A simple and easy recipe for making perfect buttercream icing. Excellent for icing birthday cakes.
If you're looking for the perfect Buttercream Icing recipe, then look no further. My recipe is effortless and produces perfect icing every time.
Whether you are icing a birthday cake or cupcakes, this is the only recipe you will need.
The secret ingredient is the milk. This makes it extra smooth and creamy.
You can keep buttercream icing plain white, or add in a few drops of your favourite food colouring.
How to make Buttercream icing:
To start, add the softened butter to a stand mixer and whip for 2 minutes until pale. Add the icing sugar, milk and vanilla essence.
Whip on a high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as you go.
Add a few drops of the optional food colouring. Mix to combine until the icing has been coloured evenly.
Spread icing over a cooled cake.
My go-to chocolate cake for birthdays is my Celebration Chocolate Cake. It makes a HUGE cake which is perfect for feeding a crowd.
If you are looking for some fun cake ideas, check out my post for Easy Kids' Birthday Cakes.
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Buttercream Icing
Delicious, silky buttercream icing made from icing sugar, butter, milk and vanilla essence.
Ingredients
- 100g butter, softened
- 2 cups icing sugar, 260g
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla essence
- Food colouring of your choice, optional
Instructions
- Add the softened butter to a stand mixer and whip for 2 minutes until pale.
- Add the icing sugar, milk and vanilla essence.
- Whip on a high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as you go.
- Add a few drops of the optional food colouring. Mix to combine until the icing has been coloured evenly.
- Spread icing over a cooled cake.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can keep the icing white.
- Always allow your cake to cool completely before icing. If the cake is warm the icing will melt.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 110Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 41mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 0g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Hayley says
Hi Vj! I have been following you for sometime now on fb and have used a number of your recipes which have all be great!! I wanted to drop by here to say, I recently used this recipe to ice cup cakes for my daughter's birthday and this is by far the best recipe for butter cream I have used! I have tried many times to find a good butter cream to work with especially for piping and this one is definitely a winner, this will now be my go to butter cream recipe. Thank you for sharing this and many of you other great recipes.
VJ cooks says
Oh, thank you so much for the lovely feedback. I use this for every birthday cake too!
Fiona says
Hi
How do I make a chocolate buttercream icing
Do I add melted chocolate and if so how much
Thanks Fiona
VJ cooks says
Hi Fiona, you can add 3 tablespoons of cocoa and an extra tablespoon of milk to make chocolate icing. Add more cocoa if desired.
Jane says
Hi Vj, could I double the measurements for a larger amount? Would it still work out ok?
VJ cooks says
Yes of course!
Louise Nowell says
Hi Vanya
I am making your celebration cake (half size) for a birthday cake. Would the buttercram icing recipe be enough to cover the cake? Thank you
VJ cooks says
Hi Louise, yes that should be more than enough. If you have any leftover icing, this can be stored in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
Amy says
Hi there,
Should I refrigerating a cake with buttercream icing? I’m icing it on Saturday for a Sunday afternoon party, I’m figuring it’s winter so if I keep it in the coolest room in the house I should be ok?
Thanks!
VJ cooks says
I would keep it in the fridge. But you know your house best!