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Basic butter cream is an easy cupcake frosting to make, today we will look at the basic recipe and some of my favourite variations.
To completely cover and fill two 20cm (7.87 inches) round cakes layered on top of each other you will need to double this recipe.
Basic Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
120g (4.23 ounces) butter
2 1/2 cups or 330g (11.64 ounces) icing sugar (icing mixture is fine it does not have to be pure icing sugar)
1-4 tablespoons of milk or cream
Leave the butter to soften at room temperature then beat together with the icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream until smooth and light in colour. Add extra spoons of milk one at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
Follow the basic buttercream recipe above and add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract with your first tablespoon of milk.
My Very Vanilla Buttercream Recipe
300ml cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups or 330g (11.64 ounces) icing sugar
Whip the cream and then continue to whip until it turns to butter. Pour off the liquid, mix slowly for 30 more seconds, pour off any extra liquid – repeat until most of the liquid is gone. Add the vanilla and icing sugar and beat until smooth.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
Swap the milk in the above basic buttercream recipe for freshly squeezed lemon juice. Yum! The tartness of the lemon helps offset the sweetness of the buttercream.
Coffee Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of instant coffee in 1/4 teaspoon of boiling water. Add it in with you first tablespoon of milk in the basic buttercream recipe above.
Fresh Raspberry Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
50ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Combine in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the raspberries soften and fall apart. Strain through a fine metal seive – you will need to push the pulp through so that you are left with mainly seeds.
Return the raspberry puree to the pan and heat until it reduces in volume down to two tablespoons. Cool completely – to speed up the cooling process you may wish to spread on a plate and place in fridge.
Swap the milk in the basic buttercream recipe for the raspberry puree.
Top cupcakes with a swirl of raspberry buttercream and a fresh raspberry.
Smooth Coconut Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
240g (8.47 ounces) butter
1 cup shredded coconut
2 1/2 cups or 330g (11.64 ounces) icing sugar
1-4 tablespoons milk or cream
Heat butter and coconut in a pan and bring to the boil. Strain through a fine metal sieve – push on the coconut until you have 120g (4.23 ounces) of butter. Allow to cool.
Whip the now flavoured butter, icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream until smooth. Add remaining cream one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Top cup cakes with coconut butter cream and sprinkle with shredded coconut.
Fresh Stem Ginger Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes
Fresh ginger is such a unique flavour, here is my recipe (shhh it’s a secret) for infusing that flavour into butter cream.
300ml cream
10g (0.35 ounces) (2 tsp) peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 1/2 cups or 330g (11.64 ounces) icing sugar
Place the cream and ginger in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool completely, this allows the ginger flavour to infuse into the cream.
Strain using a fine wire sieve – pushing on the ginger will give a more intense flavour. Discard the ginger.
Using a stand mixer beat the cream for approximately 10 minutes – it will thicken and whip and then separate into butter and a milky liquid. Drain off the liquid and beat for another 30 seconds. Repeat this last step until most of the liquid is gone.
Add the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
Popping Sugar Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes
This one is always popular at kids parties and when the boys take cakes in for cake day at school.
Make the basic vanilla butter cream recipe (or any of the flavours you like) and mix in 2 tablespoons of popping sugar. When the kids, or adults take a bite the popping sugar pops on their tongue.
Banana Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes Recipe
180g (6.35 ounces) butter
2 really over ripe bananas mashed
2 1/2 cups or 330g (11.64 ounces) icing sugar
1-4 tablespoons of cream
Melt the butter in a pan, add bananas and stir and cook for a minute. Leave for 10 minutes to cool slightly but not set.
Strain through a fine metal sieve – do not push the banana through you just want the butter. Leave the butter to cool completely and set.
Measure 120g (4.23 ounces) of the banana butter and beat with the icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream. Add more cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
Pipe onto cupcakes and top with candied fresh banana – for help making candy see sugar decorations post
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for Cupcakes
120g (4.23 ounces) butter
1 1/3 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1-2 tsp milk
Leave the butter to soften at room temperature then beat together with the icing sugar and cocoa powder and1 tsp of milk. Beat until smooth adding extra tsp of milk if needed. Note for a more intense choc flavour frosting beat this in equal quantities with dark chocolate gnache.
