This butter-based recipe is adapted from Ateco Simplified Cake Decorating and makes a nice simple buttercream great for simple icing jobs.

Butter Cream Icing (Basic American Style)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• Speck of salt (if needed)
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk or light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure

Whip the butter until fluffy. Gradually add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and reduce speed to low, add in the liquid, salt and flavoring. Last the rest of the powdered sugar. If firmer icing is needed, add in a bit more powdered sugar, if softer icing is needed, add in a bit more of the milk. Flavor as desired.

Notes

Recipe adapted from: De Unda, Elizabeth and Edith Latimer. Simplified Cake Decorating. 21st ed. New York: August Thomsen Corp, 1960.

Content by Renee Shelton. Recipe was first published on PastrySampler.com on January 10, 2007. It was updated on September 30, 2020.