By Chelsea Sugar
Page views: 2319868This is a wonderful recipe for light and fluffy icing that also tastes great. Pipe it onto cupcakes and it will look like a professional baker lives at your house!
172 reviews
150g Tararua Butter, softened
2 cups Chelsea Icing Sugar (300g)
1-2 Tbsp hot water
1/2 - 1 tsp of vanilla essence (or flavour of your choice, optional)
food colouring (optional)
Beat the butter until smooth, pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the Chelsea Icing Sugar, half a cup at a time.
Add the vanilla essence (or other flavoured essence and/or colouring of your choice), with enough of the hot water to make a creamy mixture, beating between each addition until light and fluffy. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes or spread over a cooled cake.
Note: When adding food colouring, add it a drop at a time and mix well before adding more, otherwise you might end up with a brighter result than you desire! Colours tend to darken a little as the icing sets too.
Delicious recipe is perfect for every type of cake. I use every time and it is perfect.
It is smooth and yummy. I cant believe its a 4 star and not 5!
I’ve used this recipe a couple of times now and it’s always so good. The only thing I would change is putting the water in, I find that even if you only use one table spoon of hot water it makes it too soft so I always end up putting more icing sugar in. Overall I would recommend this recipe to anyone but I would tell them to skip the water.
Tried and loved this recipe but quick question:
How do you store the cake once the buttercream icing has gone on?
In the fridge or can it be left out?
This is an amazing recipe. Especially good (or extra-specially good as I would say) with some grapefruit juice :) :D
good buttercream just if u want a white butter ream beat the butter for like 5-10 mins to get it nice light and fluffy
Ii sounds nice and easy but was wondering if butter melted after being left in pantry overnight?
Thank you in advance.
Really good - bit sweet but otherwise amazing!
Would recommend putting freeze-dried boysenberries on top
Would this recipe work if I wanted to put the icing in a flower mould to add decoration to cake? Could I put it in the mould and then freeze it to make it hard?
I can't use Royal Icing as the people I am making it for can't have raw eggs
It is so incredibly sweet! I used 1.5 cups of icing sugar rather than two and it is still too sweet.
Sub to my yt channel please Gracie space unicorn forehead and add chealseas chocolate cake recipe and on top butter cream
Thank you for this recipe and it's amazing and I will try it for a future video I will say it is a Chelsea recipe and please Subscribe to my Youtube Channel at Gracie Space I"m the one with the Unicorn face paint on my forehead
This is best Icing ever my daughter love it!
She loves all your recipes, she is a good wee baker herself
How much icing does this recipe make? I'm wanting to use this recipe for a standard double layer cake but I'm not sure if this icing will be enough?
I’m trying to do a small rainbow birthday cake and want to pipe the colours on in small swirls- how much of this recipe would I need to do? Double ? Triple ?
Hi dear just wanted to check that this icing won't melt while decorating cakes. And can I use any butter or only tararua butter. And can I use 2 500g butter for icing Please do reply soon.
CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, as long as your cakes have cooled properly, the icing shouldn't melt. Any butter will work ok. You can scale the recipe up, but we recommend keeping the ratio of ingredients the same. Enjoy!
please can I use normal sugar for tea ☕ instead of icing sugar?
CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, unfortunately standard white sugar won't work here, you will need to use icing sugar.
amazing great for parties or just something that you get out of a pantry I have used this more then once you need to try it is perfect!
Amazing! Super easy and it worked so well. I've used this recipe multiple times now. Highly recommend.
If I wanted a pink buttercream icing, do I just add food colouring to it?
CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, yes that would work well.
Thank you for this. How much do I need to make to cover a two level cake plus extra for decorating top with grass nozzle?
CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, we would recommend doubling the recipe. Enjoy!
Can I use this butter cream icing for writing on the cake?
CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, yes you could. Just make sure you use a fairly small round piping nozzle. Royal icing also works well for this: https://www.chelsea.co.nz/browse-recipes/royal-icing/
Hi how can u make it thicker
But great recipe
Thanks
CHELSE SUGAR: Hi there, you can either add less hot water or a bit more icing sugar to make a thicker icing.
Perfect!!
amazing tastes really good
super easy, very moist! super yum and easy. I didn't follow the icing recipe I used a butter cream recipe. *chef kiss*
Amazing recipe! My sister usually hates icing but she really enjoyed this one so thanks!
How long does it take to cream the butter???
CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, about 1-2 minutes, until it is smooth, pale and fluffy.