Smooth Buttercream Base Colour for Piping Designs or Flowers
125 icing sugar
25 butter
Melt the butter, add the icing sugar and mix well. It may be a little runny at first, simply allow to cool a little and then place on cupcakes.
Alternatively if you have already made you butter cream you can heat some spoonfuls of it in the microwave and add extra icing sugar to make the desired consistency. Covering the cupcake in the warmed buttercream gives a smooth glossy finish.
N.B Two quantities of this buttercream will cover the top and sides and one inside layer of a cake 20.5cm (8.07 inches) in diameter and 9cm (3.54 inches) tall
Also check out these gourmet cupcakes - lemon meringue cupcake recipe, chocolate orange cupcake with gnache frosting, choc mint cupcake recipe,
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Thank you so much! I really love your recipes. I have a question though: I’m not a fan of sweet stuffs, so i wonder how should i adjust the ingredients to make these frostings taste less sweet?
Hi Quynh, Are you after a frosting that is lower in sugar or just tastes less sweet? Easy way to make it taste less sweet is to add something slaty such as peanut butter (if you don’t have an allergy to peanuts of course). But to make it lower in sugar is difficult in buttercream as the icing sugar is there to thicken it. Have you tried the cream cheese frosting. You could leave even more sugar out of that one if it is still too sweet for you… http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/
Hi,
Can I know what cream you use to make buttercream icing? Is it thickend cream?
Hi pavi, I am not sure what country you are in, here in Australia we have thickened cream, pouring cream and just plain cream any of them are fine as long as it is not light cream. If you look at the nutritional info it should be around 30% fat.
Hi Ann~ Thanks for posting these great recipes! Do you think you could tell me what your recipe for chocolate buttercream frosting is?
Thank you!! ~Tiffany from California
Wow, how did I miss that one, it is one of my favourites and I even put it in the picture at the top – thanks Tiffany for letting me know that it was missing – my chocolate buttercream recipe is now added to the post. Enjoy!
Ann-
Hooray!
~Tiffany from California
I have been told regular buttercream icing (butter +icing sugar) lasts for ages but what about the icings made with cream, how long do they keep? I have a lot of macarons to make for a party on friday night and want to get as much prep done as possible
(today is Wednesday … argh..)
Hi Grainne, If you make ganache now it will still be fine on Friday it lasts very well. However if you want to fill your macaroons with whipped cream do that at the last minute as the moisture in it will dissolve the bases of the macaroons if you do it the day before. (ganache is fine to do a couple of days before – I fill and store in the fridge in airtight containers).
I was looking at the cookie monster cupcakes and was directed here for the blue buttercream recipe but couldn’t see it? Could you post the directions or a link please?
-Jen from Sydney, Australia
Thanks very much for sharing your recipes. I’m a newbie and I want to learn all types of icing. Your recipes are very helpful. Thanks and lot and more power to you.
When you make your buttercream frosting for the princess cake,do you just add the red food courting or you make a flavored one???
add a little red food colour to the basic recipe, but you can use a flavour if you prefer.
Hi Ann,
WOW!!! I am so glad i found youre website!
You have worlds greatest recipe for buttercream.
Also i want to tell you that youre the one who makes decorating easy!!
You show it to us perfectly en it is so easy te follow.
Forgive me for my bad English but i am from The Netherlands.
