Sweetened Condensed Milk Is The Secret For Flavorful Frosting

The secret to a good homemade cake that can rival one from your favorite bakery is the quality of your frosting. Buttercream is one of the most popular types, thanks to its creamy texture and luscious flavor. But you don't have to be a pro to make a solid, flavorful buttercream frosting that's smooth and easy to work with — all you need is a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Like all types of frosting, the one made with sweetened condensed milk has a special name: It's called Russian buttercream. You'll only need two ingredients to make it: sweetened condensed milk and butter. Wait, no sugar? That's right — unlike a classic vanilla buttercream in the American style, Russian buttercream doesn't need the any powdered sugar, because all the sweetness comes from the condensed milk. Pretty neat!

The key to properly making Russian buttercream actually comes down to the butter. It needs to be at room temperature, and you need to aerate it well. The butter should be whipped for at least 5 minutes, until it reaches a texture similar to whipped cream and the color turns from yellow to off-white. Once the butter is pale and fluffy, mix in the condensed milk and use the frosting straight away, or it might lose its smooth texture.

Aside from how easy it is to make, this frosting is particularly great for home bakers who like to add a variety of different colors and flavors to their sweet creations. Russian buttercream works well with various food colorings and liquid flavor extracts (such as vanilla or almond). Other add-ins are fair game as well — cocoa powder or melted chocolate can create delicious frosting that's perfect for a decadent chocolate cake recipe. 

If you love a more fruity buttercream that tastes super fresh (and doesn't need food coloring), adding raspberries or strawberries is a great idea, especially when decorating tasty Neapolitan cupcakes. Any coffee lovers out there? Add espresso powder and frost some tiramisu-inspired sugar cookies.

Russian buttercream is very spreadable and easy to pipe with, so you can use it as decorative frosting for cakes, cookies, and cupcakes, or capitalize on the hints of caramel flavoring from the condensed milk by using it as filling between the cake layers, or even for the delicate macarons. Just make sure to put your desserts in the fridge if you're not serving them right away, as buttercream can turn soupy or separate if it sits at room temperature or warmer. While you're waiting, use the leftover condensed milk to make this luxurious hot chocolate.