turn it up to 350 after the cupcakes were still barely cooked at the end of 20 min. Unfortunate, since I served them at my daughter’s 4th bday party…
I’m not sure- I’ve never had that happen!
Really, really delicious buttercream recipe.Added a touch more vanilla and I did use unsalted butter (to each his own). I typically don’t eat cakes with any type of icing on them, but I did have one (or two) cupcakes with this buttercream!
Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
They didn’t turn out for me at all. The icing never stiffened just stayed liquid, I noticed after I went through the comments to only use stick. lol
Next time I will make sure i have stick butter
Definitely stick!
Made the wedding white cupcakes and buttercream today. It is so good. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! Silly question but can i use this recipe for the buttercream frosting for a rose swirl cake, rather than cupcakes?
It pipes pretty well, so you might just be able to!
Hi,
What kind of whipping cream did you use for this recipe or rather what kind do you suggest I use?
e.g. the already whipped kind like Cool Whip, or the pour and whip kind?
Thanks
Hi Mary- Don’t use Cool Whip! Whipping Cream is sold in a carton (just like milk), and it’s sold near the milk and other dairy products. Use that!
I’d like to address some of the questions regarding this buttercream recipe.
I bake and decorate cakes professionally and I too use a real butter based frosting that is similar. I can tell you that you CAN make and freeze it well in advance of your event. Just put in a container and cover tightly. When you need it, let it come to room temp and then beat it again to get it ready to use. It’s a great time saver.
As a side note you can also freeze cake batter. I’ve done this many times and my cakes and cuppies come out great.
The use of unsalted butter and ‘chemistry’ issues may apply to baked goods but this is frosting people! It’s perfectly fine. I ONLY use salted butter…and sometimes have to add a touch more to cut sweetness.
Cool whip is NOT whipped cream! It is a non-dairy whipped topping. Real cream thins and adds richness. If used sparingly as the recipe indicates, it will not be runny and indeed will whip a bit to create a lighter textured frosting.
Grainy frosting is a result of a bad batch of powdered sugar. Even the top brands can have bad batches…ask me how I know! :). Use only pure cane and test a small amount with a little butter if you’re worried.
If you want a whiter frosting try creaming the softened butter for several minutes to add air, which in turn will ‘whiten’ the butter…then slowly add your powdered sugar. Another trick is to add the most minuscule touch of violet or blue food color to the buttercream to cancel the yellow shade. But use the tip of a toothpick amount.
There is nothing like the taste of a real butter buttercream. Margarine has more water and will make your frosting runny too. If this has been your issue, you probably have used margarine and not real butter. The color yellow is the only thing they have in common.
Sorry this is so long, but I’ve been going crazy reading the same questions over and over so I thought I’d address several issues that I’ve had experience with all at once. This is a yummy recipe and as long as people follow it exactly, they should have no problem. Thanks for posting it!
Thanks so much for addressing so many of the questions in the same place. Much appreciated!
Love this recipe!!! My new favorite!!
I want to make your wedding cupcakes and buttercream frosting for my daughters birthday party. The only problem is that it is a beach party. Do you think it would be okay to put frosting in piping bag, refrigerate overnight, stick in ice chest and quickly frost before eating?
I supposed so- though they’d probably be okay if they’re frosted and in the ice chest. I’d look for cupcake boxes for transport (bakeries and baking supply stores)
Hi there I have what’s probably a really stupid question but I would rather be safe than sorry. So my boyfriends mom wants me to make her daughters birthday cake and I would like to use this recipe for the frosting so I was wondering if the frosting would hold up well on a cake and for a two layer cake should doubling it be enough or should I triple it?
Yes, definitely. I’d probably double it.
My friend wants me to make a wedding cake with cream cheese buttercream frosting. Have you every done that, will it hold up and what measurements do you think would work? Thanks
I would probably feel most comfortable asking you to Google around and look at wedding cake recipes that have cream cheese buttercream frosting to find one that people have used that works well.
Your recipe sounds wonderful!! My friend wants a cream cheese buttercream frosting for her wedding cake. Have you ever done that and what measurements would you use?
I have not- sorry.
How many cupcakes will one batch of frosting cover using the tip you used?
1 dozen
I had plenty of icing from one batch to ice 36 cupcakes liberally.
Our son will be getting married in June and his fiancé would like a variety of flavored cupcakes can you use different flavored cake mixes with this recipe? I will also be making a variety of colors to match the cake mixes are there any colorings that have flavors added to them?
I don’t know of colorings that are also flavored…
Are you talking about the WEdding cupcakes recipe on my site? I would recommend using lemon cake mix and using lemon juice or extract in place of vanilla + added lemon zest. I also have a chocolate wedding cupcake recipe on the site.
This icing is AMAZING! I have tried all sorts of recipes and this one is by far the best. Amazing taste, great texture, and perfect for decorating. I don’t use anything else! Thanks for sharing!
Best buttercream frosting ever…I have made it more times than I can count and everyone loves it!
I had to add about 6 cups of powdered sugar to make this recipe work, not 3, when using a whole cup of butter. Seems like there is something a little off with the recipe… Wish I had known that before I went ahead and made twice as much as the recipe is supposed to yield because I followed the recipe.
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you- if you had to add 6 cups of powdered sugar then something went terribly wrong. 3 is all you should need for the consistency shown per 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter.
I made this buttercream frosting for a wedding shower yesterday and they were fabulous. It was light, fluffy, delicious and my new favorite. I doubled the recipe and used three tablespoons of whipping cream. It iced 36 cupcakes. Had a request this morning for the recipe from someone who bakes all the time. Also, I used salted butter and it was perfect.