I love it! So smooth and creamy and it stays in place and just delicious. I highly recommend it!! 10/10!
Hello, I am baking a 2 layer 19th birthday cake. Is this recipe good to use for 2x layers of crumb coats and a watercolour effect on the 3rd apply wanting this cake to be perfect for my younger sister but trying to find just the right recipe, thank you.
Chelsea Sugar:
Yes, this recipe would be suitable to use as a crumb coat.
Great buttercream. I've used it many times and every time it has worked. It starts off grainy but soon enough comes out as wonderful buttercream!
It was great!! So easy and tasty!! Great for decorating cupcakes!!
Will definitely use this recipe again!
It was great!! So easy and tasty!! Great for decorating cupcakes!!
Will definitely use this recipe again!
Worst recipe for buttercream icing ever, ended up having to add in milk because it was dry and crumbling, not enough wet ingredients.
I love this recipe of icing it's super easy to do and doesn't require any skill at all (which is handy for amateurs like me)!!!
I LOVE this recipe!!! It’s so easy and delicious. We made lots of the icing - it was to decorate a cake. Everyone, I recommend that you try this recipe NOW!!! ^U^
Lovely recipe! I used this for a cupcake decorating fair and won gold! The butter cream was described as soft and creamy!
what can i use instead of icing sugar?
Chelsea Sugar:
Icing sugar is an essential ingredient in this recipe. You could use Chelsea Icing Sugar or Chelsea Pure Decorating Icing Sugar.
It was amazing! I used Olivani Margarine instead of butter and added 1/4 cup of cocoa...it was still light and fluffy! Everyone commented on it!!
I am thinking of using this recipe for a large birthday cake, will it apply well to the top and the sides?
Thanks
Chelsea Sugar:
Yes, this icing recipe is a good choice for decorating cakes.
This easy and very yummy
my sister makes buttercream all the time she never told me what recipe she makes Im gonna make these this weekend for my birthday cupcakes .. wonder if you can also change vanilla essance with a lil cocoa powder for choc flavour ??
Chelsea Sugar:
Yes, you could do that.
This is a great recipe. I don't usually use butter in my icing recipes but this is just so yummy and now I can't stop making it!
How could I change this to be a mocha flavour, how much coffee and cocoa and would I take anything out?
CHELSEA: it would depend on your taste. Suggest you adjust to your taste and preferred consistency. Let us know how you get on!
Haven't made it yet but really confused about the method
Where do you put in the vanilla?
CHELSEA: oops! We've updated the recipe - add the vanilla along with the hot water.
Hi Chelsea,
Would Margarine Work For This Recipe? (Instead Of Butter)
Chelsea Sugar:
Yes, you could use margarine as a substitute for butter.
Perfect for the wedding cake I am icing, easy to apply and able to put a pattern on to make a nice finish.
Sounds quite easy to make. I have some Lemon Flavoured Icing Sugar MFG 2012 10 06, and wondered if it was still ok to use, as i was going to try this recipe tonight. Thanks
Chelsea Sugar:
The best before date has passed. The flavouring and the colour may not be as originally intended.
Hi, can butter be replaced with a dairy free olive spread in this recipe?
CHELSEA: we would't recommend it - not sure how it would turn out.
Sounds great! Am I able to make this ahead of time & pop in the fridge untill my cake is ready? Or is it best to put on cake straight away? Thanks!
CHELSEA: Hi there, yes you could make this ahead of time. It will harden a little in the fridge so it is best to bring it to room temperature before icing the cake.
Hi Chelsea
Can this recipe be used under fondant?CHELSEA: Generally buttercream icing can be used under fondant, would be interesting to know the result.
I really liked this recipe, it was very easy for me to make. I tried a different frosting which was from the Buttercream Frosting recipe. And I also added my own addition to that, 1 tbsp of cocoa powder and it was amazing! I love Chelsea recipes!
Quick question:
How much cocoa powder needs to be added to make this a chocolate buttercream icing?
Thanks :)
CHELSEA: Hi there, 1/4 cup cocoa powder would work well.
This is so easy and if you are a beginer with icing its so good because it holds it shape so well!!!!!!!
Does it turn out firm?
CHELSEA: Hi there, yes reasonably firm. It's firm enough to pipe onto cupcakes but still light and fluffy.
This buttercream recipe is amazing :D I use it every time I make cup cakes and I always get so many compliments on the icing.
loved this icing
Great recipe, very tasty!
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