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READY IN 10 mins

Luscious Buttercream Frosting

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Read Reviews (115)

"Silky, smooth and satiny - simply luscious!" — Land O'Lakes, Inc.

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Original recipe makes 2 1/3 cups Change Servings

4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened*

2 teaspoons vanilla
Food color, if desired

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Directions

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Increase speed to medium; scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy . Tint frosting with food color, if desired.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
READY IN 10 mins

Footnotes

* Substitute LAND O LAKES® Soft Baking Butter with Canola Oil right from the refrigerator.
VARIATIONS
Luscious Chocolate Frosting: Add 3 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled. Beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional milk to reach desired spreading consistency.
Luscious Lemon Frosting: Omit vanilla and decrease milk to 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

I've been having huge problems with buttercream. I only bake amateurish cakes for people's birthdays, but even I care what the cake looks like. All the buttercream recipes I've used so far-- calling for all sorts of stabilizers like egg yolks and egg whites and shortening--have ultimately been melty messes. Tasty messes, yes, but messes nonetheless. That should be a poem. Anyway, this frosting, like all the others, passed the taste test. More importantly, it hasn't melted, and instead keeps its shape when piped and looks lovely and firm. It hardens up only the tiniest bit, just enough to keep its shape, but is silky and tender underneath only the slightest crust. Kudos on this simple but effective frosting recipe! I look forward to trying it out with other flavors.

—DomesticNath

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 19, 2008

This was WAAAAAAY to sweet even for buttercream frosting. I might make it again trying to use 1/2 of the powdered sugar. IT looked pretty and was easy to make but just overpowering sweet.

—OLYBROWNS

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141 Ratings

Oct 31, 2007

This was very good I work in a bakery that used buttercream frosting and this is VERY similar to their buttercream. - what I loved about it the most was that it only called for 1/2 cup butter! So many buttercreams call for margarine or shortening - yuck! and has great flavor - not overbearing sweet and very nice consistency - you can just add more powedered sugar to stiffen it or add more milk to make it creamier. Very good and easy to make.

—chicchick

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Mar 06, 2004

This is almost miraculous. The ingredients are so few and so simple that you really wonder if it will work. Well, let me tell you - it does. This frosting is absolutely fantastic and incredibly easy. It's a classic buttercream with an excellent balance of cream and sugar. Nice texture, too. I'll be using it to frost my sister's wedding cake.

—STELLALUNA17

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Oct 08, 2005

Forget tubs of greasy flavorless expensive storebought frosting!!! This frosting is so easy and so good. To make the luscious chocolate frosting, if you don't have baking chocolate on hand, mix about 1/4 cup cocoa powder with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and add to frosting.

—BTSYLYNN

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Nov 05, 2007

good flavor. I found it too be a little on the runny side. maybe it should be refrigerated for awhile before using.

—ErinWebster

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Dec 23, 2005

This is a good, easy recipe. I used it to frost Mary's Sugar cookies from this site. I had more than enough to frost all of them. Good and buttery, just like a buttercream frosting should be (I don't get recipes that are titled "Buttercream frosting" and call for 2 cups of shortening and no butter at all....)

—What a Dish!

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Apr 03, 2006

Finally! I keep trying to find a good tasting buttercream recipe that also makes a good decorating frosting. This is it. It was so easy to make. I measured the sugar, then sifted it before mixing. I also mixed it for about 5 minutes on medium speed. Perfect! I got tons of compliments on how light and good it was. And best is that there isn't that aftertaste you get with shortening buttercream recipes. Definitely my only frosting recipe from now on!

—LG37

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Nutrition

Calories
157 kcal
8%

Carbohydrates
28 g
9%

Cholesterol
14 mg
5%

Fat
5.2 g
8%

Fiber
0 g
0%

Protein
0.2 g
< 1%

Sodium
54 mg
2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Luscious Buttercream Frosting

Serving Size: 1/18 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 18
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 157
Calories from Fat: 47

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5.2g 8 %
Saturated Fat 3.2g 16 %
Cholesterol 14mg 5 %
Sodium 54mg 2 %
** Potassium 8mg < 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 28g 9 %
Dietary Fiber 0g 0 %
Protein 0.2g < 1 %
** Sugars 27.5g
** Vitamin A 4 %
** Vitamin C < 1 %
** Calcium < 1 %
** Iron < 1 %
** Thiamin < 1 %
** Niacin < 1 %
** Vitamin B6 < 1 %
** Magnesium < 1 %
** Folate < 1 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.