I also used the wedding cake recipe and added a raspberry filling by Emerile using fresh raspberries. They were delicious. Thanks Lori!
This continues to be my go-to recipe for frosting…cupcakes, cakes, even cinnamon rolls. SO easy, and yet tastes like it took me a great deal of work. Thanks for sharing!!
I just read a previous comment that asked about Whipped cream. I used the Great Value whipped Cream by the Cool Whip. Ooops. Still delicious. lol
We had a snow day here, so I decided I would bake some cupcake ideas for my wedding (which is over a year away)… But, the excitement is killing me. 🙂 These are absolutely incredible. I love Pinterest or I may have never found it. Thanks for sharing with everyone! These will definitely be a hit on May 10, 2014, or who knows, this recipe may come in handy sooner. 🙂 Thanks so much!
What do you put the cupcakes in to transport them?
I purchase cupcake boxes from a local baking supply store.
I read the instructions, 3 times, and I don’t see when to add the powdered sugar. Am I missing it?
“In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed.”
Going to try the frosting recipe this weekend. Can you use Cool Whip instead of homemade whipping cream? Very anxious to try. Thank you.
You need liquid cream for this recipe, not “whipped” cream. Look for it near the milk/buttermilk.
Hello! I am a novice cupcake baker, but I am considering making your vanilla wedding cupcakes for a bridal shower I am hosting. How long in advance can I make them? How should I package them so they stay fresh?
Thanks so much!
Joanna
Hi Joanna, It might be helpful to read through the wedding cupcakes comments to see the various questions asked and answers given. Lots and lots of information on that post and the link to the how-to post too! https://www.recipegirl.com/2007/03/16/white-wedding-cake-cupcakes/
Made 1-1/2 batches today and used tip 2D icing all 36 of the wedding cupcakes with just a little bit of icing left over.
This is the most delicious buttercream recipe! I just made some to ice a batch of cupcakes for an Australia Day party I’m attending and it turned out perfect even in the middle of our hot, humid Australian summer weather. I split the mix in half and used green and yellow colour gel and I am so pleased with them 🙂 Thank you so much! Can’t wait to show them off!
Looking forward to trying this recipe soon. One question though. ” What temperature is the whipping cream when added.”? I know the butter is room temperature, but not sure about the whipping cream. I have read the previous posts and could not find this addressed. I wish to share a comment heard on a television program by a woman in our city who runs a cooking school. In regards to salted vs unsalted butter– she stated — “salted butter has a water content not found in the unsalted variety”. How much water was not mentioned. She preferred the unsalted as she was getting more butter in the unsalted variety.
The whipping cream can come right out of the refrigerator.
Kudos to your patience with repeated questions. You are so sweet. Can’t wait to make these wedding cupcakes, just because I love wedding cake. Thanks!
Best icing ever!!! Perfect on first try and the easiest recipe for icing that I have ever used. Thanks!
This is the best icing recipe I have ever used….. I had no cream last time I made it and so I used 2% milk instead. I was afraid it would wreck it but I didn’t even notice a difference. Although I did only use about one tablespoon. Thank you!!
Excellent recipe…will never use canned icing again! Will try the chocolate buttercream recipe next. I doubled the recipe which was the perfect amount to go along with the white wedding cupcake recipe.
I made this icing this past weekend and it is AMAZING! Rave reviews from my 40+ guests.
Recipe is pretty accurate that it does 12 cupcakes generously! I love using salted butter too.
Added about 15 frozen raspberries to one batch for raspberry buttercream – could have added another 1/4 cup icing sugar to balance out extra liquid from berries. SO GOOD!
just to clarify, if I were to make the icing two days in advance and refrigerate it will it be okay to use or do i have to make it then pipe it on and then I can refrigerate the cupcakes?
I’ve never made the icing in advance, so I’m afraid I cannot advise you on that. I piped it on after making, then stored and refrigerated the cupcakes overnight.
will the icing harden once refrigerated or stay fluffy?
It hardens, but softens up again at room temp.
Is it possible to use thickened cream instead of whipping cream? since it’s more heavy maybe only 1 tablespoon or does whipping cream need to be specifically used?
Probably.
Can the vanilla be omitted. I personally don’t like the flavor in other buttercream recipes I’ve used.
sure
Amazing! just wondering, on the images you put small bauble-like decorative items on the cupcakes, could I get a name for that please?
Please read through the details on this post: https://www.recipegirl.com/2009/03/17/how-to-make-wedding-cupcakes/
Salted or unsalted butter?
I like to use salted.
Out of whipping cream, need to frost and want to use this…can I sub whole milk? I’ve used a VERY similar recipe and it was AWFUL – I mean AWFUL. Nothing but butter and not sweet at all. I’m hoping this is different. As I was taught, I will be using unsalted butter, but per your comments, will throw in a dash of sea salt. I only have one shot at this so I’m hoping your recipe is good! It seems to have received mixed reviews…
I like the sweet, creamy addition of cream… haven’t tried it with milk. I’d say the majority of the reviews are very positive. It’s the only recipe I use for piping buttercream and we love it! Good luck!
This is the WORST frosting. Please don’t waste your 1/2 lb. of butter on this.
I made these for a bridal shower and a 70th birthday party. They were fabulous!! I am thrilled with the results and really appreciate your sharing the recipe with us. I did add the almond extract as suggested before to both the wedding cupcake and the buttercream frosting and it was awesome!! I also made them into the miniature cupcakes. This cupcake is as good as any you get in the specialty shops! I believe people would have put them in their pocket and taken them home if they could have!
