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+ servings

Easy and Delicious Buttercream

This recipe has been altered from Lauren Kitchen's recipe to better suit some palettes (sweeter) and also I find it a little better for piping/flowers. It's great for underneath fondant also as it gets nice and solid in the fridge.
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Yield:11 cups

Equipment

  • Electric Stand Mixer, Kitchen Aid
  • Paddle Attachment

Ingredients

  • 7 oz Egg Whites, Pasteurized
  • 2 lbs Powdered Sugar - sifted
  • 3 lbs Unsalted butter - SOFT, *if HUMID or hot hands, see notes below
  • 2 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  • Measure egg whites in your mixing bowl.
  • Tare. Measure powdered sugar in bowl. (Or in separate bowl, either way, add powdered sugar at this time)
  • Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium/high (6 on KA) for 5 minutes. You are essentially creating a soft peak, glossy royal icing at this point. If it does not "peak", do not worry, our main concern is to dissolve the powdered sugar. You can incorporate more air into it down the line.
    butter in the bowl
  • Make sure your butter is SOFT. Room temperature often isn't soft enough for me, so I'll put it in the microwave for 10 more seconds to make sure it's super soft to the touch. This will allow air to beat into the mixture easier.
    butter on a plate
  • Set mixer to medium, gradually add butter. Scrape bowl.
    vanilla in a mixer
  • Don't forget to add your vanilla! Now, beat for 5-10 minutes on medium/high (6 on KA) until light and fluffy. To help remove larger air bubbles that may have formed, I reduce it to a low setting and let it mix for approx 2 minutes.
    vanilla mix with buttercream
  • Fluffy delicious buttercream! Nom nom nom. See below for storage and other notes!
    Fluffy buttercream

Notes

Notes via Lauren Kitchens:
Storage: The day after you make the buttercream, you will need to whip it at medium speed for 5 minutes. Store at room temp (68-74 degrees F) for up to 2 weeks. (Yes, you heard her correctly). Store in the fridge for up to 2 months. Store in freezer for up to 6 months.
Color: Use gel paste or oil colors to color your buttercream.
Egg Whites: Purchase the pasteurized egg whites in the grocery store next to the eggs. Most carton eggs are pasteurized. You can use fresh egg whites but it will decrease the shelf life of the buttercream unless you pasteurize them yourself. I do not recommend using meringue powder as a replacement.
Tips from Avalon:
For hot and humid areas, you have the option to take anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the total amount of butter out and replace it (in weight) with shortening. If you have particularly warm hands and are doing a lot of piping (that includes buttercream flowers), I suggest this recipe with 1/4 of the total amount of butter replaced with shortening. I'm not a huge shortening icing fan, BUT some places *need* it for climate purposes.

Flavor variations:

  • 7 oz / 200 grams of chocolate

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM

  • 7 oz / 200 grams of chocolate
  • 2 tbsp strong Espresso coffee (liquid)

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

  •  3/4 cup caramel sauce

SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

  • 3/4 caramel sauce  
  •  1 tbsp rock salt

NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM

  • 3/4 cup Nutella

LEMON BUTTERCREAM

  • 1/4 cup lemon curd
  •  1 tsp lemon zest

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

  •  3/4 to 1 cup (to taste) - crushed/pureed strawberries

RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

  • 3/4 - 1 cup (to taste) - crushed/pureed raspberry puree

PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM

  •  3/4 cup peanut butter
 
 

BAILEYS BUTTERCREAM/KAHLUA BUTTERCREAM

  •  1/2 cup Baileys or Kahlua