White Frosting

This simple white frosting recipe is rich and creamy and perfect for topping cakes or cupcakes.

Prep: 10 min.

This recipe goes with Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes With White Frosting

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 Tbsp. milk

Preparation

1. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla and 2 Tbsp. milk, adding additional milk, if necessary, for desired consistency.

How To Apply White Frosting On Cake:

How to Frost a 1 Layer Cake

Just spread frosting over it. Use swirling motions with the back of a spoon to create peaks and troughs, for a dramatic look.

How to Frost a 2 Layer Cake

There are two common ways to put the layers when assembling a layer cake. (Tilt your head to the left to see the illustrations.)

• The bases can both go down, like so: (|(| This is a slightly unstable configuration, and I tend not to use it.
• The layers can be placed base to base: (||)

Whichever way you decide to place it, choose the less shapely piece for the bottom layer. Place it on the serving platter. Using a knife, spread a generous coating of frosting on the upper surface. Ignore the sides for now; you'll get to them later.

Place the second layer on top of the frosted surface. If the layers are slightly asymmetrical, make sure the larger sides are opposite one another, so the top is roughly level. Otherwise the whole thing may just slide apart.

Cover the top of the cake with frosting. Don't worry about effect yet; just make sure the surface is covered.

Using a knife, start to frost the sides. You're trying to create a solid cliff face of frosting, with no visible crack where the layers join. This can be the most trying part, particularly if the frosting is a bit sticky. If the cake is sticking to the frosting rather than the other way around, add just a tiny bit more milk.

Finish the top off with a bit more frosting, if you have it to spare. Use the back of a spoon in swirling patterns to make peaks and troughs in the frosting.

How to Frost Cupcakes

The easiest way is to hold the cupcakes by the paper wrapping and dip them in the frosting, then pull them out with a twist of the wrist. This is the best and fastest way, if you are confident that your frosting is thin enough. If it takes the top off your cupcake, add more milk and try again.

Decorations, candles, and fancy writing are left as an exercise for the student.