I’ve uses whole, 1% or skim milk, half& half and cream….depending on what I have in the fridge. This is my go-to recipe for buttercream. Oh, and I always use salted butter.
Do you think this recipe will still work if I halve it? When I make a batch of cupcake I usually do half buttercream, half chocolate buttercream because my boyfriend loves cupcakes but will only eat chocolate frosting. I, however, really love traditional buttercream. Thanks!
should be fine!
I used this to frost 200 cupcakes for a wedding and they turned out great. Lots of compliments for the “not so sweet” flavor. Using the large tip to decorate with made it go so quickly that I was done in no time.
This is a silly question… but an important one I need clarified. Is this recipe using whipping cream- as in the liquid or as in the stuff found in a tub?
Thanks!
whipping cream is liquid (next to half and half and milk)
I am making wedding cupcakes for my best friend. I have made one batch of this frosting to color it royal purple. That was tricky but I was able to achieve the color.
Her wedding is on the 11th (of this Month). How far in advance can I make the frosting and what should I store it in?
I will have the cupcakes frozen before frosting. Could I frost and refrigerate the night before?
I am trying to cut down on time and amount of work being done days before the wedding, since I am also in the wedding 🙂
Thanks!
I’ve never made the frosting ahead. If at all possible, make the frosting when you’re ready to frost them. You can definitely frost and refrigerate them the night before- just need to store them in cupcake boxes or some kind of covered container.
I made this frosting to practice making cupcakes for a baby shower. However, I found this recipe to be way too sweet. Everyone is saying about how fantastic it is, but I found it to be the opposite. I am wondering though if this is an error on my part. I did not have any salted butter so I used unsalted and intended to add a pinch of salt, but forgot. I also used heavy whilpping cream. Could these two substitutions be the reason why mine was so sweet? I loved the consistency and how easy it is to work with and was bummed with the flavor. Any suggestions to cut down on the sweetness?
Salt definitely cuts some of that sweetness! The cream shouldn’t make a difference though. Buttercream in general is very, very sweet and rich.
[@karenyanda@comcast.n replied: — February 13th, 2011 @ 3:04 PM
@RecipeGirl, horrible recipe. It separated. Was a total mess.]
This happens when you microwave your butter to bring it to room temperature!! The butter should be taken out of the refrigerator a min. of 3 hrs before you intend to use it. It then helps to add the butter in pieces (a 1/4 stick at time) until you get the consistency you want.
Lori, I was wondering why you say not to substitute shortening for butter? I’m asking because I live in Texas and it gets really warm and humid here at times! I’ve found the only way to insure my buttercream holds it’s peak in warm weather is to use both Crisco and butter. Just wondering :o) Thanks~
I just don’t care for shortening in my frosting at all. Don’t like the way it makes it taste. Sounds like you’re more experienced than I am- so a combination is probably a good idea for warm weather!
Lori….just also want to thank you for the great recipe. The BEST flavor on earth is good wedding cake! I have not made yet, and did notice the recipe makes 36 cupcakes, however the buttercream only covers 12. I don’t want to double or triple the icing [as you suggested] since this will be a confection for home indulgers, not a wedding or celebration. I will take your advise and bake as a cake in a 9×13 and believe the icing should cover it if I don’t get fancy…..just frost…..I’m aiming for the taste sensation, rather than the decorative effect.
Also want to thank you…….for answering a cojillion questions WHICH YOU ALREADY ANSWERED LIKE 20 TIMES BEFORE!!!! DON’T PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ ALL THE COMMENTS PRIOR TO ASKING THE SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER AGAIN??????
You are indeed a good soul Lori! Sweet just like your recipe ?
You’re welcome. Yes, I try to be patient with the questions 🙂
Will this recipe stand up for icing and decorating a cake?
Definitely!
Just wanted to say that I have just discovered this recipe and it is awesome. They are so good and so far, everyone who has had one has wanted the recipe. I enjoy cake decorating but hated the wilton buttercream recipe (way too sweet) and other buttercream recipes were too soft. This recipe pipes excellent and tastes perfect. Very light and not too sweet so you can keep eating and eating… 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!
I just made a test batch of this buttercream (testing recipes for my daughter’s birthday here in a few week) and it’s fabulous! I didn’t have whipping cream on hand so I used 1 Tbs of 2% milk and it worked just fine. I will use the whipping cream for her birthday though. Just thought people should know it will turn out with milk!
Thanks for the recipe!
Lori, if I use stock butter, how many sticks of butter are equivalent to 1 cup of butter? Thanks!! 🙂
I’m not sure what “stock butter” is, but two 4-ounce sticks = one cup of butter.
these are so cute! my daughter doesn’t want bright white icing but ivory instead what is the best way to achive this…drop of yellow or brown coloring?
Use regular vanilla instead of clear- should turn out ivory instead of bright white.
I am looking for a new buttercream recipe. I am making a children’s cake and will be putting a design on it. Does this buttercream work well smoothing? Does it “crust”? Should I make any alterations for framing work on the cake? I know most buttercreams you need to thin out with corn syrup for writing and details. Any suggestions will help. I have been using wilton’s buttercream but looking for something different.
Hi Heather, I think you’d have to play with it and find out if it works for what you need. I’ve used it to frost layer cakes before, but I don’t know about using it for writing & details. Test it out!