I just want to let you know that i am a big fan of you!
hello ann, im from mexico and i have two questions… the first is… do you have a video making Your Very Vanilla Buttercream Recipe? and the other is… when you said… whip until butter, what are you refering to? i don´t understand how it looks like, i hope you can answer. thanks
Hi Carmen, No I do not have a very vanilla buttercream recipe video as yet… whip until butter means if you beat the cream until it is stiff and then keep beating it – then it will become butter – the fatty part will seperate from the watery part of the cream – tip off the watery part, keep beating some more and tip off any extra watery bit and you’ve got butter. Butter you buy from the shops of course then has added flavours, yellow colour and salt. So if you make your own butter it gives a nicer buttercream frosting.
thank you..really useful..i guess finally i found the right website whihc will expertise me in bakin cakes
hiya…your so fab and make it look so easy..i would like to try your cookie minster receipe..for the blue buttercream colour did you use paste or liquid colouring please..many thanks hun x
Hi Josie, I used gel colour.
Hi
I love ur work so good
I make birthday cakes in Cairo Egypt I love cooking
Thank you for everything
Maria
If i add color to the vanilla buttercream how do i get a rich blue color like on your cookie monster video. My buttercream is too yellow, it is making the colors look strange.
Hi chary, if you use gel colour it is more intense to gives a strong blue. If the butter where you live is all very yellow it may have yellow flavouring added, in that case use the very vanilla buttercream recipe here instead http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/buttercream-cupcake-frosting-recipes/
Thank you very much, is it fine to add color to very vanilla or will the cream make it split?
Hi,, ann thank for basic buttercream recipe .. i love it!
hi ann
I have often tried the traditional recipe of butter, icing/powdered sugar, and milk, but always it turns grainy, may be sometimes more, sometimes less. Can you please help me ?
Hi elizabeth, try leaving the mixer running for longer to allow the sugar to dissolve int he icing.
Hello Ann,
I love your recipe for the buttercream. There’s just one problem for me. I don’t really know how to work with cups. Can you please tell me how much one cup of Frosting sugar is in Grams? Thank you!
Greetings from the Netherlands~!
1 cup icing sugar=140g
What kind of butter do you use? unsalted butter or regular?
Hi marisol I used unsalted butter
Thank you
Hi, Ann,
I live in Cayman Islands ,so the weather is so hot.
Please, what kind of buttercream recipe hold better in hot weather?
May I try half shortening / half butter?
Thanks a lot
Hi Paula, I live in Australia, it is forecast for 104 degrees F this tuesday, so it is hot here too. I find the buttercream is fine, I keep it int he fridge and then bring it out just prior to serving. If you have to have it out of the fridge for a while before serving and you are taking it outside then obviously it is going to soften a lot. White chocolate ganache made with candy melts might offer you a more stable solution. Or italian meringue which is one of my favourite frostings for taste.
Hi, Ann I just want you to know I’m so happy I discovered your website. I have learned sooooo much. Thank you!!!! Also, with the butter cream recipes can they all be used to decorate a cake? The Barbie cake imparticular I’m gonna attempt to make that one for my daughters birthday next week.
Yes you can use them to decorate any cake you like.
I will frost the cupcakes in 3 days for a Birthday party.
How long will the icing stay in the fridge or freezer?
Hi Angie, in a sealed bag you can keep it in the fridge as long as you would keep butter for.
Hi Ann,
I plan to make Cookie Monster cupcakes. Will the basic buttercream frosting recipe work well for the blue icing? Do you know how to make a natural blue color? Thank you so much.
Hi Ervina, yes the basic frosting recipe is perfect, we just made some this weekend with a bunch of kids – great fun. For natural blue colour you can get 2 cups of chopped red cabbage and place it in a bowl, just cover with boiling water and leave overnight. Strain the liquid and boil down to concentrate. It will be purplish. Add a tiny bit of bicarb of soda or vinegar and it will turn blue. Use a small amount in your icing, this will give a pale blue instead of the intense blue and taste will be effected. This is basically the process that is used to make food colours – they look at what is it in a substance that makes it blue and then just use that and leave out the things that taste etc.
WHich buttercream did you use for the Minecraft cake? and what is pure icing sugar? I live in the states. Thanks
Hi Cristin I used the chocolate buttercream recipe.
Pure icing sugar has only sugar in it, icing mixture has cornflour in the mixture.
Do you mean confectioners sugar to use? Also I use a marshmallow fondant will that work ok for minecraft cake?
