The Queen of Beans: Vanilla Butter Cream

<p>• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
• About 4 cups powdered sugar<br />
• Pinch salt<br />
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract<br />
• 4 to 5 tablespoons milk<br />
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)</p>
<p>1. Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Add about one cup of powdered sugar and salt and beat well. Mix in vanilla and another cup of sugar. The frosting will be thick so add about 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk to make it creamy. Add the remaining sugar along with vanilla powder, if you have it, and another 2 tablespoons of milk, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The frosting should be creamy, but slightly stiff. Add a little more milk if necessary. Beat at high speed until fluffy.</p>
<p>2. Frost the cake immediately or keep frosting covered until ready to use. You can refrigerate this frosting for a couple of weeks but it won’t be as fluffy; allow it to sit at a cool room temperature before using.</p>
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<em>Susan Belsinger is a culinary herbalist and author of several cooking and gardening books. Her most recent contribution to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s All-Region Guide is now available in</em> Designing an Herb Garden <em>(Sterling Publishing, 2004).</em>
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Click here for the original article, <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/vanilla-the-queen-of-beans.aspx”>
<strong>The Queen of Beans: Vanilla Recipes</strong>
</a>.