I’ve made a lot of cupcakes, usually my own creations or ones you might not see as cupcakes..so it’s always disappointing when some one requests a plain white, yellow or brown cupcake..sheesh, no creativity there but…I make cupcakes to make people be happy and if plain white cheers them up, I’ll do it! Was lucky enough to be reading your blog and saw something about the wedding cupcakes and wedding buttercream. the bridal shower is Friday so I made a tester batch today and can only describe them with one word, AWESOME! best cupcake and frosting hands down…I could even use both of the recipes when I tweak my flavor. Read and followed all the directions and had no issue but, will mention none of the white cake mixes are 18.25 oz anymore… BC is 16.25 and pillsbury and DH Are both 15.25 but I just bought two of the pillsbury and determined 3 oz is very close to ONE THIRD CUP (actually 2.6 oz) so guesstimated that last .40 oz and got around that roadblock (: fabulous with the white buttercream you have posted with this…LOVR YOUR BLOG & RECIPES
This is very helpful information for others… just buy an extra cake mix and add roughly 1/3 cup to the one you’re using to create the old 18.25-ounce version again. Thank you!
Hi how much more ingredients would I need for 40 cupcakes?
Thanks
Sounds like you’ll need to quadruple the recipe, and then you might have a little frosting left over. Maybe X3 and see if you can stretch it out.
I have a frosting recipe that people have loved and requested the most over the years. Never thought I could find one that makes choosing one as the best so difficult. Your recipe is a true knockout. I used your wedding cupcake recipe and this frosting – what a winning combination. Thank you so much for sharing this heavenly recipe.
Hi,
How does your butter cream frosting stay white with that much butter?
Thanks, cathy
If you use a better brand of butter, it is usually not so yellow- plus use clear vanilla extract found at a baking supply store.
Just made this… turned out fantastic! Tinted beautifully, piped lovely, tasted great. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks so much!
Just a suggestion–adding a dash of whiskey cuts the sweetness of any buttercream frosting and makes it taste all the more fancy–but no one can isolate the flavor. I add 1/2 Tbsp or just a touch more…I just make icing to taste and if it’s too sweet, I add a touch more whiskey. Sounds odd–but very good trick. I don’t even drink–but have had the same big bottle of Jack Daniels for 10 years to use just for buttercreams! I think this would work for the person who had written in that she added too much vanilla and needed something to counterbalance it. Good luck. Also, for those that say that the icing is too wet–your butter may be too soft from over mixing or the temp of your kitchen. Don’t be afraid to add more powdered sugar to help firm it up–just 1/4 cup or so at a time. And I agree, whipping cream/heavy whipping cream is a standard grocery item….in a tiny milk carton on the milk aisle. I would think you could use half and half (which is half whole milk and half cream) if need be though or even whole milk really–but it’s not cool whip or already whipped cream. I think that may be throwing off some people here. And finally, i always use salted butter. Good Luck!
Thanks for the tips!
Great recipe!!! VERY easy, easy to read and follow recipe and tastes wonderful. I made the cupcakes and buttercream! Thanks!
It turned out bad because I used the wrong type of butter. I didn’t see the star at the bottom about butter until after I made it. I think the butter requirements should be at the top for newbies like me lol! I plan to remake this again tomorrow with the right type of butter.
I would like to know how many batches of the buttercream are needed to frost the 6″ 2 layer cake and decorate as shown in the picture? Thank you 🙂
I’m not sure exactly… I made a full recipe of the buttercream, frosted the cake and then used the rest to frost cupcakes.
I wanted to comment as a baker on why this may turn out grainy for some- powdered sugar is not pure sugar in most of our American grocery stores anymore- we purchase powdered sugar which has cornstarch added (ew!), check the ingredients listed. If available, purchase PURE powdered sugar- even brands which CLAIM to be “pure cane sugar” on the front packaging are often not- to my dismay. I have visited the big brand stores in my area (Jewel, Dominick’s, Butera and Target) all ONLY selling powdered sugar WITH cornstarch 🙁 I will be seeking out better options a little further out at Mariano’s, Garden Fresh and Sunset Foods, hoping to find the ingredients list to NOT include cornstarch!!
This is GREAT information! Looks like we have the answer now as to why it turns out grainy for some and not for others. Thank you SO SO much for sharing this information!
This sounds silly, but will this icing work well on a cake? I’m making a little personal cake for a boys birthday tomorrow and don’t want to go through the hassle of swiss meringue butterceam for such a small cake! I wasn’t sure if it would be easy to smooth out on a cake or not
Sorry for the late reply (was on vacation!), but yes… I use this recipe for cakes all the time!
simple perfection!
Will heavy whipping cream greatly effect this recipe? I have tried several stores in our part of KS and cannot find regular whipping cream anywhere. Even asked about it and still no luck. 🙁
Carrie- it should be fine. I’ve just learned that regular whipping cream isn’t available everywhere. Who knew!?
Mmm… This sounds very yummy!!! My daughter’s birthday party is this Saturday (june 23th)and i will be making the cupcakes and honestly i have never make any kind of frosting… This one looks to be very easy to make and very yummy and now i’m just praying that everything comes out great… My question is if the whipping cream ou used is the one that says Heavy whipping cream or heavy cream??? And how many cupcakes can i frosted with this amount of frosting? I need about 60 cupcakes.. Thank you so much!!!!!!
At the market, you should be able to find “whipping cream” and “heavy whipping cream” (or heavy cream- same thing). You’ll need regular whipping cream for this recipe- not heavy. If you frost them w/ a good swirl of frosting like you see in the photo, this recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes.
I made the cupcakes and icing…they were delicious but my icing was ‘grainy’ as well, not smooth and fluffy…well fluffy, but not smooth. Didn’t affect the taste though. Thanks.
