Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Let’s Chat About Vanilla Buttercream—My Go-To Sweet Secret
Alright, so, I can’t tell you how many birthdays or, to be honest, random Tuesdays this vanilla buttercream frosting has brightened up around here. My sister once asked if I’d bought it from a fancy bakery (ha, as if). Nope—just my ragtag home kitchen, a handheld mixer that’s seen better days, and a good dollop of mood-boosting sugar. Seriously, if you’ve never licked the beaters (with the mixer unplugged, please!) after making this, are you even living?
Why This Frosting Wins Hearts (At Least in My House)
I make this when the cake looks sad and needs a pick-me-up, or when my kiddo claims store-bought tastes “plasticky” (no offense, grocery cake, but she’s kinda right). My family goes absolutely bonkers for it, usually leaving suspiciously clean bowls. Sometimes I whip it up even if there’s no cake, and just use it as fruit dip (don’t judge). There were a few times it came out a bit grainy, but trust me, soldier on—it still tastes like a sweet cloud.
What You’ll Need (And Some Swaps If You’re Lazy Like Me)
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened to room temp – I’ve used salted in a pinch, just scale back the extra salt later
- 3 to 3.5 cups (360–420g) powdered sugar – My grandma always bought the fancier kind, but store-brand hasn’t let me down
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – Real is best, obviously, but if you only have the imitation stuff, well, no one’s counting
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (sometimes I splash in oat milk if we’ve run out, works fine)
- Pinch of salt – Not required, but I think it pops the sweetness nicely
How I Actually Make It (And How You Can, Too)
- Beat the butter silly. Toss the butter in a big-ish bowl. Whip it (I use a hand mixer; a stand mixer would be posh) until it goes pale and fluffy. Three-ish minutes? Maybe more. FYI, this is where I usually sneak a fingerful.
- Add in the sugar, but don’t dump it all at once—unless you like powdered sugar snow clouds drifting everywhere (my kitchen still hasn’t recovered from last week). Start with half the sugar; mix on low until it’s all combined, then the rest.
- Pour in vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Beat again. If it looks chunky or too stiff, add another splash of milk. Don’t worry if it seems way too thick at first. It loosens up the longer you beat it… actually, sometimes a stubborn batch needs a soaked tea towel draped over it to stop the sugar mist from escaping.
- Whip it good. Keep going until it looks super smooth and billowy. If you want it stiffer (for fancy piping), just add a bit more sugar. Too thick? In goes a dribble more milk. The bowl probably won’t last long before someone (me) has a taste.
Notes from My Trial and Error Adventures
- Once I tried melting the butter to speed things up. Don’t. Unless you want butter soup. It’s not pretty.
- Room temp butter really is important. But if you forget, I sometimes cut it in cubes and sit it on a warm windowsill. That works, more or less.
- Cakes must be—well, at least kinda cool before you frost. Otherwise, it just slides everywhere like a runaway sweater down a hill.
Fun Variations I’ve Tried (And a Cautionary Tale)
- If you want chocolate buttercream, just beat in 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Easy as that.
- I’ve swapped the vanilla for almond or lemon extract. A little goes a long way; I overdid it once and had a cake that tasted like air freshener. Lesson learned!
- Sprinkles or a drop of food coloring? Why not!
What You’ll Need (Equipment—Sort Of)
- Hand mixer or stand mixer – If you only have a whisk and strong arms, you can do it by hand, but you’ll probably need a cuppa tea after.
- Bowl – The bigger, the better (less mess to clean up—that’s the theory, anyway).
- Spatula (or back of a big spoon if that’s what you’ve got)
Keeping Leftovers (If That Ever Happens)
Supposedly, you can refrigerate this in a sealed tub for 4-5 days. Just let it come back to room temp and give it a quick whip before using. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day—someone always finds it!
Serving Ideas I Actually Use
Great on cupcakes, layer cakes (my aunt’s birthday cake is now legendary), or as an emergency fix for store-bought cookies (shhhh!). Personally, I love spreading it thick on graham crackers for a late-night snack—don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way, Unfortunately)
- I once tried rushing with cold butter. It just lumps. Trust me: wait for it to soften, or you’ll spend ages breaking up little yellow bits.
- Don’t skip the final whip. The longer it goes, the fluffier it gets—unless your mixer is about to give up, then maybe take mercy on it.
Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked by Friends (and My Mum)
Q: Can I make this ahead?
Yep, totally. Keep it chilled, bring back to room temp, then re-whip a bit. (Cake is sometimes better the next day anyway. Or am I the only one?)
Q: Is it too sweet?
I mean—it’s frosting, it should be. But you can cut the sugar by about half a cup if you want, and it still works. My dad actually prefers it a little less sweet, so sometimes I do that for him.
Q: Can you freeze this stuff?
Technically yes, but I find it picks up odd fridge flavors if you’re not careful. Once I had it taste faintly of garlic—don’t ask.
By the way, did you know you can use leftover buttercream to stick mini-marshmallows together into sweet little igloos? Not exactly an essential kitchen hack, but one of those random distractions that leads to a creative dessert (or a sticky mess; depends on your outlook).
Anyway, if you make this, let me know how it goes—unless you end up eating all the frosting before your cake’s even ready. In that case, welcome to the club.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
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1In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
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2Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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3Add the heavy cream (or milk), vanilla extract, salt, and almond extract if using. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
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4If desired, add food coloring and mix until evenly incorporated.
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5Use immediately to frost cakes or cupcakes, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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