So, whether your buttercream is a veritable soup or just a touch runny, the answer is to cool it down. If the buttercream is thin enough to run off a spoon, refrigerate the whole bowl for 20 minutes, just until the frosting begins to harden around the edges.

What do I do if my buttercream is too runny?

Simple (American) Buttercream – A runny American buttercream is usually caused by adding too much milk (or other liquid ingredients). You can thicken this by adding additional confectioners' sugar.

How do I make my buttercream thicker?

An American buttercream or other buttercreams based on butter, powdered sugar, and liquid are easy to thicken by adding more powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time and beating in between with a paddle attachment on your mixer set to a medium speed.

How do you fix runny buttercream without powdered sugar?

Last Resort Methods. Of course, there are other thickening agents that you can use to help thicken your runny icing. For example, you can use cornstarch, cocoa powder, cream cheese and gelatin for a thick and delicious icing.

How do I make my frosting firmer?

Allow your frosting to sit in the fridge, covered with saran wrap, for 2 hours—this will help your frosting firm up. If the frosting still has not reached your desired thickness after chilling, add a few tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar to help your buttercream stiffen.

Does buttercream harden in the fridge?

Nope! A cake covered with buttercream frosting can sit at room temperature for three days. As a bonus, the buttercream will act as an insulator for moisture for a really delicious cake. After three days, the cake can be refrigerated but should be covered to hold in moisture.

How do you make frosting firmer?

Allow your frosting to sit in the fridge, covered with saran wrap, for 2 hours—this will help your frosting firm up. If the frosting still has not reached your desired thickness after chilling, add a few tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar to help your buttercream stiffen.

How do you make frosting thicker?

Allow your frosting to sit in the fridge, covered with saran wrap, for 2 hours—this will help your frosting firm up. If the frosting still has not reached your desired thickness after chilling, add a few tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar to help your buttercream stiffen.