I’ve never had any problems with these being grainy- so a few thing to check… Are you using regular whipping cream and not heavy? Be sure to use a good brand of powdered sugar, and be sure to mix the frosting for the full amount of time- maybe even a little longer if you do not have a stand mixer. Hope that helps!
Lori: I was amused at the salted/unsalted butter comments. My daddy’s mother always added a pinch of salt to every baked good she did. Said it enhanced the sweet flavor. I was comparing recipes with some of my aunts one day and said I had Mamma T’s recipe for mincemeat pie in my daddy’s handwriting. They were “disputing my claim” until they read it and saw it called for a pinch of salt. It was then decided that it had to be Mamma T’s recipe 🙂 I am one of the odd ones who LOVES wedding cake so am looking forward to making your recipe! THANKS!
I made the frosting last night for cupcakes that I am making for a bake sale. After I made it I noticed it looked grainy. I left it sit for about an hour and a half and still looked like that. The flavor however is amazing! I have left them out overnight and seem to be fine but it still looks a bit grainy. Any idea what went wrong for me?
Not sure… Did you use an off brand of powdered sugar?
Made today and taste is good but waaaay grainier than my shortening based recipes. Just a casual cake so I won’t toss it, but too, too grainy.
Thank you very much! That’s very helpful! XxX <3
Hey, my name is zach and I am a keen baker. I am making about 130 cupcakes for my friends 10th anniversary party. Have you got a recipe for butter cream to ice that many cupcakes? Thanks so much =) <3
If you are piping the frosting thickly onto the cupcake as pictured, this recipe will frost 12 cupcakes. 10X this recipe and you’ll probably have enough for 130 🙂
It is from adding 2 much vanilla.
HELP!! I made the frosting.. followed recipe but wow super runny.. was it really from using margarine and not real butter? I also used heavy whipping cream. Was excited to get the fluffy look of whipped cream with the buttercream taste… 🙁
should i try again with real butter?
Yes! This recipe will not yield the same results with margarine! You’ll need to use butter if you’re making buttercream. Real butter 🙂
HELP ME!!! I Made this and added to much vanilla, it is very soth, but with the xtra vanilla it has a bitter after taste, is there something I can do? or do I have to toss it out :(. Getting ready for wedding cupcakes on Sunday.
Kat
How to counteract the bitter flavor from too much vanilla? More sugar? I’m really not sure!
This frosting is delicious and super easy to make!
Just an FYI for all you cupcakers — this cupcake goes REALLY WELL with a salted caramel buttercream! OMG!
Great Recipe!!! I used the white cake recipe for a family gathering and they loved them.
Just made these for a Pinterest Party/Brunch tomorrow! My hubby said they are the best cupcakes he has ever tasted! I am storing them in the fridge, uncovered until tomorrow. Should that be ok? So afraid of smooching the pretty icing!
yes!
I made cupcakes for St Patty’s day so I made the wedding cupcake recipe with a box of funfetti and added some mint, then made this buttercream. I didn’t have any whipping cream so I added my Bailey’s Coffee Creamer instead. It worked! Added great flavor and with my green food coloring, it made them the most raved about goodies I’ve brought to a party!
Love this idea!
I just have to thank you for posting this recipe. It was a SMASH!
great recipe…tastes very creamy. however, you CAN cut the butter with shortening (1/2 cup each) without it really affecting the taste at all. it simply makes for a stiffer icing that holds flowers & decorations nicely…also works better for higher humidity conditions than using just butter in the recipe.
can’t wait to try this cupcake recipe today – i have 125 cupcakes to make for a wedding this summer & this seems like the PERFECT recipe to test for it.
Made this today for the strawberry cupcakes on this site and it was fabulous! Parents even asked for the recipe.
I just made this recipe and it is super yummy!! Very buttery and creamy!
For those who wonder if it makes good decorations.. Yes and no… I was able to successfully make roses with it right after I made it, while it was still cold. However, as I continued to test out decorations my hand warmed it up and it was much too soft and melty to even make good stars! I tried to cool it off in a bowl of ice but it just wasn’t much good after it got too warm.. For decorations, I mean! I’m sure it would make a great base frosting for cakes and cupcakes or even a delicious filling. Very tasty!!
Thank you! I will try your recipe when I make my valentine cupcakes & I’ll let you know how it turns out 🙂
Hi Lori!
I have a question for you. Okay, first, I didn’t realize until now that you had a buttercream icing recipe posted or I would have used yours instead lol. I ended up using the following recipe a few weeks ago and tried not one but two times to get it right, thinking that maybe I did something wrong, but all I did was waste ingredients 🙁 I noticed that you use whipping cream in your recipe. Could that be what is missing here? Mine was all liquidy and sugary, GROSS! The vanilla extract was overpowering as well.
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•4-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
•1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•5 to 6 tablespoons 2% milk
That’s the recipe that was so horrible. I found it somewhere on the internet. Any store bought icing was DEFINATELY better than this. I want to try yours. The pics looks great, but I know there had to be something missing from the recipe I used. I have seen other buttercream icing recipes and they at least use shortning as well. This one didn’t call for that OR whipping cream.
–Marie
There appears to be far too much liquid in that one. To be safe, I always add the liquid just a little at a time until I get the consistency I’m looking for. Yes, the whipping cream tends to make the frosting nice and creamy.
Question…I have tried recipe before and it was delicious but after refrigerated the icing hardened just like butter would do if chilled. After bringing to room temp it just didn’t taste right and would not remix well. I tend to use a shortening based recipe now but it’s never as yummy as ‘real’ buttercream. Any suggestions?
