Whether you're a baking novice or an old-hand in the kitchen, perfecting the holy grail of indulgent icing --
buttercream -- can be tricky business. Lucinda Larson, the Icing Diva, has the secret in this DIY tutorial for this workhorse of the cake decorating world: buttercream frosting.
Versatile, easy-to-customize, and oh-so-delicious, buttercream frosting isn't nearly as hard as it seems, and it doesn't require a ton of ingredients, either. From cupcakes to giant, layer cakes, buttercream is the dream frosting for almost all occasions.
Here's what you need:
--2 cups of butter at room temperature
--2 cups of high-ration shortening (like Crisco)
--12 to 16 cups of powdered sugar
--4 or more tablespoons of evaporated milk or whipping cream
--1/2 teaspoon of salt
--3 to 4 tablespoons of merengue
--2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
Steps:
Beat butter in a standing mixer until well mixed, about 2 minutes.
Add shortening and mix. It is very important these two are completely mixed.
Add powdered sugar, popcorn salt, merengue powder, and milk to the mixture.
Pro Tip: Cover the bowl with a clean towel to keep the sugar in the bowl.
Add vanilla.
Give the mixture one last mix and enjoy!
Check out Lucinda's complete process in the video below:
For more cake decorating tips and techniques, check out Lucinda's class,
Cake Decorating: Buttercream Basics.
