Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe
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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is one of my quick, classic go-to frosting recipes that I turn to time and again.
My family absolutely adores it, it is so very simple to make, and you just can’t beat that classic vanilla buttercream for all sorts of celebratory and everyday type of desserts. It is perfect for my white cake recipe for birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations and works as a delicious, yet stark visual contrast on chocolate cake, too. It is great sandwiched between a couple of butter cookies or spread on top of a cookie cake, as well. You just can’t beat the versatility of good ole vanilla buttercream frosting. It just works.
I am consistently receiving emails asking about my vanilla buttercream frosting, so I thought I’d repost the recipe by itself instead of it being included along with my chocolate cupcake recipe where it is scaled down for just 12 cupcakes.
I also thought I’d answer a few of your questions as well.
How do you get your vanilla buttercream frosting so white?
There are a few tricks to getting my vanilla buttercream frosting as white as I do. First, after each cup of confectioner’s sugar that I add, I turn my stand mixer on the highest speed that it will go. This not only makes the frosting extremely fluffy, it also lightens the coloring of the frosting as air is incorporated.
My second trick is to use clear vanilla extract whenever I want my vanilla buttercream as white as possible. Mind you, vanilla buttercream frosting still has butter in it, so it is virtually impossible to get it pure white. It will still have a bit of a tint of the yellow, albeit it will be faint. Most folks probably will say it is pure white. We’ll just know it isn’t exactly pure white, just as close as a vanilla buttercream can get without substituting shortening for the butter.
How do you get your vanilla buttercream frosting so fluffy?
I skipped ahead when I answered the question above and explained how after each cup of confectioner’s sugar that I add to the buttercream, I turn my stand mixer on the highest setting that it will go. This incorporates air into the buttercream and makes it lighter and fluffier.
I also use the paddle attachment of my stand mixer as I have just found it to make a smoother, fluffier buttercream frosting than when I use the whip attachment. Also, it is easier to get all of that delicious buttercream frosting off of your paddle attachment than it is the whip attachment. And I’m all about easy. Heh.
How do I make my vanilla buttercream firmer for a prettier decoration?
The firmness of your buttercream frosting greatly depends on the amount of sugar to liquid ratio in your frosting. If you want a firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar. If you want a softer frosting, add more milk or cream.
Please know that I in no way am professing to be a professional baker, frosting maker, or anything else for that matter. These are my observations after years and years of making buttercream frosting and finding little nuances that make it easier, prettier, tastier, and more everything -er.
Here’s my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe along with a few instructions and notes.
Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
- 3 – 4 cups (340-454 g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons (9 g) vanilla extract
- pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 2-3 tablespoons (28-42 g) milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
Instructions
- Place softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on a medium setting and cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
- Add confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
- Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until well-incorporated.
- Add milk, heavy cream or half-and-half until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency. For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time. For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy frosting making! Do you have any tips you’d like to share on how you make the perfect vanilla buttercream frosting? Please share them in the comment!
If you are looking for other buttercream frosting flavors, you might like these:
Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Love ya,
Robyn xo
Use this one all the time!! My go to for cookies, cakes, brownies! Everyone loves it! Great balance between powdered sugar and butter and the salt gives it that extra depth.
Thanks so much Deena! xo
This cake looks yummy! I would like to make it for my daughters birthday but the pattern I need has to be baked in a 9×13. Do you think it would work ok?
Hi Laura,
I’m not sure which cake you are asking about since this is commenting on the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. If you are asking about the Best White Cake, it makes a three layer cake using 9 inch round pans. I have not made this cake in a 9 x 13 pan. I hope this helps. Thanks!
I just made this for cupcakes. It is fabulous! This will be the only frosting recipe I use from now on. Thank you for the great recipe.
😊
Thanks, Kim! So happy you enjoy this frosting recipe! xo
Will this frosting dye easily and have good coloring?
Good recipe … have one for peanut butter frosting for h’made chocolate cake ? Thank s’much.
Hi Donna!
I am glad you like it! I do have both a Peanut Butter Frosting and a Peanut Butter Icing. You may want to take a look through my website to see if you find other cakes or frostings you might like too. Thanks! xo
I replaced butter with smart balance, the frosting was very light and fluffy after initially making it so I left it in the fridge for a bit. When i frosted the cake with it and put it back into the fridge to harden a little I noticed the frosting had thinned out and turned very grainy. Not sure if this is because the cake was still warm or because of the smart balance. I also left out the salt and notified the that the smart balance made it a little more salty than I would’ve liked. I also used low-fat milk rather than half and half. Still tasted pretty good though.
Hi Shannon,
I think the results you experienced could be because of not using butter when you made it.
You also need to wait until the cake completely cools to frost it for the best results.
Hope this helps. Thanks so much!
How difficult would it be to make this recipe without a stand mixer? Thanks Robyn
Hi – The ingredients do need a great amount of whipping with the mixer. You could try with a hand mixer and you could mix by hand – just realize you will need to do a lot of mixing by hand to get to a light and fluffy consistency. Enjoy! Thanks!
Just a question…. i’m planning on doing chocolate dripping over the icing.
Will it be firm enough?
Do you use salted or unsalted butter in your buttercream?
I use salted butter. Enjoy it Laney! xo
This frosting came out light, fluffy and delicious. It was easy to spread.
I confess that I have yet to put this icing on the cake, but I have time to comment while the cake is cooling. I’m making this cake for my husband’s 73rd birthday, so you can surmise that I’ve made a lot of cakes. This Best Vamilla Cream Icing will top the Best Chocolate Cake. The icing tastes delicious, and I have learned a few things in the making, such as using the paddle instead of the whisk and incorporating the confectioner sugar slowly then whipping 10 seconds on high each time. Wow! What a difference in texture. It’s like magic. I’m proud of this cake, and I’m sure everyone will love both the cake AND the icing. Thank you.
I’m so happy you are enjoying the frosting and hope you both enjoy the cake too! Thanks so much for letting me know Nyoka! Happy birthday to your husband!