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Basic Buttercream Icing
Basic Buttercream Icing
Sweets

Basic Buttercream Icing

4.7
15 mins
Easy
12

This is a wonderful recipe for light and fluffy buttercream icing that also tastes great. Pipe it onto cupcakes and it will look like a professional baker lives at your house!

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  • Ingredients
  • Method

Ingredients

  • 150g butter, softened (or Olivani Spread)
  • 2 cups Chelsea Icing Sugar (300g)
  • 1-2 Tbsp hot water
  • ½ - 1 tsp of vanilla essence (or flavour of your choice, optional)
  • food colouring (optional)

Chelsea Products in Recipe

Icing Sugar

Icing Sugar

Icing sugar can also be...
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Reviews
267

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Method

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.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a smooth finish on my cake using buttercream icing?

- Make sure your cake has cooled completely before icing. - Begin with a crumb coat (a thin layer of icing). Chill for 30 minutes, then add a second thicker layer of icing. - Use the correct tools - a decorating turntable, offset spatula and bench scraper will help to achieve the best results.

Why is my buttercream icing runny?

You may have added too much water. Try adding a little extra icing sugar. Alternatively, the mixture might be too warm. Try chilling the whole bowl in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, then re-whip. Conversely, a buttercream that appears curdled and lumpy may be too cold. You can fix this by gently heating the buttercream (hold the bowl over steaming water for a short time), then re-whipping.

Can I flavour buttercream icing?

Yes! Try swapping the vanilla essence for almond, lemon, orange or raspberry essence. You can also stir melted chocolate into the buttercream. Alternatively, try one of our other icing recipes: - Cream cheese icing - Lemon icing - Chocolate buttercream icing

Can I make buttercream icing in advance?

Buttercream icing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.

Reviews
267

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How to Choose SugarFor Baking?
learn about baking

How to Choose SugarFor Baking?

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