Yes. I said it…the BEST Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe. It’s the recipe I use time and time again. The recipe that has topped hundreds upon hundreds of cupcakes and cakes I have made over the years. Real butter, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract (and a stand mixer) are all you need to make this frosting. Super easy, homemade, from scratch frosting recipe!
Tub frosting and grocery store frosted cupcakes all have that weird after taste…possibly the shortening that is used in the frosting? Shortening is definitely cheaper, so I get it. But there’s no substitute for taste and quality! That’s why using real butter and fresh whipping cream are a must to make this creamy, dreamy, fluffy frosting. Next time you are making a cake or cupcakes, you have to try this frosting recipe! Everyone loves it.
My nieces have been known to just eat the frosting off the cupcakes I make them hehehe 😉
I use high quality vanilla extract from Rodelle in my frosting. The vanilla extract is flavoring the frosting, so use the good stuff!
This recipe makes enough to frost four dozen cupcakes. If you don’t need that much frosting, you can half the recipe.
The BEST Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, cold
- 5-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used Rodelle Organic Baker's Extract)
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- food coloring (if desired)
Instructions
Cut COLD butter into pieces. Using the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, whip the butter for 5-minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat the butter until it is pale in color.
Add two cups of the powdered sugar to the mixer, and mix on low until incorporated into the butter.
Add two teaspoons of vanilla extract to the mixer and mix until combined.
Add two more cups powdered sugar to the mixer and mix on low until sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 3-minutes.
Add the last cup and a half of powdered sugar, two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, salt and last teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mixer. Add the food coloring if using. Beat on low until the ingredients are incorporated. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and beat for another 5 minutes.
Frost onto cooled cupcakes.
This vanilla buttercream frosting is great on any flavor cupcake. I used it to frost the strawberry cupcakes and spice cupcakes that I recently made. And of course I added a little pink food dye to make my frosting pink…
And if you ever have leftover frosting, check out THIS post for ideas on using your leftover frosting up!
26 Comments
Ashika | Gardening Foodie
May 15, 2018 at 12:43 PMI am loving this buttercream frosting recipe Kelly. I have never used cream in buttercream before, it really must taste great,this I have got to try.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe…have a great week🙂
Kelly
May 16, 2018 at 6:03 AMThanks Ashika! You have to try cream in your buttercream!! It really makes a difference in the taste 🙂 Have a great week! XOXO
GiGi Eats Celebrities
May 15, 2018 at 2:42 PMOMG STOP! I have been CRAVING THE FROSTING lately CRAVING IT! Can you make a GIGI approved one!!!! I NEEEEEDDD to shove my face in it!
Kelly
May 16, 2018 at 6:05 AMHahahaha now THAT might be quite the challenge….but then again maybe not. Coconut milk, Swerve and vanilla protein powder?? Hmmmm….now you got me thinking!!
heather (delicious not gorgeous)
May 15, 2018 at 6:46 PMyum!!! and yes, butter > shortening, all the time. some people are like, i can’t taste the difference, but i give them a (mild) stink eye, and i’m like yes, you can (;
Kelly
May 16, 2018 at 6:07 AMHahahaha YES!! You can tell the difference! Even my little nieces prefer my frosting over bakery frosted cupcakes. I once saw my niece eat the frosting off one of my cupcakes, then grab a bakery cupcake, take a lick of that frosting and threw it away because it was gross hahaha. 🙂
Maria Doss
May 16, 2018 at 6:20 AMYour niece is totally adorable Kelly, cuteness overload!! I’m so glad you shared this recipe, a good buttercream recipe is always a must have and this looks so perfectly whipped. Love that pretty baby pink!
Kelly
May 16, 2018 at 6:24 AMThank you Maria!! And you know pink is my favorite color 🙂 Have a great day! XOXO
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
May 16, 2018 at 6:45 AMYES to using butter in buttercream! Otherwise let’s just call it shorteningcream. I could eat this frosting with a spoon, Kelly!
Kelly
May 18, 2018 at 7:04 AMHahahaha you are so right Kelsie! Shorteningcream….gross!!! Butter is always better 😉 Have a great weekend! XOXO
Milena Perrine
May 16, 2018 at 7:02 AMYum, yum, yum! I am in total agreement with your actions here. Whatever frosting I don’t use up from the batch will not have ‘leftover’ status for long…I am thinking berries in buttercream frosting and similar other applications:)
Kelly
May 18, 2018 at 7:05 AMThank you Milena! And those sound like fabulous ideas for leftover frosting (which is rare over here as well hehehe) Have a great weekend! XOXO
patrick@looneyforfood.com
May 16, 2018 at 9:57 AMSounds perfect for a special occasion! I don’t like cake so just give me a bowl of this.
Kelly
May 18, 2018 at 7:05 AMHahaha I don’t like cake either, so I am totally with you on that!! XOXO
Amy
May 16, 2018 at 12:31 PMYou said it – the “best”. I love frosting and I really don’t care for the stuff that comes in the tubs from the store. You are right, there is an after taste. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Your cupcakes are so pretty.
Kelly
May 18, 2018 at 7:06 AMThank you Amy!! Have a great weekend my friend 🙂 XOXO
Katherine | Love In My Oven
May 16, 2018 at 1:54 PMAah I just want to eat a jar of this!! I’ll definitely be trying your best buttercream!!
Kelly
May 18, 2018 at 7:07 AMThank you Katherine! I hope you try out this recipe 🙂 XOXO
B Mooney
May 22, 2018 at 5:42 PMI think I saw the cupcake recipe before this one, and I was like…wait- where’s the buttercream recipe?! Thank you- looks perfect!
Kelly
May 24, 2018 at 6:24 AMCan’t have cupcakes without buttercream frosting, right?! XOXO
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