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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Ok, i know its probably the worst idea, BUT, I DON’T HAVE BUTTER, & THE STORE IS CLOSED. ( small town) CAN I USE MARGARINE, or will it not be worth wasting the other ingredients and my time?
No, only use butter.
I only use margarine at work and the frosting turns out great. I only use margarine at home and it turns out great as well.
I only have margarine also. I think it’ll work!
So easy to make and how scrumptious! Just don’t ask how much made it to the actual cake 😀
🤣❤
THe best recipe eva
Reallyyummy! Thank you
The only milk I have on hand is fat free, and guess what?!? The frosting is still delicious!!!
Mine is 2%
Thanks for saying that!!
I frosted cupcakes and put them in the frig and the frosting got very hard. I took them out and hope they soften up!
Oh thank you all I have is 2%, and I was nervous! Now I’m not as worried about wasting powdered sugar.
Just made this and replaced the milk with French vanilla coffee creamer.
I will definitely make again
Best frosting I’ve ever made!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Amazing buttercream frosting!!! I frosted a home made carrot cake in cream cheese frosting, then I made the butter cream frosting to pipe the sides and top. It was absolute hit, everyone loved it!
Thanks for the recipe.
Hi, I got a quick question. I plan to make this for my son’s birthday to kindergarten, how long can I keep this frosting before it melts down (if it does)? Let’s say, if I make it a night before and bring cupcakes with frosting the next morning, will it be fine?
Thank you so much!
Yes the will work fine, just keep them in the fridge over night.
This is a very easy wonderful recipe. I have tried many frosting recipes over the years. This one hands down my favorite..
Would this be good on a carrot cake?
I’d like to use half this recipe on Thursday and the other half on Sunday. Can I keep it in the fridge from Thursday to Sunday and then warm to room temp on Sunday for piping?
Sure!
great recipe
Does it taste like stater brothers buttercream frosting or like Costco?
It tastes like homemade icing.
Does it need to be refrigerated?
ABSOLUTELY THE BEST I HAVE EVER TRIE AN MADE ! My GRANDSON AT 7 WHO BAKES WITH ME ALL THE TIME AGREES TOTALLY ‼️WE WERE WONDERING HOW MUCH COCOA TO PUT IN TO MAKE IT CHOCOLATE ?