Do you love baking as much as I do? If the answer is YES then you need batches of this Dye Free Buttercream.
One of my all time favorite activities as a kid was making cookies and cakes with my mom. She would make sugar cookies, cakes, and cupcakes, and then I would sit for hours using a butter knife to spread frosting all over them and then decorate every square inch.
After all, isn’t the best part of a baked treat the frosting on top? You’ve seen those kids, you probably have one of your own, who will lick just the frosting off the top of a cupcake and then hand you the remainder! It’s because buttercream is the end all be all of frostings.
It may be easy to purchase frosting or buttercream from the store, but homemade is a hundred times better in every way. It is also super easy to make. You just throw a few ingredients in your stand mixer, or a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer, and whip up a batch of simple frosting that will perfectly decorate any baked good.
I happen to love a simple white buttercream, but my kids gravitate towards ones with bright colors. If you’ve been following along for any amount of time, then you know that artificial dyes are a big “No” in my book. Why use them when you can reach for the vibrant colors that nature offers us?!
There are so many amazing powders and spices you can use to make an array of colored frostings that will make everyone’s hearts go pitter patter. Sometimes you can even create vibrant colors that you rarely see. The bonus: the dried, powdered ingredients are easy to mix and have nutritional benefits to boot.
If I missed one of your favorite frosting colors let me know in the comments below. I bet I can find a color from nature that will make you excited to get in the kitchen and bake from scratch!
Dye Free Buttercream
Ingredients
- 4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon plus more powder for preferred color
Powders for Dye Free Color:
- Green – matcha powder
- Blue – blue magic powder
- Pink – dragon fruit (aka pitaya) powder
- Purple – açaà powder
- Yellow –turmeric powder
- Brown – maqui berry powder
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip until thoroughly combined.
- Add the heavy cream or milk, and continue whipping until thick, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add the powder for your desired color 1 teaspoon at a time until desired color is reached. Add more heavy cream or milk as necessary to reach desired consistency.
Does the frosting take on the flavor of the powder? Such as a turmeric flavor, etc