Are you talking about preparing it, refrigerating it, and then trying to re-mix and frost at a later time? I’m not sure if I would make ahead like that.
I just made this frosting to frost cupcakes for my daughter’s baby shower. They were a huge hit! So many people commented on the delicious frosting – I noticed many guests gobbling down 2 and 3 cupcakes each! It was my first attempt making cupcakes, and I was really nervous about serving so many people. But they turned out perfect! Thanks so much for the great recipe.
Julie
I am planning on making my friend’s wedding cupcakes in May. I am looking forward to trying your white cake recipe. I was reading other’s comments on your buttercream frosting and have a couple things. Whipping cream tastes way better than milk in this recipe. I can’t describe how creamy and yummy it is with whipping cream. Second, Wilton sells white dye to make the frosting whiter (http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=603-1236). It really made a difference.
Great tip, thanks!
Someone mentioned their frosting was grainy. I have found using cheaper powdered sugar makes grainy frosting. So, if I’m doing somethiing special, I splurge and get the good stuff.
Interesting- I haven’t had that problem, but it’s definitely something to consider!
We used the butter cream frosting recipe for my wedding in October. The frosting yield was WAY off. We figured the recipe was good for 12 cupcakes so figured out how much we’d need to make for 400 cupcakes…we were left over with GALLONS of frosting… We put a pretty good amount on each cupcake as-well soo be careful when using this recipe. I would say the recipe will frost between 36-48 cupcakes NOT 12.
On a positive note – the frosting tasted amazing!! Everyone LOVED them!
I suppose it depends on how you apply the frosting for the cupcakes. If you pipe it on generously with a piping bag (as pictured), it will only frost 12 cupcakes. If you spread a thinner layer, you’ll be able to extend the recipe to more cupcakes. Glad you liked the frosting!
P.S….
do you have any amazing recipes for Fondant? I need that too for part of my daughter’s birthday cupcakes. she is having a “Lalaloopsy party” so I am making buttons on the cupcakes. Any help is appreciated!!!
I have never, ever made fondant. Can’t help you there- sorry!!
I am the worst at cooking & baking. I did a practice round today ~ Not gonna lie ~ this recipe is PERFECT!!!!!! I screw everything up … not this. Amazing! my kids tested it and loved it!!! Thanks. I am going to try the cupcake recipe tomorrow!
A million thanks!!!
Hi there
This is an interesting recipe to try out. Juts a question, did you use the same whip cream that we use for cake decoration? Which is the non dairy for topping?
Thanks
use “whipping cream” or just “cream,” as it’s sometimes referred to. It’s in the dairy section next to the milk.
Can you make the frosting into a chocolate frosting? And if so, how?
It’s probably best if you look for a chocolate buttercream recipe. Here’s one that I have: https://www.recipegirl.com/2008/08/20/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/
I’ve looked everywhere for the regular whipping cream but the stores only seem to have heavy and since I’m not really a baker and just trying these on my own I have no idea how to substitute whipping cream in the frosting…..help please!
Kelly- where do you live? All regular grocery stores should sell “Whipping Cream” and “Heavy Whipping Cream.” If you are unable to find it, ask the manager. They should all have it!
I made the Wedding cupcakes and took them to my son in-laws I made different flavors and they were a hit the adults loved them more than the children. So for Christmas I will have a bake party with my granddaughters and I will let them pick the flavors.
Will Blue Bonnet work for the butter? It doesnt state on the box if it is salted or not so im guessing it is.
No! Blue Bonnet is margarine. You need to use actual “butter” for this recipe.
Once you make the buttercream frosting does it have to be used right away or can I use some the next day as well?
You can refrigerate it (covered) and then let it come to room temperature again the next day to use.
I made these wedding cup cakes with the buttercream frosting, for a baby shower and they were to die for, everyone love them, there none left had to make more the next day for family, thank you
You’re welcome! Glad they turned out for ya!
About how long should I expect to spend icing 250 cupcakes?
That’s tough to say. I’d definitely recommend making one batch, making note of the timing and then estimate from there.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! One quick question, though: If I wanted to make the frosting ahead of time, would it keep in an airtight container? Should I refrigerate it? If you’ve already answered this on another post, I’m sorry! I can’t find it! 🙂
I have not tried to make it ahead of time, but if I were to experiment…I’d put it in an airtight container but then place a piece of plastic wrap right up against the frosting in the container. Keep it refrigerated, but then bring to room temp before icing. Please test it out to make sure this method works before your big day!
All time favorite frosting! Best cupcakes. I have used them for so many things so far since making them two weeks ago. And they make awesome baby cupcakes! I recommend this blog to everyone now!
Thanks!
Made this buttercream over the weekend and everyone loved it. I doubled the recipe and had a big spoonful left over and ate it by itself LOL
How much frosting will I need to make to frost 2oo cupcakes?
This recipe will frost 12 cupcakes if you’re using a piping bag and want to do the swirl as shown.
I love the look of the cupcakes. I am doing my sisters’ wedding cake and cupcakes and am going by your instructions. I’m wanting to use Dulce De Leche frosting. My recipe called for 1 can of vanilla frosting, 1 can of Dulce De Leche and adding powdered sugar for thickness. However, it is still a bit too creamy and won’t hold up very well after piping in the tip you recommended. Got any suggestions to make it a bit more stiff without making it over the top sweet with extra powdered sugar?
