Oh, this is a fun one to answer! The best way to soften up cold butter for creaming is to thwack it. Repeatedly. With a rolling pin. I love to use my Silpat for this (folding it in half over the butter), but you can sandwich it between parchment or even just use your bare pin if you don't mind scraping it off regularly. Hit your butter until it's squashed, fold it back over itself, and then hit it again. After a minute or two, you'll find that your butter is nice and soft, even though it's still fairly cold. Happy baking! 

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