Looking for the perfect buttercream recipe? Look no further. If you live in a hotter climate, increase the ratio of 75% shortening to 25% butter. If you LOVE butter more than shortening, you could do a 25% shortening and 75% butter. Since shortening has got a lower water content, using shortening will help provide the texture and hold you would require for perfect piping and frosting consistency.
To prepare your butter-cream, cut your butter into chunks, to help it come to room temperature quicker. (This helps increase the surface area)
Tip #1: Always sift your icing sugar to knock out any extra air particles before making your butter-cream.
Tip #2: Calibrate the scale, with the bowl and sifter, to zero, for easy & efficient sifting of icing sugar.
Tip #3: Since our hands get warm quick, pop your icing bag into the fridge for a few minutes before use.
You can easily double the batch of this recipe if you are planning to frost more cakes or cupcakes — or simply, you will be making different colours. For thicker butter-cream consistency, reduce the amount of whipping cream as desired.
Final tip: Try to use oil-based food colour gels if they are easily available where you live; allow the food gels to rest to come to a vibrant colour. If you are using water-based food colouring, reduce the amount of whipping cream slightly as needed.
If you are making buttercream a day in advance, let it rest at room temperature for an hour, then proceed to whip before applying to your cakes or cupcakes. Since this buttercream recipe does not use eggs, you can freeze the buttercream in an air-tight container and let defrost in the fridge over-night. My cake-decorating instructor from NAIT was saying that you could freeze buttercream for up to a month, maximum.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 1 9-inch cake | 5 minutes |
| Passive Time |
| 10 minutes |
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This icing has got the perfect piping consistency for cake decorating. Resent the temptation of eating the buttercream! It smells so good!
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- 200 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 g shortening
- 400 g icing sugar sifted
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 tbsp vanilla pudding mix instant
- 2 1/2 tbsp whipping cream
1. Cream butter for about 3 to 5 minutes, but not until it turns to cream.
2. Add shortening. Whip until fluffy.
3. Add flavouring. Alternate adding instant pudding mix and whipping cream.