Hi Deborah, some frostings just aren’t good for piping- sounds like that’s probably one that doesn’t have a good consistency for that. I’m not sure how to turn it into the right consistency- I’d probably look around for another recipe that is better for piping.
I made the wedding cake cupcake recipe and the buttercream icing.
Both turned out PERFECT! Thank you so much. I had been looking for a recipe to mimmic wedding cake and this worked out great.
I used all almond extract and added another tablespoon of extract to both the cake and icing. 🙂 Thanks much!
May I know what brand of powdered sugar you use for making the frosting. I wonder why my buttercream taste “soapy” or there’s a certain taste I didn’t like. I used Land O Lake butter and a bag of powdered sugar from our grocery.
Hi Lala- I don’t think I use anything special. Usually just the store brand. Maybe you just don’t care for it?
I used this recipe and it’s the first time for me that frosting hasn’t melted and fallen off cupcakes. =) Thanks for sharing it!
Hi, Lori,
Will this buttercream recipe hold up if I make roses with it? Thank you for an awsome website!
I’m not sure- I’ve not ever made roses period! I suppose you’d have to test it out…
Awesome recipe!! Not only was it super easy & quick to make, but also had some tough critics say it was excellent, so I knew it had to be good! Thanks for sharing! Any recommendations, though, for a good piping kit? I used Wilton’s Cookie Master Plus (Cordless Cookie Press) that had a frosting tool with it…but I hated it!
Ami- glad it was a great success! I just use tips that I purchase individually and plastic piping bags. That seems to work well for me.
I just made your wedding cupcakes with this frosting and it was so easy! I’ve never made buttercream before, nor have I used my new piping kit, so I was a little nervous to make cupcakes for a bridal shower today. Thank you for a recipe that was easy to work with!
Excellent news- thanks so much for letting me know of your success!
what measurement is a cup when converted into grams?
@laura, Googled the answer… 1 cup = 229.92 grams
any idea how far in advance these can be made for a wedding? any tips for making 150 of these? freezing, frosting before freezing etc… thanks for your help.
Should you sift the powdered sugar before you mix it in with the butter?
@Alicia, no need to sift, unless your powdered sugar is looking rather lumpy.
Made this frosting today, It looked good and had great flavor, but it tasted grainy, like the confectioners sugar wasn’t totally incorporated. What did I do wrong. I used a kitchen aid mixer and beat it according to directions. I am looking for a buttercream recipe like the ones the fancy cupcake bakeries make it feels like you are biting into a cloud of frosting. Suggestions?
@lynda, Grainy? I’m not sure! I’ve never had it turn out anything but smooth and creamy. Wish I could think of what might have gone wrong for you…
Hellooooo sorry one question … U recommend salt or unsalt butter? Thanks =)
@Jessica Oliveros, salted is fine 🙂
These are lovely!!! Such an inspiration and help for some we need to make! Thank your for sharing ALL your information!!
can you make this in a chocolate version?????
@Carl, Would probably be best to look for a chocolate buttercream recipe specifically.
How long does it take to make 100 cupcakes?? Do you bake one night frost the next?? If so how long to bake 100 c.c’s and how long does it take to frost c.c’s?? Trying to figure out times… the wedding is on Sat at 6:30 but I have so much to do prior.. so trying to see when to squeeze them in but still look and taste fresh. I am also the bride. If I ask my mother to do it… she will just run off to Kroger!!
Thanks,
Lori
@Lori Brown, I wasn’t the bride, but I baked the cupcakes the night before… timing depends on how many pans you have and how many you are baking at once. I frosted the day of, but you certainly wouldn’t want to do that on your wedding day. I’d bake the cupcakes 2 days before, wrap them well, then frost the day before the event so you’re not so frantic. If you are able to store them in the fridge in cupcake boxes, they should be fine the day of the wedding. Better than Kroger! Timing all depends on how quick you are with that sort of thing…
ok i tried to make butter cream, i added cream cheese because the last time i made it how it says on here it was too runny, ugh things cant be simple lol. But anyways, it was a better consistancy this time but still not thick enough it didnt swirl like i wanted and kind of slid to the sides of the cupcakes. Does that mean i need to add more powderd sugar to it? if like it pretty stiff to pipe on, these look like they are pretty stiff (not hard) but just the right consistance. I dont understand what im doing wrong.
@Jamie, not too sure. How can it be runny? Are you using regular butter? Not using margarine or tub butter or melted butter, right? There’s nothing in the recipe that would make this runny unless you’re adding too much whipping cream- only a Tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
You can get large, whole sheet cake, boxes at your grocery store for less than purchasing at the baking supply store. They come with the hard card board bottom too. It costs me less than $3. I have priced them, and it’s cheaper. Some may even donate if it’s a one time deal. Doing cupcakes for my daughter’s wedding Jan. 6th. Thanks for the help on recipes!
Would you find the jell color at a baking store? I’m making 150ish cupcakes for my wedding in August and i want to do some pink ones and some white ones but i wasnt sure how much pink to put in. Thanks so much, these are amazing, you truley have a gift!
@Jamie, Yes, you can find the gel color at a baking supply store. Try craft stores like Michael’s too.
Beautiful!! I am making cupcakes for my brother’s baby shower and will be using your recipe for frosting. My cupcakes are baking right now! I have a couple of questions for you. When you make these for an event, how do you transport them? Do you get the white boxes from a craft store? Do you always use plain white liners? Do you think Wilton liners are any better? Thanks so much for sharing your recipes and photos!
@Michele, I bought cupcake boxes at a baking supply store for transporting. I think plain white liners are best for weddings- don’t know about Wilton.
