Marsha's Favorite Buttercream Frosting

I LOVE this recipe and have adapted the basic vanilla version for a peanut butter version too! Enjoy!

So, before I share the recipe, here's my biggest tip; use REAL butter, people. Real butter. I know it costs more than margarine, but it makes a big difference in the end result for the texture (and flavor).

Basic Vanilla Buttercream

* 1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature butter (NOT MELTED)
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 4 cups powdered sugar
* 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream (or 1/2 and 1/2, or milk)

Beat together the butter and vanilla until light and creamy (approximately 3 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar. Add enough heavy cream (or milk) until frosting reaches your desired consistency (or add more powdered sugar if you need to thicken). Continue to whip the frosting for 3-4 minutes more. Add food coloring, if desired.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

For my peanut butter version, substitute one of the sticks of butter for 1/2 cup peanut butter. 

Cream Cheese Buttercream

For my cream cheese version, substitute one of the sticks of butter for 8 oz. cream cheese.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Buttercream

I accidentally ran out of regular creamy peanut butter once when making this, so for my 1/2 cup peanut butter as mentioned in the version above, I used about 2/3 of my 1/2 cup with regular creamy peanut butter and the other 1/3 was a special cinnamon creamy peanut butter that I LOVE. It was really subtle, but gave a great flavor and smell. If you like the taste of the cinnamon peanut butter, you could sub the entire 1/2 cup in this recipe.

Additional Tips: When using real butter, the frosting will set more when it's cold (just think about what a stick of butter is like straight from the refrigerator as opposed to one that has been sitting on the counter at room temperature). So if you want it to hold it's shape when it's room temperature, make sure you make it stiff enough right off the bat. If you want a softer frosting and yet get those great ridges in the piping swirls, I find my frosting will hold it's shape better if I cool the frosting before piping and then store my cupcakes in the fridge when they are done. When I pull them out of the fridge, I'll still have the ridges I got from piping it cold, and yet the frosting is creamy and smooth and soft at room temperature.

Do not microwave your butter to soften. Plan ahead and set it out in the morning. Melted butter (even just part of it) makes for greasy frosting.

The more you whip it, the softer, creamier, and fluffier it will be without being overly wet. It's better to try whipping it more before you try adding too much milk.

One batch of this frosting will make enough for 24 cupcakes frosted sparingly. If you want to do big swirls of frosting and have plenty to do so, 1 and a half batches works better. It takes a surprisingly lot of frosting to make roses and swirls.