I made a buttercream frosting for my 1 year olds birthday party. It was supposed to be vanilla but when I tasted it all I could taste was butter! So I added 2 tsp of strawberry extract. In hindsight, I probably could have just added another tsp or 2 of vanilla extract to keep with the vanilla buttercream. My excuse is that it was late and I was tired and I just wasn't thinking clearly. :) Either way it turned out great! I found this recipe on www.food.com. It's a very basic buttercream recipe that is great for someone who is just starting out. Very easy and delicious!
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup butter (Room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (I would recommend more but taste first and add until you have a flavor you like)
Directions:
Cook milk and cornstarch over low heat until pasty. Be sure to cook on low and stir constantly. I think I might have cooked mine a little too long as it congealed a bit. I could taste it a little in the frosting that night but by the morning it had dissolved.
Remove from heat and cool completely. Whip butter, sugar and vanilla. Add milk and cornstarch mixture a little at a time, while whipping at a high speed.
Enjoy!
