This luxurious buttercream icing brings a rich, creamy twist to your favorite cakes and cupcakes. Its silky texture comes from premium unsalted butter and a dreamy blend of confectioners sugar, vanilla or cocoa, and milk. Whether brightening a birthday cake or enhancing a cupcake, its versatile flavor and sumptuous consistency promise a delightful treat.

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I love sharing my buttercream icing recipe because it gives the perfect consistency and taste for both cupcakes and cakes. I made it many times using just four main ingredients so it’s a simple whipped cream frosting that is both delicious and easy to make.

For this recipe you’ll need 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened at room temp and 3 to 4 cups confectioners sugar sifted well. I usually mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for the vanilla version or swap it with 1/3 cup cocoa powder if i want a chocolate twist.

Then I add 2 to 3 tablespoons milk slowly until its creamy and spreadable. This recipe makes enough icing for 24 cupcakes or a 9×13 cake.

Its a great example of how to make cake icing homemade simple while keeping the nutritional values simple with butter, sugar, and a bit of milk so you know exactly what you eating.

Why I Like this Recipe

I really love this recipe for loads of reasons. First, it’s super simple and only needs four ingredients so I never stress about finding weird stuff at the store. Second, I like that it’s totally flexible – I can use vanilla or swap it for cocoa powder to make it chocolatey, so there’s always something new to try. Also, the process is fun, because even if I mess up a bit, I can just add a little more milk or sugar to fix it, and that makes me feel like a baking pro. Finally, it makes enough to frost a whole bunch of cupcakes or even a cake which means I can share it with my friends and family when I feel like celebrating something!

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter adds rich flavor and smooth creaminess to the icing.
Sugar provides sweetness, structure and dissolves easy for a light, airy finish.
Vanilla extract offer aromatic flavor, making every bite feel warm and inviting.
Cocoa powder adds deep, rich chocolate notes for an enticing alternative flavor.
Milk gradually blends the ingredients, helping achieve a perfect, creamy consistency.
These ingredients are mainly fats and carbs, lacking fibre and protein benefits.
Icing combine simple items into a luscious topper that transforms cupcakes into treats.
Swap vanilla with cocoa for chocolate icing, keeping the smooth, creamy base intact.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temp

3 to 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted well

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use this for the vanilla version or swap with 1/3 cup cocoa powder for the chocolate version)

2 to 3 tablespoons milk, add slowly until you get a creamy, spreadable consistency

How to Make this

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1. Start by beating the softened unsalted butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until it gets smooth and kinda creamy.

2. Gradually sift in 3 to 4 cups of confectioners sugar, about one cup at a time, and beat well after each addition so there won’t be any lumps.

3. If you’re doing vanilla, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract now. If you’re in the mood for chocolate, just swap that vanilla out with 1/3 cup of cocoa powder.

4. Slowly pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk while mixing; add it gradually until the mixture gets a creamy, spreadable consistency.

5. Increase the mixer speed a bit and beat everything for about 2 minutes so the icing gets extra fluffy.

6. Stop the mixer and give the icing a quick taste, and if it seems too thick, add a bit more milk or if you’d like it sweeter, add a little more confectioners sugar.

7. Once you’re happy with the texture, use an offset spatula or a butter knife to frost your cupcakes, or even an entire 9×13 cake.

8. If you’re frosting cupcakes, aim to coat about 24 cupcakes evenly with the buttercream.

9. For best results, let the buttercream sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using if it’s been chilled.

10. Enjoy your cupcakes or cake now, and store any extra icing in an airtight container in the fridge for later use (just remember to whip it a little before using again).

Equipment Needed

1. A large mixing bowl for creaming the softened butter
2. An electric mixer to blend the butter, sugar and additional ingredients
3. A sifter for the confectioners sugar (and cocoa powder if making the chocolate version)
4. Measuring cups and spoons to properly measure the butter, sugar, milk, and flavorings
5. An offset spatula or butter knife for frosting the cupcakes or cake
6. A cupcake tin or 9×13 pan if you’re planning to bake cupcakes or a cake
7. An airtight container to store any leftover icing for later use

FAQ

Q: Can I use salted butter for this recipe?

A: No, use unsalted butter cause salted will mess up the flavor and the sweet balance.

Q: How do I get the right consistency with the milk?

A: Add the milk slowly and stir it in little by little until the icing becomes creamy and spreadable.

Q: What makes the chocolate version different?

A: For the chocolate version, you swap the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract with 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Its a simple swap but gives a whole new vibe.

Q: How long does the buttercream keep?

A: You can store it in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge, but best if you use it within a few days since it might harden a bit.

Q: Can I use this icing on other desserts?

A: Sure thing! It's great not only for cupcakes but also for cakes, cookies, or even as a fun dip for fruits.

Buttercream Icing For Cupcakes (Vanilla And Chocolate) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted Butter: You can use salted butter if needed but make sure to reduce other salt in your recipe a little bit
Confectioners Sugar: If you cant find confectioners sugar, you can blitz granulated sugar in a food processor until it’s really fine enough
Vanilla Extract: You can swap out vanilla extract with almond extract or even lemon extract if youre feeling experimental
Cocoa Powder: For the chocolate version, try using cocoa powder and add a bit more milk since cocoa tends to dry things out
Milk: If you dont have milk, half and half or a mix of water and cream can work fine; just add a little at a time till you get the right consistency

Pro Tips

1. Make sure your butter is really at room temperature before you start cuz if it’s too cold it won’t mix well and you’ll end up with clumps in your icing.
2. Seriously, sift your confectioners sugar with a fine mesh to avoid any lumps, you don’t wanna spend extra time fixin’ texture issues later.
3. Add your milk super slowly and keep tasting the mix so you can stop right when you get that perfect creamy consistency, too much milk really messes up the spreadability.
4. If you’re storing extra icing in the fridge, let it sit out at room temp for a few minutes and give it a quick whip before using it on your cake or cupcakes so it doesn’t look all flat.