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.
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Hi Amanda, I love your posts and the beautiful cakes you make. You have inspired me to take cake decorating classes this past month! These comments are hilarious and frustrating. Anyone who knows anything about icing/frosting knows you need different icing/frosting for different uses in decorating cakes. This recipe is pretty close to the one I use. Amazingly enough, if you give people a blind taste test they can’t tell the difference between the butter or shortening! Keep up the great work and wonderful inspiration for the rest of us!
I’ve been searching for quite some time now for a stabilized buttercream. I have been using this version for a while now as a crumb coating for my cakes and filling when it’s ordered. But I live in a hot and humid environment, we recently moved. The only “stabilized buttercream” I have found, not tested yet, is Wilton’s using meringue powder. Does this work? I have 3 cake orders in August and I need the buttercream to be stable, for delivery purposes and one of the events is outdoors, Please help me, I’m desperate. Thank you in advance!!
I have used the 1/2 and 1/2 (butter/Crisco) for about 10 years…living in the humid Ohio River Valley requires something to hold up in our hot, extremely moist weather…I do use some meringue powder in it if it is going to be in a venue for a length of time for weddings, but for cupcakes, I do without the meringue powder. and putting Creme Bouquet in it puts it over the edge! My clients LOVE it! Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe…
I use a recipe very similar to this but it does not crust so I think I will try this one from now on. Since it has butter and possibly milk I have alwsys been told to keep cakes refrigeratdd since wd live in a warm, humid climate. What is your opinion on how long a cake can be left at room temp before spoiling. Don’t want to make anyone ill.
I’m making a chocolate birthday cake today with this decoration. I’ll probably use this crusting frosting recipe due to the fact that I live in south Texas and its still at about 105 by 7pm. I’m trying to figure out what frosting to use in the middle of the layers? I know that this particular frosting is extremely sweet so I’d like to off-set it with something that also compliments. Any ideas??
LOVE this recipe! It’s wonderful 🙂
I know this is an old blog but….Can marshmallow fluff be added to this recipe? I need a crusting marshmallow icing for smores cupcakes. I need the icing to NOT melt or slide; i live in GA where heat and humidity kill icing and i really do not like refrigerated cupcakes …. can anyone help?!?!?
I’ve ruined too many recipes with little hard pebbles of sugar that simply can’t be removed after mixing. It’s absolutely worth the effort.
Since the sugar cakes-up into those hard pellets with time and moisture, you might be able to get away with it IF the sugar is really fresh–factory to store to home to use– and IF it has not been exposed to significant temperature changes that would cause condensation in the bag. That’s a lot of IFs to trust to a trucking company, from my stand point.
I’m on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and I feel your pain! Crisscross stays solid at room temp. It will soften and droop outside on the summer but will be fine if you keep it inside with the air conditioning till ready to serve. You can probably use up to a quarter butter for flavor and still be OK, but 8-9 year olds are easily impressed; use Crisco for presentation.
Just make a swiss meringue buttercream or italian meringue buttercream. I am in florida and these both hold up to heat and humidity really well.
You can buy marshmallow ‘extract’. It’s marshmallow flavoring, very strong, and you only need a little bit, just make sure you taste your finished product. You can pick it up at cake decorating stores and I have seen the extracts at Walmart, although I am not sure what flavors they have. Also do not taste the extracts straight out of the bottle, if you need to test/taste the flavor use a toothpick to get a drop of it and mix it with about 1/8 tsp of sugar.
I’m going to make a cake for my daighter’s 4th bday. I’m going to attempt a frozen buttercream frosting image transfer. Someone mentioned i would be best using a frosting that crusts. I’m also going to try the grass tip “stars” on the sides.
Do you think I could make a big batch of this frosting and use it for a crumb coat for the cake also? I might use it as filling if I make a 2 layer cake.
Thank you!!! Love your site!
I have found that with frozen buttercream transfers, it’s best to cut your shortening in half and substitute with butter. Items with high butter content tend to freeze faster and harder.
First off… wanted to say that I love your blog!
Second – do you sift the sugar before putting it in? It is so time consuming to do so and I was wondering if I could not do it. Thanks in advance!
I have neglected to do it many, many times and not found it to be too detrimental. 😛
thanks for the butter cream recipe. I just want to know is the powdered sugar you are talking about. is it icing sugar of regular sugar which we can powder at home. i would like to know . thanks