I would like to know if there is any variation on the whipping cream, for instance whipped cream? I live in Mexico and whipping creamis very hard to find. Is it sweetened or just plain cream?? thanks
@Melissa, Not sure- in US we use cream to whip to create whipped cream. If you have cream, that should suffice.
wow, this frosting was so easy, looked good, easy to use and make but most of all it was delicious. thank you for the recipe.
Hi Lori!
Does it matter what kind of coloring you use for this? Gel vs drops?
@Becky, Depends how much color you use… if you use the liquid and you just want to add a few drops then that should be ok. If you’re talking about adding lots and lots of drops, then that will change the texture of the icing. I love the gel!
I am making 250 cupcakes for son’s wedding. What is the sequence for frosting and freezing? Should I freeze plain cupcakes, and then frost when they thaw? Can I freeze after frosting them? Can I refrigerate for 2 days with frosting on? I will be transporting them 1 hr away,but can keep them very cool during the drive.
@Margene, Freeze the plain cupcakes and then frost them later. Don’t freeze after frosting. I’d refrigerate them 1 day w/ frosting on, but two days might be fine too. Good luck!
Okay thanks! one more question- does it make a difference using stick vs. tub (soft) butter? Or is this irrelevant as long as it’s room temp?
@Danielle S., Yes, it makes a difference- do not use tub butter! Use regular stick butter- the real stuff!
Stupid question, I’m sure, but do you melt the butter prior to mixing with the other ingredients, or do you cut up into tabs?
@Danielle S., No melting, just mix room temp butter w/ the other ingredients.
Can you use margarine instead of butter?
@Cathi, not recommended… you won’t get that wonderful, buttery flavor at all!
I loved the look of your cupcakes. Did the cups get greasy or did you use a specific type?
@cathi, I don’t recall the liners getting greasy. I just used regular white liners.
Were you able to sprinkle the pearls on? Did they stay? I am making cupcakes for my brother’s wedding and your cupcakes are my inspiration right now! I was afraid of having to place each pearl on the cupcakes as I have read that others have done.
@Kristin, Yes, I just sprinkled them on… soon after I swirled the icing on so that it didn’t set really well before the pearls were sprinkled on. I didn’t have any problems with them falling off.
These cupcakes look lovely! Is it possible to freeze these and, if so, how long before they start to look or taste less than fresh?
@Amanda, I wish I could answer that question, but I’ve never frozen these. I’d say that it would be best to experiment yourself with freezing them to see if they’ll work out for you.
Your cupcakes are lovely and have inspired me to make my own. I had a question about the frosting: are there any issues with the weather/humidity? Have you seen it separate if not kept at a proper temperature? I guess I should just go ahead and try it but I’ve thrown out too many batches to still appear sane at this point.
@Kathy Brady, When I made them for the wedding that I did, I sent them along with the bride on a warm day. She served them inside & didn’t have any problems. I kept several at room temperature for a few days and no problems there either.
Where did you find the little “pearl-like” beads that you have on your cupcakes? Are they edible?
@Ashley, They carry them at craft stores (like Michael’s) & cake decorating stores. Yep, they’re edible!
I am hosting a bridal shower today and priced cupcakes for the event. I just couldn’t afford $3.50 per cupcake! After looking at your recipes, I felt like I could do it. My cupcakes are finished and look gorgeous and taste even better…look like the $3.50 cupcakes I would have gotten at a high end bakery. I made the chocolate cupcakes with the ganache for a variety and the white cake and wedding buttercream cupcakes. Thanks for your excellent direction.
Hi,
is there a difference
in using whipping cream then milk??
Since I haven’t tried milk, I can’t compare them. Whipping cream is much creamier & has a higher fat content than milk. I can only think that those factor into how the frosting turns out.
Hi,
love these.
I just got my first order to make cupcakes for a wedding. they want 100 cupcakes.
I don’t have a big fridge to put them all in.
How long would it be before the frosting goes bad.
I am going to try and get them all frosted in one day then deliver them the next day.
thanks for any tips
I iced mine the same day that I delivered them. For the best quality for selling them, I’d say that’s the way to go. That being said though, I did keep a whole bunch at room temperature for a few days, in a covered tupperware, which we munched on and I thought they were still good. If I were you I’d make a batch, or a partial batch and test it out. See if leaving them overnight at room temperature meets your expectations for how they still taste the next day.
Will using butter alter the white colour of the frosting? Or do you recommend using shortening for a true white colour?
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!
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!
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: https://www.recipegirl.com/2009/03/17/how-to-make-wedding-cupcakes/
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.
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?
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!
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!
Was wondering is the butter salted or unsalted? Thanks.
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!
@RecipeGirl,
You really use salted butter for American Buttercream? The rule of thumb for all baked goods is unsalted unless called for, and for cooking it is the opposite. Otherwise the chemical reactions are different in baking (salt is a chemical catalyst for the gluten) if there is too much or not enough salt, or the flavor is off (in candy and creams).
@Jenna, Yes, I really use salted. It’s what I prefer.
Wow, they look great – will give the recipe a go soon!
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. 🙂
silly question…since there is cream in this recipe do you need to refrigerate the cupcakes after they are frosted? Thanks.
I refrigerated them, but I left a few out for a couple of days and ate those too- they were just fine 🙂
@RecipeGirl, horrible recipe. It separated. Was a total mess.
@karenyanda@comcast.n, Hmmmm- wish I knew what happened… did it separate as you mixed it? If so, that means that you likely let it mix too long. So sorry the recipe didn’t work for you…