I have been baking cakes for as long as I can remember, before it was cool to make 6 inch cakes covered in sprinkles and post it to Instagram. I'm not one to hoard my recipes (hell, I can barely remember the concoctions I come up with half of the time) so I'm sharing my knowledge with you. This recipe is foolproof, only has 4 ingredients and take about 20 minutes to make (if that).
I first discovered the foundation for this buttercream when I discovered Cupcake Jemma on Youtube. She does the most detailed videos and step-by-step tutorials that anyone can follow along with. Also, she gives great ideas, tips and inspiration for more detailed and ornate desserts.
Ingredients:
340 g salted buttercream (Jemma uses unsalted)
140 g icing sugar
4 tbs milk (I use 2%, Jemma also only uses 3 tbs)
1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla
Optional: a few drops of gel food colouring (I use Wilton, Jemma uses Americolor)
Directions:
In a stand mixer, whisk the butter for 5 minutes until pale white, scraping down the bowl halfway. Whisk until fluffy and white.
Sift in half of your icing sugar and mix for 2 minutes. You will want to cover your mixer with a tea towel, because no matter what you do the icing sugar will get everywhere. Scrape down the bowl and add the other half of the icing sugar. Mix for another 2 minutes.
In a separate bowl, pour your vanilla into your milk. Buttercream tends to firm up quickly once it hits the air so I like to add all 4 tbs of the milk. Now is a good time to mix your food colour with the milk mixture.
Turning on the mixer on low, slowly pour in your milk mixture. You can always pour this in slowly to the icing sugar and stop when it's reached to consistency you like.
Stir/whip until totally incorporated and then get to icing your cake or cupcakes!
You're looking for a smooth, soft buttercream that will hold it's shape. This is enough buttercream for 12 cupcakes or one 6 inch cake (5 layers) or one 8 inch cake with 3 layers.