Discovering 2014: Apple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Discovering 2014 is a personal goal to complete a daily project throughout the year!

Yesterday I ended up working over eight hours, so I completely failed at doing any projects. I do still plan on squeezing the Spike Bow into another day this week because it looks really fun to make! Just.. not today... too busy!

Today is my eldest son's birthday, and realizing that I was the only one available to make a cake today, I decided to do a switch-up and change today's project to homemade frosting. I looked up several recipes before settling on a buttercream frosting recipe by Savory Sweet Life, which I modified slightly. My eldest had asked for apple flavoring, so I worked that into the recipe as well.

Apple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp apple flavoring oil
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• food coloring (optional)

Beat the softened unsalted butter with your mixer on medium for about 1-2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and slowly begin adding in your sifted confectioners sugar. Once it is mixed into the butter turn your mixer back up to medium-high and beat it for another 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the vanilla extract, apple oil and salt. Mix about 30 seconds, scrape the bowl and mix for about 30 more seconds.

If you are adding in food coloring this would be a good time. I added four drops of cyan from the Wilton neon gel coloring pack with the mixer set to low. Turn your mixer up to medium-high and mix, scrape, mix, repeat until well-blended.

Turn the mixer down to low while you add the heavy cream. Turn it slowly back up to medium high. Beat for 2-3 minutes. The texture should be thick and creamy.. my husband likened it to the texture of soft-serve ice cream.

My youngest son wanted to help spread the frosting onto the cake!

Here's the completed cake. I wasn't ambitious enough to try making the cake from scratch as well.. that's something for the future!

The apple and vanilla flavorings are not overpowering and play well together. Ten thumbs up from the whole family!

Tomorrow's project is Marshmallow Fluff!