Vanilla Cream Frosting

By cuznvin

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cold

Preparation

Step 1

In a small saucepan, thoroughly mix the cream, sugar, and salt. Wipe the insides of the pot clean with a silicon spatula or wet finger. Rinse the spatula to use later. Cover the pot and set it over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling all over. Uncover the pot and adjust the heat so that the mixture boils actively, but not too furiously, without stirring, for 1 minute. Use the clean spatula to scrape the hot mixture into a medium stainless steel bowl. Set aside to cool without stirring until the mixture is barely lukewarm, about 45 minutes.

Set the bowl in a larger bowl. Add plenty of cold water and ice cubes to the larger bowl. Add the vanilla to the frosting bowl and gradually beat in chunks of the butter. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. If it is not thick or stiff enough, keep it in the ice water and continue to beat, or chill the bowl for 15 minutes in the fridge and beating it again. If the frosting is too stiff or cold, set the bowl in hot tap water until the frosting starts to melt around the bottom, then beat it or stir it briskly with a spatula. For best results always adjust the texture of the frosting to your liking by chilling or warming the bowl as described, rather than adding extra sugar or liquid.

TIP: For the smoothest and glossiest frosting, allow it to cool and thicken slowly at room temperature (without stirring) while you make your cupcakes!