The Perfect Crusting Buttercream is the perfect frosting that goes on your cakes easily and sets which makes it perfect for a solid base as well as decorating into shapes that will keep their form. Try my American Buttercream Frosting for another versatile frosting recipe.
The Perfect Crusting Buttercream
This buttercream is sweet, and I do mean sweet! (You could probably guess that by looking at the amount of confectioners’ sugar in the recipe.) However, you can always use less sugar if you don’t want the crusting buttercream to be quite as sweet. You will also notice the recipe uses a cup of shortening. I have also provided instructions on making the buttercream using half shortening and half butter.
The Perfect Crusting Buttercream Ingredients
Sugar: Yes, you are reading that amount correctly…a 2-pound bag of confectioners’ sugar is used in this recipe (approximately 7 1/2 cups). You can always use less for less sweetness.
Shortening: Shortening (hydrogenated vegetable oil) is any fat or oil that is solid at room temperature. If you have heard of or seen a big can of Crisco, that is shortening. If you don’t want to use a full cup of shortening, I did provide instructions to make crusting buttercream with half shortening and half butter.
Vanilla: If you want white frosting, use clear vanilla extract.
Milk: Start by adding the minimum amount of whole milk to the frosting mixture. You can always add more until the buttercream reaches your desired consistency.
How to Make the Perfect Crusting Buttercream
This recipe is the recipe I use when making my rose cake, my hydrangea cake, or any cake that I want the frosting to be able to hold its shape! To get it made, first, cream together the shortening and vanilla. Next, add the confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time. Finally, mix in the milk, adding more until you have reached your desired consistency, and add the pinch of salt. This makes quite a bit, but can be refrigerated quite easily.
If the buttercream will not be used right away it must be stored in the refrigerator. It will firm up quite a bit and should be allowed to come back to room temperature before piping or spreading. Depending on how long it was stored you may need to re-mix it quickly. It will last about a week in the refrigerator.
How to Make Crusting Buttercream with Shortening and Butter
If you are using half shortening and have butter, the method to make the buttercream is a little different. First, add the butter (make sure it is room temperature) and the shortening to the bowl of a stand mixer. Next, pour all of the confectioners’ sugar on top. Then, add the vanilla, milk, and salt. Start mixing on low; then, turn the mixer to medium-high and mix for 2-4 minutes.
Looking for More Frosting Recipes?
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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.
Going to try this! Butter makes it too soft to do decorations with!! I think the milk will be great!
Need a crusting chocolate buttercream recipe please…
Thank you!!
I usually make cakes for at home or friends, and always use butter in frosting. But I needed to make a cake for a silent auction. I was terribly afraid of it melting under the hot lights on the auction table after all the work I put into decorating it. So I went online looking for a better recipe and stumbled on this blog. So happy I did. This was the perfect recipe. I read the comments, too. So I have to put in my two cents worth about “buttercream.”
I knew that bakers use a “buttercream frosting” that doesn’t have butter and is shortening based. I knew it had nothing to do with butter, but that is the name. I am surprised at some of the comments here. I guess most people commenting on that don’t know anything about professional baking. It’s called buttercream. Who cares if it doesn’t have butter in it? LOL People are so funny about things.
But anyway, this turned out to be the perfect recipe. I printed it off and will use it every time I need to make something for show and don’t want to worry about it melting.
Thanks!!!!!
Love this. 🙂
😀 Well technically it’s just not a “traditional buttercream” that is all.. But when i went to culinary school we called it a buttecream and it is a very known buttercream.. but the only difference we called in an American Buttercream. Others use butter in the creamy mixture or all shortening, or also half and half. Just depending on cost and other things that are implemented in to the recipe it self. Either side is not wrong, but others also don’t like to be told they are wrong either.. lol but you keep doing what you are doing you are fantastic!! 😀
For a sweeter icing when using shortening , add (or substitute) 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract or a few squares of bakers chocolate (melted down of course) for chocolate frosting.
hey guys! I am baking 150 cupcakes for a wedding, so I was really hoping to be able to make the icing in advance. I want to use this recipe because it is an outdoor wedding and I need it to holdup, but is it going to turn out well if I make it today and refridgerate it over night, then just let it get to room temp tomorrow?
Hi, my mother used to make icing for her cakes like this. This is how I do it myself. We use all butter and call it butter icing. We never measure any of the ingredients! Just mix it up by eyeballing everything until we get the right texture. Off late I’ve started calling it buttercream too! 🙂 Its lovely, buttery and creamy!
P.S. I’m taking a big icing step today. Will try your roses in white on a rainbow cake. Keeping my fingers crossed! Will let you know how it goes.
Will this turn out well if I do not have a stand mixer? Just a plain Jane hand mixer? 😀
I find the comments about using shortening interesting, to say the least. I’m new at baking cakes and recently I was testing out 2 recipes — one made with butter & shortening and one made with just shortening. I did this b/c I had read so many negative reviews on using shortening. I had various people taste both recipes. Guess what, although both recipes were good, the shortening recipe won out! Maybe it’s the different flavorings I used which can made the recipe either good or bad. So folks don’t knock down shortening. If you need a recipe that will withstand the heat, shortening is definitely the way to go.
Hi Amanda,
Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe, I am going to bake a 1 layer 23cm round cake and decorate it with roses, as this is my first time making a rose cake, I don’t have any idea about how much butter cream I need??, would you please help me??