Buttercream – Basic Frosting Recipe
The base recipe for the buttercream used to decorate cupcakes, cakes and desserts: smooth enough for fine piping tips and stable enough to stand at room temperature.
Two things decide it, and both get skipped.
The powdered sugar (icing sugar) is sifted. It is the only step that guarantees a lump-free cream, and with small tips every lump shows.
And five to seven minutes of beating is the minimum. That is where the cloud-like texture comes from — not from more butter, which is the usual mistake.
This is the cream for the kiwi cupcakes.
Ingredients
- 250 g soft butter, at room temperature — soft but not melted
- 400 g powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- 1
First beating: in a bowl, beat the butter on its own at medium-high speed until creamy and noticeably paler, about 3-5 minutes.
- 2
Adding the sugar: add half the sifted powdered sugar. Beat on low so it does not fly, then raise the speed. Sifting is not optional — it is what leaves the cream smooth.
- 3
Finishing: add the rest of the sugar, the milk and the vanilla. Beat at medium-high for at least 5-7 minutes. The beating time is the difference between a professional cream and a heavy one.
- 4
Adjusting: if it feels too firm, add an extra splash of milk. If it is too soft, refrigerate for 10 minutes and beat again briefly.
Flavors of the Mediterranean: From Our Table to Yours
If one kitchen invites you to sit down at a long table and stay there, it is the Mediterranean. This is our personal selection of dishes that celebrate freshness, sun and good produce: recipes that smell of basil, lemon and sea. Technique in the service of simplicity — and dishes that come out right every time.
