Buttercream

I needed a buttercream recipe for macarons and found that most of the recipes I found (a) made way too much for what I needed and (b) were on sites with way too much bullshit. Say no to the sites with way too much bullshit.

Buttercream Frosting

A great buttercream frosting that can scale.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 1.25 cups

Equipment

  • Stand mixer

Ingredients

  • 110 grams unsalted butter, room temperature (½ cup) (1 stick)
  • 180 grams powdered sugar (1½ cups)
  • 25 ml heavy cream (~2 tablespoons)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • Fit your mixer with the paddle attachment.
  • Cream butter until smooth.
  • Add powdered sugar a bit at a time on low speed until all added and combined.
  • Add the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium- to high-speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides, until all combined, fluffy, and white. Add a little more heavy cream if needed.

Notes

  • Scaling: You can double this if you need more.  Or triple it.  Or halve it if you just need enough for about 20 macarons.
  • Vanilla: You can add more vanilla for a stronger hit of vanilla but may need to increase the whipping cream to get a thicker frosting, too.
  • Freezing: Can be frozen for a couple of months.  Thaw overnight in refrigerator and then bring to room temperature and mix well before use.
  • Chocolate: You can add up to 20 grams of cocoa powder to make a chocolate frosting, but you may need to add a little more heavy cream, too.  Taste.  May need to add a bit more powdered sugar, too.