Most cooks like to use icing on their cakes. However, they don’t like to deal with the stress and uncertainty of a baked topping. For this reason, many cooks like to make a reliable and nearly foolproof buttercream frosting.
The milk is used to make buttercream topping.
American buttercream frosting is probably the most commonly used because it’s so easy. This frosting stays smooth and the recipe can be easily adjusted to suit each family’s tastes, and with a standard buttercream frosting, even the preferences of just one family member can be accommodated, especially when making frosting for cupcakes.
A basic buttercream frosting includes butter, icing sugar, and milk. These are mixed, alternating the ingredients and flavor of choice. A frosting recipe to cover a standard oblong sheet cake or 3 dozen cupcakes typically starts with 6 tablespoons per 1 pat of butter. This mixes well in a bowl. To the butter, alternately add 2 2/3 cups of icing sugar and 1/3 cup of milk. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and blend until smooth and creamy. This is the most basic vanilla buttercream frosting. At this point you can add other flavors and colors such as lemon or orange. To make a chocolate glaze, simply add the cocoa alternately with the milk and sugar until you reach the desired level of chocolate flavor. Don’t forget the vanilla when you make a chocolate glaze. It is still necessary.
Buttercream frosting can be great for Christmas cookies.
It’s almost impossible to mess up a buttercream frosting. In almost all cases, there is a solution to the problem. Is buttercream frosting too hard? Add milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Is the cover too soft? Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until just combined. Not enough cocoa? Add more per tablespoon. Too? Add more sugar, by 1/4 cup, and adjust the milk as well. There just isn’t enough coverage, period? No problem. In a separate bowl, cream another stick of butter until creamy and add to original frosting, adjusting consistency and flavor as needed.
Buttercream is one of the most common types of cake icing.
A buttercream frosting can be used to frost a cake or cupcakes, or for decoration, when the cook does not need the frosting to harden (such as with holiday cookies that will be consumed immediately). It’s a wonderful glaze for a young cook to try, as it truly is as foolproof as any recipe out there. Don’t worry about burning yourself on hot icing (or burning the icing itself!). As long as the cook can handle a stand mixer with confidence, he can make a buttercream frosting.