Vanilla butter and chocolate buttercream donut frosting

By Bonnie Stern

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This is the perfect all-purpose frosting for cakes and cupcakes and in this case to jazz up plain store-bought donuts (sufganiyot) as an activity for the kids at Hanukkah or any holiday or birthday party. (Of course you can make your own donuts!)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
2-1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted + more if necessary
2 to 3 tablespoons milk or cream + more if necessary
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Chocolate buttercream:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
Milk or cream, if needed

Directions

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or whisk or with a hand mixer, beat butter one to two minutes or until the colour becomes lighter.
Beat in icing sugar and when it gets too thick, add milk or cream, a little at a time and then add more sugar and continue.
Add vanilla and salt. Adjust texture by adding more sugar or more milk or cream. Beat another minute until very fluffy and smooth.
For Chocolate Buttercream: Add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa to icing sugar when sifting. Chocolate frosting may need a bit more milk or cream.

Notes:

If you don't have a sifter for the icing sugar and cocoa, just use a sieve set over a bowl.
You can add food colouring and/or flavourings.
You can make it ahead and refrigerate or freeze. To use: bring to room temperature and whip again.
You can make a piping tube from a resealable plastic bag by cutting out one of the bottom corners if you don't have one.