So I wanted to make a very simple post about buttercream. Mainly because I make buttercream so much that this way I can just link back to this post instead of writing it out each time.
There are a couple of ways to make buttercream, most people use purely butter as their base, but I find that I like to use a mixture of butter and shortening as I don’t like that “buttery” taste. Most people who have tried it seem to enjoy this mixture, so if you haven’t tried it, check it out : )!
In any case, all of my buttercream consist of the following ingredients, the only thing that usually changes is the liquid and flavoring.
1/2 cup of unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup of shortening (room temperature)
3-4 cups of powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons of flavoring agent (such as vanilla extract, etc.)
1-3 tablespoons – 1/4 cup of liquid (such as whole milk, heavy cream, lemon juice, coffee, etc.)
The steps to making buttercream are easy!
1.) Cream butter and shortening
2.) Slowly add powdered sugar
3.) Add flavoring agent (such as vanilla extract)
4.) Add liquid (such as milk) as needed when buttercream is too thick
What you use as your flavoring agent is of course up to you, just make sure that when adding your liquid that you pick something that matches. For example, if making a vanilla butter cream use milk or heavy cream. If making a lemon buttercream I will use no flavoring agent except lemon juice and lemon zest. If making mocha buttercream I will use coffee, and maybe milk if it’s too thick. Milk is often the best choice because it is a neutral flavor and will mainly add moisture and texture.
Happy baking!
– Nikki
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