Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure.

This luscious vanilla buttercream frosting is thick, fluffy and delicious with the perfect amount of sweet. It’s the ideal frosting for cakes and cupcakes. It holds its shape when piped. Make this irresistible buttercream in 10 minutes.

📌PIN VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

This rich, luxurious, frosting is a cake lover’s dream. It was shared with me by a bakery expert who uses it for professional custom cakes and cupcakes. It’s simple to make and tastes amazing. I feel very lucky to have it. It’s a staple that belongs in everyone’s recipe box. Add it to yours!

🥣 THE BEST VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Although most vanilla buttercream recipes share the same ingredients, the measurements vary. So before sharing what I firmly believe is the BEST vanilla buttercream frosting, I first compared it side by side to the recipe from a famous bakery.

For the taste test I whipped up 2 batches of vanilla buttercream. One using my recipe from a California bakery, and one shared by the New York Times from well-known Magnolia Bakery. I frosted 1 dozen cupcakes, half and half.

Eager recipe testers lined up for a blind testing. Our bakery frosting was given high marks for its delicious taste and velvety texture. The cupcakes were immediately gobbled down. The frosting from Magnolia Bakery was thick, heavy, and super, super sweet. No one wanted to eat the frosting. Flavor testers wanted to scrape it straight off the cupcakes.

The reason for the inedible frosting? Although both taste-tested recipes use the same amount of butter (1 cup), the Magnolia recipe adds a whopping 8 cups of sugar to their frosting. We use 4 1/2 cups. But everyone has different taste buds. For ours, more moderate sweetness does the trick.

👉🏻 HELPFUL TIP FOR FROSTING CUPCAKES: Arrange cupcakes on a large metal tray. The edges of the cupcakes can be touching. Place the tray on a low table or surface (lower than your hips). This is the ideal height for piping beautiful tall swirls of frosting onto cupcakes.

🛒 INGREDIENTS

• Butter: This is the base ingredient for vanilla buttercream frosting. It’s important to use high-quality butter like Tillamook or the Kirkland brand from Costco. I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted instead. Just add a tiny pinch of salt to the buttercream mixture. Taste and add more if needed.
• Powdered Sugar: This is the same as confectioners’ sugar. It’s what gives buttercream frosting a delicious sweet taste and adds strength and stability to the frosting. If your sugar is a bit lumpy, sift it once or twice to remove the lumps before using.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: This ingredient gives vanilla buttercream frosting a smooth and creamy look and taste. But it must be used at room temperature to avoid grainy-looking frosting. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use half-and-half or whole milk instead.
• Vanilla Extract: To keep the vanilla buttercream looking extra lush and light, use clear vanilla extract instead of the brown (amber) colored vanilla. My preference is Mexican vanilla extract because it has a delicious buttery flavor and a beautiful bakery aroma.
• Sea Salt: This delicious seasoning adds flavor and tamps down sweetness. Use a pure white salt rather than pink salt or one with visible flecks of natural minerals.

📖 RECIPE STEPS

EQUIPMENT: This is an easy buttercream recipe. If no stand mixer, no problem. Just use a large mixing bowl and a hand-held electric mixer. As needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

• STEP 1: Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until butter is light and fluffy.
• STEP 2: Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla to the bowl. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high. Beat until the ingredients are fully incorporated – about 2 minutes.
• STEP 3: The frosting should be thick enough for piping into swirls on cupcakes. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If the mixture is too thick, thin it out by adding a bit more heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Do a taste test. If the frosting is too sweet, add a pinch of salt.
• STEP 4: The vanilla buttercream frosting is now ready to use! If decorating a cake, use an off-set spatula for easy spreading. To decorate cupcakes, transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a metal tip.

👩🏻‍🍳 RECIPE FAQ

These are the most commonly-asked questions when making the BEST vanilla buttercream frosting, and helpful answers for recipe success.

🧁 FROSTED CUPCAKE RECIPES

Have leftover buttercream frosting? Don’t let it go to waste. Bake a batch of cupcakes. Swirl the icing on top. Below are several yummy recipes you’ll want to add to your recipe collection. Pin your favorites to Pinterest.

• Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
• Butter Pecan Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Ginger Spice Cupcakes
• Tiramisu Cupcakes
• Candy Corn Cupcakes
• Sugared Cranberry Cupcakes
• Christmas Tree Cupcakes

RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flavor testers rated this the BEST vanilla buttercream frosting for cakes and cupcakes. It’s rich, creamy and fluffy with the perfect thickness. Taste testers noted that the mixture had the ideal amount of sweetness. Just perfect!

If you agree this is the ideal buttercream frosting for piping, give this recipe a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with a friend.

Print

Vanilla Buttercream FRosting > JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Have you made and enjoyed this easy buttercream recipe? Did you use it for icing a cake, or for decorating cupcakes? What metal tip did you use? Share your thoughts in the comments below.