Cream butter

Directions for most cakes and many cookies instruct to "cream" butter or "cream" butter and sugar together. Butter should be at room temperature. If the butter is too soft it will not incorporate the proper amount of air and the end product will be denser and less tender. Butter is beaten until it is softened and slightly creamy looking, then sugar is added gradually, beating until the mixture has a light, creamy appearance. Creaming incorporates air into the butter and gives structure to the batter; this enables the addition of other ingredients while maintaining the structure. If the sugar/butter mixture appears slightly curdled the butter was too warm or was beaten too long; if this happens, refrigerate the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes then continue to beat.