There’s nothing worse than the sickeningly sweet and artificial-tasting store-bought frosting that comes in tubs or that’s loaded on ready-made cakes. Perfectly balanced in sweetness, silky smooth and creamy in texture, and an absolute dream to both frost homemade cakes with and eat, baking guru Mary Berry has the foolproof recipe you need.
Mary Berry’s buttercream recipe requires four simple steps for “perfectly smooth and fluffy” results — all of which can be carried out in just eight minutes. This type of buttercream is an American buttercream frosting, using blocks of unsalted butter, icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract. It is recommended to use block butter for this type of frosting as it can ensure the result sets well and doesn’t become runny.
How to make Mary Berry’s buttercream
Ingredients
- 250g of unsalted butter, softened
- 500g of icing sugar, sifted
- Two to three tablespoons of milk, preferably whole milk
- One and a half teaspoons of vanilla extract
Method
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for two to three minutes, until it is very pale, creamy, and fluffy.
Whipping the butter on its own until it’s pale and creamy is a classic Mary Berry tip. This step incorporates air into the butter, which is the foundation for a light and fluffy frosting, rather than a dense, heavy one.
Then, reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sifted icing sugar in a few batches, mixing until it is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
The baking guru claimed that sifting your icing sugar is a “must” as this removes any tiny lumps and is the key to a silky, non-gritty texture.
Add the vanilla extract and two tablespoons of the milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for another three to five minutes, until the buttercream is incredibly light, airy, and smooth.
If the icing is too stiff, add the remaining tablespoon of milk to reach your desired consistency.
However, if it’s too soft or runny, beat in a little more sifted icing sugar until it thickens.