The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
This is The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting! It’s rich and creamy, and is super easy to whip up. It pipes beautifully, and is the perfect way to finish off all of your cakes and cupcakes!
We celebrated our daughter’s fifth birthday last week and even as I type this, I find myself still sitting here in a state of denial!
It seems like just yesterday I was sharing a tutorial on how to make her 1st birthday smash cake. But in reality, it was actually FOUR years ago!!!
When people say “the days are long but the years are short,” that is the absolute truth. I sure wish time would slow down with these babies of mine.
Our princess’s request for her birthday cake was a “pink cake with a ballerina on top.”
I was able to provide the pink frosting just fine, but after realizing my construction efforts are pretty subpar, I turned to Etsy for a ballerina cake topper. Which was GORGEOUS by the way! If you’re interested, this is the one I ordered.
As for the frosting, I made this one (and dyed it pink). This is my go-to frosting recipe, and in my opinion, is The BEST Vanilla Buttercream Frosting ever!
I’ve been making it for AGES so I’m surprised I haven’t shared it before!
I have another recipe for buttercream here on my site that I use a lot as well, but this one right here is my favorite because it doesn’t require shortening, and it’s SO SO delicious!
I add plenty of vanilla to give it really good flavor and it pipes onto cakes and cupcakes so well, and holds its shape beautifully! I think y’all are really going to love it!
If you share this Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or any other recipe from my site on Instagram, tag #belleofthekitchen so I can see what you’ve made! And follow me @thebelleofthekitchen, too!
Recipe: The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks),, softened
- 4.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4-5 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter over medium speed with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Continue to beat over medium speed as you gradually add the powdered sugar. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to fully incorporate all of the sugar.
- Once butter and sugar have come together, add the vanilla. Beat in the heavy cream or milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. This frosting is perfect for piping, or for simply spreading onto cakes and cupcakes!
Notes
If you like this recipe for The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, then you might also like:
Skinny Chocolate Cake
Loved it! Used this recipe for Easter cupcakes. Used a little blue food colouring and they were perfect. The whole family loved them. Thank you!
Just made– super easy and easily frosted a 3 layer 8″ cake. Will use this recipe again and again
Could I use milk or 5% coffee cream instead of heavy cream? If so, which would be better?
You can use either one!
Amazing recipe. Just perfect!
Super tasty! My frosting did come out with lots of air bubbles. How can I avoid this?
Though this isn’t my recipe I think it’s safe to say that the air bubbles are due to over whipping. I would suggest either turning to a lower speed if using a stand or hand mixer. If you’re using a stand mixer you should use a paddle attachment instead of a whisk! Hope this helped
Can I keep it overnight and frost cupcakes the next day? If so should it be kept in fridge or on the counter?
Hi Heather, I would store it in the fridge overnight, then remove and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes before you frost the cupcakes.
Hey! This is pretty hard to avoid, just try not the over mix as it traps air, and when putting in on the cake make sure to smoothen out very well!
Great recipe
This was a fantastic buttercream. I split in 3rds and added espresso powder to one batch, cocoa powder to another and left the 3rd with a tsp of vanilla paste and filled homemade macaroons …they were AMAZING.
Delicious. This is my go to for buttercream frosting. Easy and everyone loves it. Do you know how long it will keep in the fridge?
Hi Stacey! It’s good for about 3-4 days in the fridge.
this is genuinely the best thing i have ever consumed. this recipe is unbeatable. i like to add a little more vanilla, and slowly add the milk/cream. this is brilliant. thank u
Can I use gel food coloring (red) to make the icing pink? How much?
Yes! I usually just add a bit at a time until the color I want is achieved.
Tastes good!
Fantastic! I added another tablespoon or two of heavy cream for even more fluff and a few teaspoons of butter extract. Heaven! Thank you for sharing. We will be making this again and again!
I make a lot of buttercreams and this is by far the tastiest!!!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Omg!! This is the best buttercream I have ever used. Making for baby shower cupcakes. My daughter does not really like sugary things but thinks this is so good. Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is super good. I was afraid to waste all of the ingredients if it didn’t turn out good… but It’s thick and creamy & fresh and delicious with a wonderful vanilla flavor. I was so impressed and so was my husband. He kept asking me if I made it. Haha! “Did you make this?” , “You made this?” It’s soooo good. It is a thousand times better than store bought.
I didn’t try it, but looks amazing, its for my birthday 🎉 🎂
Happy Birthday!