I got this recipe from a friend about 6 years ago. I love it. I did change the flavoring from vanilla to almond & butter flavoring. Everyone loves it!! And, because you don’t use milk, it lasts a lot longer. I have learned a trick to keeping buttercream fresh for several months. Put it in an airtight container & place in the freezer. It will taste the same as fresh when you thaw it!! It’s a great way to keep all of your colored icings for the next time you need it.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
- 1/2 cup or 1 stick margarine or butter (salted or unsalted, makes no difference)
- 1 tsp butter flavoring
- 1 1/2 tsp almond flavoring
- 4 Tbsp water
- 2 lb powdered sugar
Instructions
-
Cream shortening & butter or margarine. Add flavoring, water & sugar. Beat until creamy. It’s that simple. You can add any flavoring you like. I’ve used lemon, cheesecake, whatever. To make chocolate buttercream just add cocoa to taste. I use about 4 tablespoons. It depends on your taste.
Does this buttercream crust well?
Just used it this evening....crusts very well and comes out very white.
about how much does this recipe make?
with the chocolate version, do you still use the almond flavoring?
What size cake does this cover?
Made this last night and it is REALLY good! I used all Vanilla extract but want to try with the butter/almond too. How many cups does the frosting yield? I cut the recipe in 1/2 and I am guessing 2 cups?
Just made some tonight and it's very good and easy.
Just used this recipe to make the frosting for my 4th of July cake, it is so easy to make and tastes devine! I truly will never make another type of frosting. I would deffinantly recomend this recipe to anyone at any time!
I've made this recipe 3 times now and I love it, and everyone who has eaten my cakes loves it too! This morning, I made an 8 inch 2 layer cake, each layer torted once, so filled 3 times with the buttercream. I also crumb coated before a final coat of icing, plus had more than enough for what is surely too many flowers and borders with some left over. Hope that helps as to a yield!
Sounds great can't wait to try it. If I were to use lemon, should i pmit the other flavors? Or use half butter and half lemon? Thanks
I use a recipe similar to this. I use heavy cream instead of water. Tastes delicious. I use any flavoring I have, depending on the cake that I am making (even root beer concentrate).
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! I made I last night. It tasted awesome!!! My kids age 7 and 9 wanted the bowl!! I am extremely new to baking-- made my first cake yesterday-- this recipe was simple to make and crusted nice. I was looking for a recipe that wasn't very involved and this was perfect. I did have to add maybe 4 more tablespoons of water because it was extremely stiff. I'm baking another cake this weekend and will use this recipe again. Thank you so much again for sharing!!!
Can I use this on a marshmallow fondant covered cake with it not being refrigerated since it has butter in it!?
I'm so glad you all like it! Now to answer questions. You can use any flavoring. I would omit the almond if you use vanilla, lemon, etc. The butter flavoring actually works well with most other flavorings. In the Chocolate version you should omit the almond but use the butter flavoring. This icing is great for piping on fondant. The sugar & water keep it from souring, so the cake doesn't need to be refrigerated. I can cover an 11 x 15 cake with this recipe & trim it as well. I believe it yeilds about 4 cups.
am planning on using this recipe for my son's first birthday cake which is going to be a jungle themed cake. Will this frosting be able to hold fondant & other decorations? I live in a very hot & humid climate(pretty much 90% humidity levels!) - can I frost the cake the morning of the party & then put the deco 2-3 hours later? Sorry if it's too many questions.. Am a complete newbie but am attempting this coz I love the idea of baking my sons bday cake.. Excited & very nervous at the same time :) Appreciate ur response :)
It will hold fondant just fine. You should have no problem icing it that morning & placing the fondant on it later. Girl, it took me 4 hrs to decorate my daughter's first birthday cake & it was just a sheet cake!! lol My mom told me that it was cute but I needed to get alot faster! lol Good Luck!!
This is probably a dumb question, but i'm guessing that this recipe needs to be refrigerated? I know, dumb question. thanks (:
I do refrigerate it to keep it fresh longer. But it will stay fresh on the cake unrefrigerated for up to a week.
Does this icing crack when you move it, after it crusts?
Made this recipe for a 9x13 sheet today and had more than enough. Also crusted quickly and paper towel smoothing method works perfectly. Flavored with Creme bouquet ..mmmmmm.....very good
Does this BC need to be refrigerated?
this is the best cream I have used so far, I use it on all my cupcakes. thank you for posting
Hi, I know this may sound dumb, this will be my first time, I wanted to make my sons cake a day or two befor his birthday, will this bc be fine and still tast good if I do, I also wanted to layer it with fondunt and keep it in the frig untill the day. Any help would be grateful thank you
Does this frosting pipe well?
I made this buttercream, the chocolate version this past friday for my anniversary cake and it was delicious, my husband loved it. It piped very well, I made a basketweave cake. It crusted very well, nice and smooth. I still added the almond extract and it gave it a bit of character. This is my go-to buttercream from now on. Thank you!
oh! I forgot to mention, for the chocolate I dissolved 3 tbs of cocoa with 2 tbs of water and mixed it in slowly while whipping the buttercream for a subtle chocolate taste.
vanilla flavoring... is that the same as vanilla extract?
Can you use pre creamed shortening?
vanilla flavoring is the cheap version of vanilla extract, I think the vanilla extract is better, but I only had the flavoring on hand
do i just double the recipe if i need to make 2 batches for some cakes for this weekend? I am trying to do that right now but i taste the shortning alot and keep on adding sugar but i just dont want it too sweet. I would greatly appreciate your response, thank you!
I just had to say that this recipe is great. It tastes sooooo good! I have always used the Wilton Class Recipe, and I have always found it too bland and fatty for my tastes, and it always cracks everytime I use it. I have only done the crumb coating so far on the cake I am working on, but it spreads so easily and has already crusted over. The real test will be tomorrow when I decorate it. I did add a little more water to make it spread easier.
so i can not make buttercream, at all. It always ends up grainy. no matter what i do. I just finished this and it turned out amazing!! so lite and fluffy but strong not grainy or slushy. I love this and will use it for all my buttercream from now on. Thank you
omg, omg omg, i just love it!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! you are an angel, I used today for my grandfather cake, omg it was so delicious, I hope tomorrow everyone like it as much as I did. Thank you again so much for your help.