This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream recipe has been featured in an extensive how-to post on The Recipe Girl blog: How to Make Wedding Cupcakes.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream recipe was first featured here on RecipeGirl many years ago when I baked cupcakes for my son’s kindergarten teacher’s wedding. She wanted cupcakes and had heard that I might be able to do them for her. I worked for a catering company in college, but this was a little outside my comfort zone and expertise! She loved my blog, and she begged me to help. How could I resist?
I ended up taking on the project, and it was so much fun. Her wedding wasn’t terribly big, but I was tasked with making about 125 cupcakes. My kitchen was covered in cupcakes! It was a lot of work, but it was terribly satisfying to know that I was helping out this sweet teacher.
The wedding cupcakes were a huge hit at her wedding, and everyone specifically noted how much they loved the frosting. This is the frosting recipe! It’s so delicious, and it’s now a big-time favorite for a lot of people.
If you have questions about this icing and wedding cupcakes… it may be helpful to read through the comments/questions/answers below the recipe- many of your questions may be answered there! Also visit this post: How to Make Wedding Cupcakes for all of the details on when to make the cupcakes and how to store and transport them to the wedding.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream is my go-to recipe for icing basic cupcakes and wedding cake. Every time I share the recipe on Facebook, I hear from other people who say it’s their go-to recipe too. It turns out perfect every time. It’s so easy to make, and it works through a piping bag well. The recipe will frost 12 cupcakes with a generous swirl. Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to frost more cupcakes!
Note that this recipe also works wonderfully for layer cakes. It spreads on smoothly, and you can pipe on decorations too. I use it for everything. It has been my go-to frosting recipe for so many years!
A simple swirl on cupcakes creates a beautiful dessert for weddings with little candy pearls sprinkled on top.
This Wedding Cupcake Buttercream is a very popular buttercream recipe- made by thousands who sing this recipe’s praises. I have used this very recipe for all of my cupcakes for so many years now. It’s a keeper recipe!
It does work beautifully for weddings, but it’s not limited to just weddings! This buttercream is a nice one to use for all sorts of occasions. I call it Wedding Cupcake Buttercream because of my original story in using for the first time for the wedding.
There are a few questions that people tend to ask related to this recipe, so I’ll go ahead and address them here.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I like to use salted butter for just about everything, but I definitely use salted butter for this recipe. The salt will tend to cut down on the sweetness a bit. That’s a good thing!
How far in advance should I frost the cupcakes? And should I refrigerate them?
When I make these, I like to frost them the same day if at all possible. If you’d like to frost them the night before, that’s ok too. After adding the frosting, I like to put them in cupcake boxes and refrigerate them until they are ready to serve (overnight is fine). Once you put them out on display, they will defrost nicely and taste just as good as if you’ve made them the same day.
What should I do with leftover Wedding Cupcakes?
Keep leftover cupcakes in a covered container in your refrigerator for a few days. I’ve also frozen them in a covered container and they thaw nicely and taste pretty good that way too!
If you’re looking for more frosting recipes you might also enjoy my Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting or Cookies and Cream Frosting. My Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is another favorite for topping wedding cupcakes. Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a beauty as well.
Wedding Cupcake Buttercream
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use clear extract, if you really want it white)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or regular whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more. Add more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency.
- Scoop into a piping bag and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes, or spread onto cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- *This recipe doubles or triples well.
- *There is no need to sift the powdered sugar, unless you're worried that your sugar is quite lumpy.
- *Do not try to replace the butter with margarine or shortening- it won't work out well.
- *Add in color, if desired. I like to use colored gel paste instead of liquid food coloring- then you're not messing with adding additional liquid to the perfect consistency of the frosting. Gel paste is sold at craft stores and baking supply shops.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi,
love these.
I just got my first order to make cupcakes for a wedding. they want 100 cupcakes.
I don’t have a big fridge to put them all in.
How long would it be before the frosting goes bad.
I am going to try and get them all frosted in one day then deliver them the next day.
thanks for any tips
I iced mine the same day that I delivered them. For the best quality for selling them, I’d say that’s the way to go. That being said though, I did keep a whole bunch at room temperature for a few days, in a covered tupperware, which we munched on and I thought they were still good. If I were you I’d make a batch, or a partial batch and test it out. See if leaving them overnight at room temperature meets your expectations for how they still taste the next day.
Will using butter alter the white colour of the frosting? Or do you recommend using shortening for a true white colour?
Jessica- The color you see is the color I got… kind of an off-white. I did you clear vanilla extract, but the color of butter definitely affects the end result. Using shortening will create an entirely different flavor to the icing (it won’t really be buttercream). I found this link http://www.ehow.com/how_4534868_pure-white-buttercream-frosting.html and it looks like they used shortening and then butter “flavor” to try and achieve the same result. Hope this helps!
could you tell me which decorating tip you used to achieve the gorgeous swirls of icing? And I love the colors you chose. Very classy and elegant. Thanks!
Emily- I used a 1G Tip by Bakery Crafts for the simple swirl, and I used a 2D Wilton tip for this more funky pattern. See this post for my how-to: https://www.recipegirl.com/2009/03/17/how-to-make-wedding-cupcakes/
Hajra- if you use unsalted butter, it will have a little bit different flavor. I’d throw a pinch of salt in there if you do.
Hiya
Your cakes look fantastic!!
does it matter it matter if you use salted or unsalted butter? does it alter the taste in any way?
These look stunning! I’m planning to make some wedding cupcakes for a friend before the end of the month. Would you say this one holds up well enough in the heat? I just don’t want it to melt if it’s a light and fluffy frosting. Thanks!
Caileigh- I’m not entirely sure. I refrigerated all of them until I handed them off to the bride I made them for. It was a very warm day and I know they did not refrigerate them for several hours after they took them from me (and all worked out fine). I think it would be ok as long as you didn’t keep them in a warm place. You may want to do a little testing beforehand. Good luck!
Was wondering is the butter salted or unsalted? Thanks.
Debbie- on all of the recipes on this site… if it just indicates “butter,” then use salted. If unsalted is needed, I’ll typically indicate so. Enjoy!
@RecipeGirl,
You really use salted butter for American Buttercream? The rule of thumb for all baked goods is unsalted unless called for, and for cooking it is the opposite. Otherwise the chemical reactions are different in baking (salt is a chemical catalyst for the gluten) if there is too much or not enough salt, or the flavor is off (in candy and creams).
@Jenna, Yes, I really use salted. It’s what I prefer.
Wow, they look great – will give the recipe a go soon!
I’ve been using this recipe for years. It makes the best buttercream ever! And I rarely refrigerate them…although they don’t last for more than two days. 🙂
silly question…since there is cream in this recipe do you need to refrigerate the cupcakes after they are frosted? Thanks.
I refrigerated them, but I left a few out for a couple of days and ate those too- they were just fine 🙂
@RecipeGirl, horrible recipe. It separated. Was a total mess.
@karenyanda@comcast.n, Hmmmm- wish I knew what happened… did it separate as you mixed it? If so, that means that you likely let it mix too long. So sorry the recipe didn’t work for you…