- 2
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter–softened–room temperature
- 1 1/2 -2 cups powdered sugar/confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk–room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1
Sift the sugar to ensure that there are no lumps.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy and very pale. Start with the mixer on low and move it up to high. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With a stand mixer it usually takes about 5 minutes, so it may take slightly longer with a hand mixer. Patience is the key.
With the mixer on low, gradually add about ½ cup of the powdered sugar. Once it begins to combine, turn the mixer up and beat until thoroughly incorporated.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of the milk, with the mixer on low speed. Turn the mixer up and beat thoroughly to combine.
Continue to add the sugar and milk alternately. Beat thoroughly after each addition. The frosting will become very fluffy. The sweetness and texture are personal preference, so adjust as desired. If you need a thinner frosting, add more milk a teaspoon at a time. If it needs to be thicker, add more sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Keep in mind that adding more sugar will also make the frosting sweeter, so make sure you taste as you go.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer up and beat until thoroughly combined.
Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to two weeks. You can also freeze the frosting in an air tight container for a couple of months. Either way, when you’re ready to use it, let it soften to room temperature and then beat it with the mixer to fluff it back up again.
Enjoy on cake, cupcakes or your favorite dessert! Try it on my Red Velvet Cupcakes or my Old Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes!
Note: This recipe will “spread on” about 12 cupcakes or one layer of a 9″ cake, however if you are piping the frosting, you should make another half recipe or double it depending on how much you plan to pipe on each cupcake. It’s always better to have too much, than not enough! You can refrigerate or freeze leftover frosting. Also, I use the whisk attachment in the video, but I often use the paddle, which works well. If you don’t have a stand mixer and I know most people don’t, you’ll still get good results with a hand mixer, but it will just take a bit longer. Good butter helps too. Cheaper butters (store brands) may contain a higher percentage of water, which may cause some difficulties when beating. They also don’t taste as nice as brands that may cost a little more, so since the main ingredient here is butter and this is all about the taste and texture, so spend a few extra bucks, if you can. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top expensive butter. I use Land of Lakes. I like the way it tastes and performs and when it’s on sale, it beats out the store brand, so I stock up. To each his own.