Which buttercream did you use for your princess cake?
Hi Benita I used the basic frosting recipe with a little red coloring.
Thanks sooo much, I did a test run without the buttercream and cake was too dry! The look of it was awesome though! Loving your recipes, you could be my new Mary Berry
x
Hi Benita, I have updated to a new vanilla cake recipe that I prefer give that one a go and let me know heat you think.
What size cake pans did you use for your minecraft cake–I am trying to make it this weekend
Anne, I’ve just discovered your website and its awesome! I’m learning os much. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thanks Zarina, I am glad you like it
Hi Ann,
I was wondering can we put ganache in our buttercream to make it chocolate buttercream? If so, how much do we put in? Thanks
Hi Brittany, yes you can do that, yummmm or a cheaper chocolate buttercream recipe is here: http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/buttercream-cupcake-frosting-recipes/
Hi Ann,
Your Minecraft Cake is amazing! I’m so excited to re-create it for my Son’s birthday this Tuesday. I am confused as to what icing mixture or icing sugar is. Is this the title of a product I can purchase at the store or a combination of things I should prep ahead at home? Is it powdered sugar? Thank you for your time.
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, The pure icing sugar is sugar ground super fine so it looks like white powder, if you look on the ingredients on the packet the only thing list is sugar. Icing mixture is the pure icing sugar plus some cornstarch which helps it not cake together in the bag so it feels softer. Other names include powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. Just check your ingredients if you want to know if it is ‘pure’ or not.
Is this a thick consistency recipe? I’m making a cake with a basket weave design and wanted to use the coffee recipe you have up, but the picture at the top shows two different consistencies. Is this recipe the thicker one in the picture?
Hi Naima, yes it is the thick consistency. The thinner one in the picture is the same frosting melted int eh microwave, this is good for dipping the top of cupcakes before piping decoration on them.
hi
I wanted to know if I could use margerine intead of butter and what is cream? do you mean whip? Also can I freeze the cupcakes once they have the buttercream on?
Hi susie, yes you can use margarine but as it is softer you will not need much milk. Cream called heavy cream in the USA or just cream or whipping cream in Australia. It is approx 30% fat.
Hi ann! I’m from the Philippines, where most of the time the weather is humid. What frosting can you suggest that taste good, not too sweet & doesn’t easily melt under hot weather? I’ve tried buttercream but it’s too sweet. Also the whipping cream, it melts the decor ( hardened royal icing) on top.
Hi Janix, most frostings are sweet, one that will not melt in the weather would be italian meringue frosting that recipe is here: http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/lego-ninjago-cake-how-to-make-italian-meringue/
Thanks ann! Can i put colors & flavors to that frosting?
hi janix, yes you can : )
ahh well im a young baker and i was wondering if the vanilla frosting would work in maccroons … thank you ..
Hi Limairi, yes it would but ganache would taste much nicer. If you click on macarons int he index across the top of this website and then on the chic ginger one it has the recipe for flavoured white chocolate ganache.
Hi Ann!
Thanks a lot for your tips; they help a lot!!
Gwen from Mauritius=)
Hi Ann,
Love your website! Can I ask where you would get popping sugar from? is it the same as popping candy you can get from sweet shops?
Cheers,
Jill
this is the one I use, it is unflavoured. You could use the ones from the sweet shops if you find a flavour you like. Popping Sugar (unflavored) – 1 lb. can
Hi Ann, your recipes are great and very helpful
However, by cream, do you mean whipped cream or just cream? I’m from Croatia, and I’m just starting to make cupcakes and all that stuff so I’m not so sure in understanding the recipe.
