Magnolia Bakery’s Buttercream Vanilla Icing
Updated July 8, 2022
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
- 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 8cups confectioners' sugar
- ½cup milk
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)
341 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 59 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 6 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the icing is thick enough to spread. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Frost cupcakes. Serve at room temperature. Leftover icing freezes well for up to two months.
Private Notes
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Comments
I've been making an icing like this for years. Beat tgoether conf sugar and butter, then dribble in heavy cream, beating and adding cream until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Or you can add cream cheese instead of some of the cream. You can also add flavorings other than vanilla, like coffee, instead of some of the cream, grated rinds, etc. Don't forget a dash of salt to bring out the flavor.
So this icing is way too liquidy, the actual Magnolia Icing, is: 1 cup butter 4 cups confectioners' sugar 2-3 tablespoons milk 1 tsp vanilla food coloring
FYI, the back of the Domino confectioner’s sugar box seems to have this exact same recipe, except halved, which is convenient.
I find most confectioners sugar frostings way too sweet, including this one. I’ll add cream cheese sometimes and less of the confectioners sugar. I prefer Swiss buttercreams or Ermine frostings or any other cooked frostings , again cloyingly sweet and raw tasting.
Gross. No bigger affront to a baker than the cloyingly sweet and unctuous American "buttercream". Make a meringue and whip butter into it. Buttercream should be rich, not overly sweet and chalky.
My mother taught me a basic buttercream recipe in the 60s which has all these ingredients. I have been making my version ever since without measuring anything. I go on feel and the consistency of the frosting. I have been putting in less and less sugar, more cocoa powder (if making chocolate) and more liquid to make it creamier and less dense. I taught my daughter to start with a stick of butter and go from there. I dislike overly sweet baking and I found Magnolia Bakery cupcakes to be way too sweet. I felt like they gave baking a bad image.