Julie Clark
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Simple Vanilla Buttercream
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This Simple Vanilla Buttercream is our family’s classic buttercream recipe. This melt-in-your-mouth frosting with salted butter is the perfect cupcake topper!
Every home baker needs an easy vanilla buttercream recipe for desserts like cookie sandwiches, quick cupcakes, cinnamon bread or fudgy brownies. Our recipe has just 4 ingredients and a simple buttery vanilla flavor you’ll love.
The only vanilla buttercream recipe you’ll need.
I’m used to be a little picky about the sweetness of my desserts. Especially frostings. In fact, I used to split a cupcake with my sister. She’d get the frosting, I’d get the cupcake. You could often find me with a white cake with only whipped cream on top!
In my older years, I discovered peanut butter frosting, chocolate buttercream, and now, the a simple vanilla buttercream. The perfect frosting had to be smooth and buttery, and not overly sweet. I achieve that by using salted butter (or adding a dash of salt to unsalted butter).
One of the tricks to making this frosting is to whip the butter all by itself. You’ll whip the butter in a stand mixer bowl on medium speed until it gets almost white in color, which ensures the vanilla buttercream frosting has a smooth and silky consistency. From there, this recipe is just your standard icing recipe: butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
This American buttercream is perfect for chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, layered cakes, and birthday cakes plus its a great option for our green tomato cake!
Enjoy! Julie
How to Make a Buttercream Swirl
You’ll need a large piping tip, such as Wilton 1M or 2D, and a plastic piping bag.
Put the tip inside the decorating bag. After you’ve filled the bag about half full of frosting, hold the bag straight up from the center top of the cupcake at a 90 degree angle, about ½ an inch away from the cupcake. Squeeze out icing to make a star. Without releasing your pressure on the bag, swirl the frosting to the outside edge of the cupcake, then pile up as much icing as you want by swirling around and around, making each swirl just inside the edge of the previous swirl. Release the pressure and pull up and away to end your vanilla buttercream swirl at the center of the cupcake.
Simple Vanilla Buttercream
The best vanilla buttercream, made simply. Perfect for piping on cakes and cupcakes.
Servings 10
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, using the paddle attachment and on medium speed, whip the butter for 2 minutes until it is almost white in color. Make sure the butter is at room temperature, but not melted. 1 cup salted butter
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Beat on low speed for 3-5 minutes, adding in the last tablespoon of milk if the buttercream needs to be thinner. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during the mixing to ensure no clumps. 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- Spread the frosting on a cake or pipe on cupcakes.
Notes
*I usually use heavy cream. If the milk has a higher fat content (such as heavy cream as compared to 2% milk), you may need to add more because it is thicker.
*Recipes makes about two cups.
For pure white frosting, use shortening. If you choose shortening, you’ll need about ½ teaspoon of salt to cut the sweetness.
Nutrition
Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 11mg | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Calcium: 11mg
Hi! Can I used a vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract? Have you ever tried this?
How long after making this should I serve it?
Is it okay to let a caje stand in the fridge or will the texture change drastically?
Question Regarding Icing Texture