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:
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I only have salted butter. Can I use this instead?
I only recommend unsalted for best results.
I usually use a stick of both and mine turns out fine! I use the Tillamook brand. I love this recipe
Yes you can of course Bc I literally just made it and it worked perfectly with salted butter:))
does it supply enough for a cake coverage?
Made this following directions added no milk the second batch, added a tablespoon of milk the first batch still comes out too watery. How do I fix?
That’s odd because it was REALLY thick when I made it. Maybe you didn’t cream the butter long enough before adding the powdered sugar? That’s really the only thing that I can think of.
Thank you for this recipe. It is simply the BEST frosting EVER.
Will this hold up in south fl hot and humid Temps?
Worked for me!
Made this two days ago and piped onto devils food cupcakes!! AMAZING! Best vanilla buttercream i have ever made. Not too sweet…the cream toned it down and i used a bit more of my homemade vanilla than the recipe called for. Perfect!!
First time making my own frosting….and it was a HIT!!
It had a nice taste it wasn’t that sweet which went well with my cake. I would definitely use this recipe again!
Excellent frosting, I only have almond milk. Worked great
This frosting is excellent. The best I’ve ever made. Tastes wonderful. Just baked my first cake in several years. The frosting turned out better than the cake looks, but it all tastes great. Thank you for this, Ashlyn!
Once a cake is frosted with this, should it be stored in the fridge or countertop if it will be a day or so before serving? It is about 78 degrees inside. I made this and the sugar seemed to be separating from the butter while it was in the bowl waiting for the cake. It got kind of crunchy- is this normal and in the future should I rewhip it before icing?
Store it in the refrigerator to keep the frosting from melting if not serving right away. And yes, if you leave your frosting sitting for too long before using it, it will harden a bit. I recommend waiting to make the frosting until right before you’re ready to use it, so after your cake has baked, cooled completely, and is ready for the frosting.
I had no issue with the sugar separating but I didn’t leave it sitting too long. Since this has whipping cream in it, I would say it should be stored in the refrigerator and whatever is frosted with this should be, as well. I have the extra in the fridge right now and it’s hard – it wouldn’t spread well…so, as the other comment said, make it up when ready for it. (tho it’s kind of like candy in my fridge right now and I keep sneaking a taste! This really is the best buttercream frosting I’ve ever made.
10 stars!!!
🙂
Amazing! I used this to pipe cupcakes and they were delicious 🙂
Hi! Im using this to frost my son’s smash cake! Do you think I can keep the cake in a 69* room for a few hours until he’s ready to eat it, or will the frosting melt?
That temperature should be fine!
Good but too sweet! I will definitely make again with 1/2 the sugar.
Its just not gonna whip right with half the sugar plus its just gonna taste like butter. Look for a different recipe that cuts down on the sugar.
Made with 1/2 the sugar & milk and tastes plenty sweet, whipped perfectly and doesn’t taste like butter.
I agree, way too sweet! I made it with half the sugar and still probably could have even used less. If had good consistency and didn’t taste like butter.
If i’m out of milk, can i use half and half instead?
Yes!
Absolutely amazing! I often make cakes and cupcakes for family occasions and this was such a hit. Will be saving the recipe and using it many times in the future.
How do I go about adding color with natural food dye?
I’ve made it pink for Valentines and green for St.Paddy’s day. Just colour it before adding the last tablespoon of milk in case you need to use a little less for a good consistency. ( I also use almond milk and it is delicious )
It also is enough to ice 24 cupcakes generously.