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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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.
I read through most of these comments and then it became ho…hum… I did like some of the tips. Your recipe for buttercream using shortening is just as viable as using butter. When it comes to taste we do not need technical. It really is a personal thing. I have been using shortening for many years as did my mother, and grandmother. One thing I add to my frosting is I add clear almond flavoring and clear butter flavoring along with clear vanilla extract, and meringue powder, and a pinch of salt to the whole thing and yummy! I always get compliments and never any complaints. I love the white white when I want white. It crust great and can be altered easily for stiff to soft for piping. Some criticism on line is: ooh, how can you eat all that shortening? well, we are only eating a small piece. There you go. Oh by the way, your cakes are decorated beautifully!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this website!!! Thank you SO much!! This is perfect for someone like me when I’m just slowly getting into cake decorating! And who cares if it’s technically butter cream or not. Blah blah blah, they can deal. 🙂
Sheila: would you be able to email me that recipe for when I get a little more brave? It’s KatelinNHubbard@gmail.com (that has two N’s total!!) If you can. Thanks!!!
I’ve finally found a homemade frosting my husband enjoys! The traditional buttercreams are way too sweet for his liking. This is a keeper in our house.
Hi.
first of all i’d like to thank you very much for sharing with us all of these great tips and recipes, I have learned so much from you and I am still learning, so thank you very much, I just have one wish , and I hope you can help as I am new to the cake baking world, but am an excellent cook over all, at least that’s what i have been told 🙂
anyways, am really intrested in learning about wedding cakes and decorating, and all of the those things, and i was wondering if you could recommend me some books what will help me in the cake field, especially that I love art and I want to try using my skills in cake, and if you could teach bigenners like me, the basics like what type of frostings or buttercreams and so on are out there, or the type of cakes like chiffon or biscket and what’s best for what, so that we have a trusted resource for information, as I love and trust your recipes.
again I must thank you and I hope I didn’t bother you with my wishes or requests, and I hope to hear from you soon.
God bless. 🙂
That is the *sweetest*, prettiest cake! I wish i had your skill. I just really need to get over being scared and practice. Then practice some more. And so on 😉 Thank you for such great ideas, i appreciate your sharing your creations!!
Oh and about the shortening situation!! I am very lactose – intolerant but i love buttercream so much. So i suffer through it, which isn’t always so smart. BUT when i went looking for dairy-free (please don’t anyone bag on me for semantics, this is just faster, i promise! :)) ‘butter cream’, what i found was that a lot of people were doing a combo of non-hydrogenated margarine, soy or rice milk, & non-hydrogenated shortening, which is of course various oils (like your Crisco!!). Then when i read a bunch of stuff from people who had *used* the recipes to frost cupcakes specifically, they had trouble with it sort of staying together.
SO a lot of bakers were eliminating the soy milk, and eventually some got rid of the margarine as well, so they were just using shortening. AND referring to it as buttercream (BC), ‘cuz why not? I know of vegan bakeries that just use a non-hydrogenated shortening for their frosting, and it is yummy. And heck, a lady i know who won Cupcake Wars uses butter-flavoring in some of her stuff when she uses oil rather than butter, so maybe that would be fun to try as well 🙂
(Just add to ad that when i read that some silly people were upset that you call it BC! My stars, we all need to quit the nitpicking and eat cake!! :))
Hi there. I m very new to baking; just began a month back as a hobby and though the cakes have been turning out simply awesome I haven’t been able to come up with a nice buttercream which would hold its shape. I tried the bettey crocker readymade one yesterday thinking that maybe my procedure isn’t right but even it didn’t hold its shape much. I am assuming it has to do with the weather around here (Karachi; Pakistan). Can these ross be made with white and dark chocolate ganache?. My anniversary is coming up and I really want to surprise my husband by baking a cake myself at home.
Thanks.
I live in Europe and cannot find Crisco and the butter seems to have a different consistency here–it turns out almost runny. It is also very yellow in color. I just tried 3/4 margarine and 1/4 butter which seems to work better.
I know this was forever ago but did you find some Crisco? If not I can always mail you some!
I am going to make the Neapolitan Rose Cake for my daughter’s birthday. Never done it before…really scare of how it will turn out! lol I was wondering if I can use your “crusting buttercream” recipe and add cocoa for the chocolate part? And if so, measurements please. Thanks!
Hi, thanks for superb recipe! It so easy and roses are beautiful! 🙂
How much does this recipe make?