How to make a tall fluffy “flower” out of buttercream!
I posted this on Instagram the other night.
The Perfect Crusting Buttercream
Ingredients
- 7 ½ cups (2 pounds / 937 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup shortening, or ½ cup room temperature butter and ½ cup shortening (See alternate method of making buttercream if using butter and shortening.)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, use clear if want white frosting
- ½-¾ cup whole milk, as needed for desired consistency
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream shortening and vanilla (2-4 minutes).
- Add in the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time. If you find your mixer struggling, slowly add in milk. Use more milk for a creamy consistency; use less milk for a stiff consistency. Finally, add salt.
Alternate Method (Using ½ cup butter and ½ cup shortening)
- Place room temperature butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer. Put the entire 2-pound bag (7½ cups) of confectioners' sugar on top. Then, add vanilla, ½ cup milk, and salt.
- Turn the mixer on low and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix for 2-4 minutes. Add more milk, if needed, to reach desired consistency.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Here was the caption:
If someone ever tells you that you put too much frosting on your cupcake, stop talking to them.
You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life.
Well. Turns out you guys really liked that little flower and asked to see how I made it.
Which I thought was weird because I didn’t mean to make it, I just kinda started piping and piping and piping and this is what happened.
Then folks on facebook started asking for a tutorial and I thought to myself… are they kidding? I mean, surely this is a really common design that everyone is doing and what can I possibly bring to the table?
Truth is, I don’t even know what to call this. It’s just “petals” piped on petals piped in petals. It’s kinda ruffly and kinda flowery and a little like a rose and reminiscent of a hydrangea and maybe even a loose carnation but it is not really any specific flower.
So, yeah.
I used this Crusting Buttercream Recipe. This is a great recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes.
Things to note:
I started my ruffly cupcake on TOP OF my daisy cupcake. You do not need to do this. 🙂 Simply start piping out directly on top of your cupcake. I am showing you how I piped out the tall ruffly flowery cupcake EXACTLY as I did it on instagram. (Hope that makes sense!)
I used a #103 tip that I got from Fat Daddio’s. This tip is shaped like a tear drop. Just make sure the small pointy edge of the tear drop is facing out.
Just keep stacking and overlapping and piping. You really can’t go wrong on this design!
You can also make this design as tall or as short as you want. (Which means you can also control the frosting amount in case that 2 to 1 ratio is a bit scary!)
Oh… and if you think of a better name… let me know!
I think buttercream is your super power.
Beautiful! I think it looks a lot like a White Aster Dahlia.
So pretty! I’ve tried piping lil star like blooms onto a cupcake. The icing won’t stick. I thought it was to thin, but even after I added powdered sugar to thicken it. It still wouldn’t stick. What am I doing wrong, help me please!! Thank you in advance!
Yes! I definitely wanted to see this one! SO pretty!
Absolutely beautiful! Definately going to try this technique!
I think it looks like a chrysanthemum!
Gorgeous! You’re so talented, Amanda. If I tried to pipe a flower it would look a hot mess.
Keep these marvelous tutorials coming!!! I can barely pipe a swirl and I’d love to expand my decorating skills. I love this beautiful cupcake!
Those are gorgeous cupcakes! I love how light and airy they look…. Totally jealous of your buttercream skills!
Thanks for sharing I am excited to try