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
I just made these cupcakes, we have made your Best Chocolate cake recipe twice, your sheet pan recipe once, this is the best recipe for chocolate lovers. Thank you so much for the excellent recipes and for sure, the best ever. If you could, I would like a chocolate butter cream frosting for the cupcakes, I kind of altered the butter cream one to suit my needs.
Ronald, I’m happy you have made all these recipes and love them. You will use the same Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe for the cupcakes as for the cake. I don’t have a smaller version of the frosting just for cupcakes. You can always refrigerate any leftover frosting for a few days or you can freeze the buttercream frosting. Put the frosting in a freezer safe, airtight food storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use after freezing, remove from freezer and place it in the fridge overnight to thaw. Right before you get ready to frost your cake, allow the frosting to come to room temperature and mix it well again to make it fluffy before using
I have used many recipes in the past but now this is my go to!
Thanks, Cara!
Is the butter used for the frosting unsalted or regular?
Thanks
I use salted butter, Melissa, but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
Hi Robyn,
How do I get rid of air bubbles?
You can use a metal or wooden spoon and stir the frosting by hand. Mash the frosting against the side of the bowl to pop the bubbles, and stir until smooth. Make sure when you are mixing the frosting, that the butter is room temperature and you are using the paddle attachment on your mixer to prevent air bubbles.
Hi Robyn,
Can you melt this recipe for pouring onto s cake? Other than losing its fluffiness, does it lose other characteristics?
Robert, you would heat the buttercream frosting in the microwave at 10 second intervals until it is the consistency for pouring. The only characteristic it would lose is being a fluffy frosting.
How do I make the frosting more white Robyn?
Kurt, I describe 2 tricks in my post that I use to get my frosting as white as possible. Look under the section How do you get your vanilla buttercream frosting so white? Hope this helps.
hi this recipe was amazing and i’ve used it for so many cakes but i have one question, is it ok if i don’t add the heavy cream? because it tastes good without it but is it ok? will anything happen?
I usually add milk instead of heavy cream to my buttercream frosting, Leila, so you can use that instead. I have just found that the frosting is too stiff and dense if you don’t add a little liquid such as milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half. Hope this helps!
Will using regular milk instead of using half-n-half or heavy cream, make a difference in taste or texture?
Lia, I actually use milk most of the time when I make this. Since you only use a few tablespoons, I haven’t really been able to tell much difference when using either of the others. Hope you enjoy.
If my mixer does not have a paddle attachment, will a regular beater work as well. Are there any specials instructions to do.
You can use your regular beater attachment for your mixer, Joni, and won’t need to do anything different than is instructed in the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, so i am making a three layer 8″ round cake and i was wondering how much of each ingredient i should use.
Hi Megan,
When making a 3 layer cake, I usually double the recipe. You may have some frosting left over but you can always refrigerate it or freeze it to use later. If you refrigerate it, it’s good in the fridge for about 3 – 5 days. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container. If you want to freeze it, put in a freezer safe, airtight food storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use after freezing, remove from freezer and place it in the fridge overnight to thaw. Right before you get ready to frost your cake, allow the frosting to come to room temperature and mix it well again to make it fluffy before using. Hope this helps.