Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Few staples are as hardworking as a good vanilla buttercream frosting. This versatile vanilla bean buttercream is the perfect forgiving frosting for decorating our Vanilla Buche De Noel, but it’s equally delicious on any layer cake, loaf cake, or sheet cake you slather it on.

Even better, this American vanilla buttercream can be made and refrigerated in an airtight container up to a week, so you can get ahead. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before using, and give it a quick whip with your mixer to make it spreadable, if needed.

Learn how to make vanilla buttercream frosting, and always we be ready to serve up a delicious homemade dessert.

What Is Buttercream?

Buttercream is a fluffy, sweet frosting that's made with butter, sugar, and a bit of milk. Typically, it's also flavored with vanilla extract, but you can use a variety of flavoring ingredients, including zests, extracts, syrups, and more.

This type of buttercream recipe is also known as an American buttercream. It's a go-to frosting for cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.

French buttercream, on the other hand, is made with egg yolks that are whipped with a syrup of sugar and water. Once the frosting is whipped and cooled, butter is added. The final result is a looser, more custard-like frosting that can be used as a filling for pastry, too.

Italian and Swiss buttercreams, on the other hand, start with a meringue, or whipped egg whites and hot sugar. These frostings are lighter and usually more fluffy than an American buttercream. But they are also a little more difficult and time consuming, as is French buttercream.

Ingredients for Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This nearly foolproof buttercream recipe needs just five ingredients, which is one reason it's such a favorite of home bakers.

• Butter: We prefer to use unsalted butter in recipes so that we can control the salt level. Some brands put more salt than others, and if you aren't aware of that, you may end up with a dish that's far too salty for your tastes. So use unsalted butter, add salt to the level you prefer, and you'll have the perfect buttercream.
• Vanilla bean paste: We prefer the richer flavor of vanilla bean paste since it's the star of vanilla buttercream. As a bonus, the paste adds beautiful little flecks to the buttercream. But a good high-quality vanilla extract will work, too.
• Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners' sugar, it lends body and stability to the frosting, making it easy to spread and pipe.
• Whole milk: Milk helps to make the frosting just a bit softer so it can be spread across delicate cakes. You'll use just enough to get the right texture. If you need a looser frosting, add more milk.
• Kosher salt: Salt balances the sweetness of desserts, so don't skip it. But if you use salted butter, taste before adding.

How To Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Grab your stand mixer. This frosting is a breeze to make. Here is a quick outline of the process, but a full recipe is further below:

• Step 1. Beat butter and vanilla in a stand mixer until creamy and fluffy.
• Step 2. Add powdered sugar in portions, about 1/2 cup at a time.
• Step 3. Add milk and salt, and beat until smooth. Use immediately or store.

Tips for the Best Buttercream Frosting

This type of buttercream is far easier than some others, but you still could benefit from a few smart tricks.

• Better butter: Make sure the butter is at room temperature. If it's too cold, it won't cream well. If it's too warm, the frosting will be too loose.
• Sift the sugar: To prevent lumps in the frosting, sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the butter and vanilla mixture.
• Scrape the sides: Keep everything well blended by scraping the sides of the bowl so no ingredients are left behind.
• Don't overwhip: Mixing the frosting too much can cause air bubbles. This will take away the smooth texture, especially if you plan to pipe.

Ways To Use Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This is one of the most versatile frosting recipes you'll ever learn. So versatile in fact, it is perfect with nearly any type of baked good. Here are a few that would really work well with a great buttercream:

• Ambrosia Cupcakes
• Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
  
• Birthday Cake in a Jar
• Confetti Cake
• Easy Chocolate Cake
• Sugar Cookie Bars
• Cookie Cake

How To Store Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

If you're trying to get ahead on some of your baking, great news! This is a perfect make-ahead frosting recipe. Once made, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week. When you're ready to use it, let the buttercream come to room temperature, then use a mixer to quickly whip it up again.

Don't leave buttercream frosting at room temperature too long. The longer it sits, especially if your kitchen is warm, the more likely it is that the frosting will lose its structure and begin to slip. That can destabilize cake layers and might make for a mess.

Can You Add Food Coloring to Buttercream Frosting?

Yes, if you want to tint this frosting, you can. But use a color paste or gel, not liquid. The liquid food coloring will make the frosting too loose. Use small amounts and mix to test the impact of the color. Remember: A little goes a long way with those super concentrated dyes.