My 'Perfect' Buttercream Recipe

Need a great basic buttercream recipe that works every time? Ready to have your socks blown off by simplicity? I have perfected and used this recipe countless times over the last 10 years or so, and I don't even think about it anymore, until someone says 'how?!'. Let me know what you think!

Plain buttercream with raspberry jam filled cupcakes and fresh raspberries (a fave of mine!)

I actually created a PDF of my recipe because so many people asked me to share it;

 Click here for your freebie PDF recipe!

But i'll go through the steps here too;

Easy Basic Buttercream Recipe

(Can adapt to any flavour)

Measurements given are enough for at least 24 cupcakes or one large cake, but very simple to adjust as needed

Equipment;

• Electric Mixer
• Large Bowl
• Silicon Spatula
• Damp Towel (to CAREFULLY cover mixer while whipping to stop sugar clouds!)
• Piping bags (if piping onto cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 250g (half a block – UK sizes) salted butter – room temperature
• 500g (standard size bag or half large bag) icing sugar
• Splash of milk (or milk substitute - I've used almond milk before and it works fine!)

Candyfloss flavoured buttercream with Rainbow Drops 

Method

1) Cut butter into cubes and add to mixing bowl

2) Mix on high until creamy

3) Stop mixer, add 1/3 of icing sugar – mix by hand with spatula until not powdery

4) Mix on slow building up to high with mixer until combined

• I usually cover my mixer carefully with a damp towel to stop the cloud of icing sugar!

5) Repeat steps 3&4 until all icing sugar is mixed in

6) If needed add a splash of milk to loosen mix (if it still appears clumpy or rough at this stage)

7) Mix on high in mixer until mix starts to go a pale cream colour and is very smooth

TIP If mix is too warm and starts to melt/ look liquid – add a little more cold butter, if it seems to split (this has only happened once to me!) The only real way to save it is by adding fat - i.e. chocolate! hopefully if this happens you can adapt your recipe and add a little cooled melted white or plain chocolate to the mix to revive it (see below for details)

8) Buttercream is ready to use when it is light and fluffy and a pale colour – the longer you mix the paler it will become.

BIG TIP; WHIP IT REAL GOOD! I can whip my buttercream for a good 30-40 mins sometimes!

White chocolate cupcakes with plain sponge and chocolate stars

To Flavour/ Colour the Buttercream

For fruit flavour butter creams – I add half a jar of fruit jam/ curd to the mix and rewhip

For caramel/ toffee flavour – add a couple of squeezes of sauce – I like to use Clark’s

For chocolate – carefully melt 150g (I use Tesco/ Sainsbury’s own brand – NOT COOKING CHOCOLATE) in the microwave and allow to cool to room temperature – add spoonful at a time to the mix while whipping on full – check after every couple of spoonfuls that the mix is still soft as chocolate will cause it to firm up.

Any other flavour/ colour – use a couple of drops of good quality colouring/ flavouring while whipping! ( the Rhubarb and custard cupcakes below - I used a few teaspoons of Bird's custard powder for the custard buttercream and a good quality rhubarb flavouring for the other.)

Rhubarb and custard buttercream with rhubarb sponges (piped with a duel bag piper)

Good luck! I'd love to hear how yours turns out and what variations you come up with!  :) L x