Vanilla Buttercream Icing Recipe

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This is the best vanilla buttercream frosting around if I-do-say-so-myself. Sweet, rich, light, and fluffy. It is my go-to frosting recipe. I use it for cakes, cupcakes, and decorating, whenever I need a frosting, this is the recipe that I use.

It is a basic recipe that can be tweaked and flavored in a thousand different ways. You can replace some of the butter with cream cheese to make it a cream cheese frosting. You can add lemon zest and a little lemon juice to make a nice lemon frosting. You can also add about 1/2 cup of cocoa to make this chocolate buttercream. See, infinite possibilities.

When I am making this for a cake, or a lot of cupcakes, I double the recipe. I would rather have extra frosting than have to make another batch in the middle of icing a cake. I have done it more times than I would like to admit.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ingredients //

• 2 sticks room temperature butter
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1:

Cream the butter until it is really light and fluffy. At least 3 minutes.

Step 2:

Gradually add the sugar. I add about 1/2 cup at a time. If you add too much you will be wearing it. So will your counters. And your ceiling.

Step 3:

It will be pretty thick.

Step 4:

Add the vanilla or whatever flavoring you are using.

Step 5:

This is what I think sets this buttercream apart. The cream. Add 2 Tablespoons of cream and beat the frosting for a few minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream until you get the consistency that you like.

If I have a big cake-making day, I will make this a day ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. I hope that you like this buttercream as much as I do.

Tips & Tricks //

• You can keep the buttercream icing in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container. If it is a bit too hard after staying in the fridge you can leave it outside for a bit to let it soften.
• I always like starting with butter at room temperature.
• Once again, the cream is what will help you get to the right consistency so don’t forget it and make sure to add a bit more that two spoons if the frosting is too tick.
• The variations are truly infinite, You can make a chocolate, caramel, coffee or even rose. Just change the vanilla with the flavor you pick on step 4.