Butter Cream Frosting

1 Cup Butter (salted, or unsalted)-softened
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (a good quality)
2-3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream, Half and Half or Milk

*Optional-If you want a cream cheese frosting it cuts down on the sweetness just a bit.  For a very light cream cheese flavor add 4 oz cream cheese leaving the other ingredients listed above the same.  For a more traditional cream cheese flavor, reduce the butter to 1/2 cup, and add 8 oz cream cheese and reduce the cream or milk to 1 tablespoon.

If you want chocolate buttercream, add 1/2 cup (good quality) unsweetened cocoa powder.

Directions

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter (on medium speed) until completely smooth (30 seconds to a minute)  (If you are adding cream cheese, add it now, then beast until smooth)
• One cup and a time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar beating after each cup.
• Add vanilla, or other flavors and beat to combine.
• Add 1 tablespoon of cream, continue beating.
• Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar, one at a time.
• Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached. If you want to pipe the frosting on cupcakes, the frosting should be nice and thick.  Continue to beat another minute or so.  The frosting should now be smooth and fluffy.

If your frosting is not smooth, it is likely because the butter was not fully smooth before adding the other ingredients.