Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
This homemade vanilla buttercream frosting recipe has been used in our family for generations. It is also known as “American buttercream frosting”. I love this recipe because it is easy, tastes great, and can be used in so many different ways. It can be used for spreading, as a filler between cake layers, and it is perfect for piping. It’s a great all-around frosting that can be used for just about anything. In this post, we will share with you our favorite tips and tricks for mastering this recipe and using it for cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and more.
The Best Frosting for Piping
Buttercream frosting is our favorite to use for piping designs onto our favorite confections because it holds its shape so well. This frosting works great with almost all piping tips, from tiny plain tips for writing and outlines to giant star tips for frosting entire cupcakes. This frosting holds its shape without drying out or cracking but also doesn’t melt or sweat at room temperature.
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
This buttercream recipe only uses a few easy ingredients that can easily be found at most grocery stores. I usually have all the ingredients on hand so I can whip up a batch in a pinch. Here’s what you need:
Shortening (or unsalted butter… or both) – I will explain the difference between the two belowPowdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar)Clear vanilla extract – this is important for keeping colors bright and accurateMilk or heavy cream
Butter vs. Shortening
One of the great debates with buttercream frosting is what base (or fat) to use: butter or shortening? Bakers will often use shortening rather than butter because of the consistency but home cooks often prefer using butter because of the flavor. To be honest, I find myself using ALL shortening most of the time. If you can’t decide which one to use, you can always use half of each. It also really depends on what you are using the frosting for. Here is a simple break down of the pros and cons of each:
Shortening:
Better for pipingHolds shape betterBest for accurate colors with food coloringThe only option for true, bright white
Butter:
Richer flavor, better tasteGreat option for spreading
Flavor Variations:
It’s easy to switch up the flavor of your frosting by simply adding different extracts or mix-ins. Here are some common flavor add-ins:
Almond extractButter extract (a good one to use if you are using shortening but want the butter flavor)Lemon extract (or zest)Orange extract (or zest)Melted and cooled chocolateCocoa powder or melted and cooled chocolate (for our chocolate buttercream frosting recipe, click HERE)
How To Store Buttercream Frosting
If you are not using it right away (within a day or two), buttercream frosting should be refrigerated until ready to use. You can store your frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for 3-4 months. When you are ready to use your frosting, bring it to room temperature and then whip or mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer to bring back the original texture.
Recipe Tips
Use a stand mixer with the whisk or paddle attachment (a hand mixer can also be used if necessary) to mix your frosting. Use clear vanilla. Brown vanilla will make it difficult when using food coloring because it tints the frosting. Clear vanilla will allow for truer, bright colors. Sift the powdered sugar. If you want smooth, creamy frosting without clumps, then sift the sugar before adding to the bowl. It’s worth it to take a few extra seconds to do this. Gel food coloring is the best for coloring frosting. Be sure to use the good kind from a craft store or a crafting department. Watery food colors are not the best because they mess with your consistency and they are tough for color matching. Go for consistency. This recipe can vary depending on your climate, humidity, air temperature… etc. so it is best to go for consistency of the frosting instead of recipe exactness. Add more powdered sugar a little at a time to thicken or a LITTLE milk (just about a teaspoon at a time) to thin. Scrape the bowl. Because sugar can get easily stuck on the sides of the bowl, it’s a good idea to scrape the sides of your bowl as you mix. This will help avoid getting clumps of dry sugar and inconsistencies throughout your frosting.
FAQs
Ways To Use Buttercream Frosting
Most of the time, we will use this frosting on cakes or cupcakes but it can be used for so many other things too! We have used it on cookies, brownies, cake pops, and even truffles. We love using the leftovers on graham crackers or saltines. Sometimes I will even put some in a little container and pack it in lunch boxes with some pretzel sticks for dipping. Here are some more recipes that can use this easy frosting: Share It on Instagram!