Thank you very much
Hi Ines, Just cream, int he USA it is called heavy cream, is it the same in Croatia? It should be around 30% fat
hi ann just wanted to know what else can I use for filling in a cake I have made chocolate mousse but I tried making white chocolate it didn’t work.. my kids doesn’t like cheese or nut or buttercream because thay say it taste like butter I really need you help of a good filling its going to be my daughters 12th birthday and I really want to make it nice that she will be happy thank u ann .. I hope u had a great easter
Happy Easter Lisa, try this frosting instead
* http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/lego-ninjago-cake-how-to-make-italian-meringue/
or make ganache, you can use white chocolate if you prefer the start of the chocolate cake video has how to make it http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/chocolate-cake-recipe/
Hi again, would you recommend baking the cake 2 days ahead and/or can it be frozen?
Hi Anoushka, yes you can bake it two days ahead but once cooled store in an airtight container and use simple syrup before decorating to ensure it is moist
Hi Ann,
I love how you make everything look so simple! I have two questions. I’m making a wedding shower cake that will be covered in piped roses using a 1M tip and I’m wondering if your pure buttercream frosting (no shortening) will hold the shapes on the roses, which will be piped all over the sides and top covering the entire cake? The other question I have, if I were to use a tip instead of a baggie to pipe the ruffles you used on the barbie cake, do you know what decorater tip would be the equivalent of your baggie cuts? Thanks so much for all of your videos and your time! Sheree
Hi Sheree, yes you can use specialty tip 070, you can get on amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002A30OU6/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002A30OU6&linkCode=as2&tag=howtocookthat-20 for about $7 in a four piece set.
As for holding the shape of roses on the side of the cake, buttercream goes softer if heated so if is it served from the fridge inside it will be fine, if it is to be used outside then I would do a test run with on slice of cake.
Got so busy making the cake that I failed to get back to you. Thanks so much for your response!
Hello Ann !
first I really like all your videos and recipes and so long
so, can you please tell me what the Icing Sugar is??
Hi Mary, thanks for visiting the website
Icing sugar is sugar ground really finely like a soft white powder and mixed with a little cornstarch to stop it clumping together in the packet. Pure icing sugar has no cornstarch and is more expensive either are fine in this recipe.
Smooth Buttercream Base Colour for Piping Designs or Flowers
125 icing sugar
25 butter
How many cups will the above be?
Hi Pem 125g icing mixture = just less than one cup (95% full)
25g butter = 5 teaspoons
Is icing sugar powder sugar? If it is not where online can you purchase it from? Your recipes are all so amazing thank you for sharing:)
Hi gina, this website has a great comparison of different sugar particle sizes… http://www.biscuitexpert.com/default.asp?siteid=&p=detay&id=37 icing sugar is finer than powdered sugar but they are bother very fine, you may just need to beat for a little longer to allow the sugar time to dissolve.
Love the recipes. I sure do wish you had a print button among all those stupid sharing buttons.
Hi Mary, if you look just above the share buttons there is a print button with a green leaf, you can choose which bits of the page you print so to save paper. Or if you want it to look pretty there is the little book of frostings for $1.99: http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/my-little-book-of-frosting-recipes/
Hi Ann
FOr your Pink Ombre cake you mention using buttercream, which recipe do you use on here? like the title of the cream because i have no idea what one to use. im making this for mothers day
hope you reply
Hi Isabella, I used the basic butter cream recipe for the obmre cake and coloured it.
Thanks!
Hi Ann, I live in Mumbai, i have tried the vanilla butter cream but it splits. Could u tell me at what temperature the cream can hold and for how long do i beat it for to obtain the desired cream consistency?
Hi shalvi are you making the basic buttercream or very vanilla buttercream? If very vanilla you want it to ‘split’, you pour off the liquid and keep beating, pour off more liquid until there is not more liquid. This is making butter.
If making the basic buttercream ingredients should be at room temp so feel your bowl it should not feel hot or cold to the touch. If it splits then increase your mixer speed to high for 3 minutes to bring it back together.
How many cupcakes do your buttercream recipes do – are they for a batch of 12? Thanks
Hi Sophie that is a good question, yes one quantity is enough for 12
Thanku Ann for such a prompt reply, i had meant basic butter cream now will try as per your instructions.
Hi Ann,
I was wondering….
Can i use fresh raspberries insted os frozen?