A Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting that’s made with just 5-ingredients and crusts to perfection!
Matt is always getting on me because I don’t have enough “mundane” recipes on the blog. I think what he’s trying to tell me is that sometimes I forget that not everyone is a food blogger and spends 5 minutes frosting one cupcake. But the recipes in which he refers to as “mundane” are anything but! They’re classics, and they’re classics for a reason. No matter how crazy we get with our flavors here in the food blogging world, very few of those recipes will be as widely loved and cherished like a classic sugar cookie or your grandma’s banana bread.
So in an effort to bring your more basics and more classics, and as a prep for a recipe for the Maine State Treat coming at you on Saturday, I bring you: VANILLA BUTTERCREAM! That’s right, a basic, no fuss, perfectly crusting, buttercream. It’s whipped to perfection and just the thing for frosting cakes and cupcakes, filling whoopie pies and what ever else your heart desires. You know, like licking the beaters. You won’t find any raw egg whites up in this recipe, just butter, sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. That’s it! 5 simple ingredients for a frosting that’s sure to bring back that feel of mom’s kitchen!
If you’re looking to get a pure white buttercream frosting, I love this trick from Pink Pistachio!
American Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temp
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed until pale and creamy.1 cup unsalted butter
- Slowly add in 3 cups of powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream a little at a time, alternating between each, while mixing on low over the course of about 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add the remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add the remaining cream.4 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Add vanilla and salt then increase the speed to high for about 2 to 3 minutes and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides every minute or so.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Frost or fill your baked goods or just lick the beaters.
Nutrition
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Rebecca Hubbell says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them both!
Linda says
Best Peanut butter and vanilla frosting EVER! I have been baking for a long time and these “take the cake”!
Nora says
I just made this frosting and the consistency was great. Something seemed off with recipe though. I think the amount of vanilla should have been 1 teaspoon, not 1 tablespoon. Am I correct?
Rebecca says
Hi Carol,
I really don’t use a lot of food coloring myself, but i prefer to use the gel food coloring because you don’t need as much and it seems to hold together better. On thing that may be an option for you that I’ve done before when I’ve needed really deep colors is purchasing the frosting through your local supermarket deli/bakery. Not in the baking aisle but from the actual bakery area where they do cakes. It’s usually cheaper than the ingredients it would cost to make at home and the colors are really rich. Might be worth looking into!
Carol E says
Thanks for responding so quickly! Usually I just use a few drops of coloring, but in order to get a true red or black, it takes quite a bit more coloring. I know adding a lot of those colors breaks down the crisco frosting too and it makes it look grainy. Never can get a nice finish with those colors. I’m always looking for a better way! Share your secret, if you have one! Thanks!
Carol
Rebecca says
Hi Carol,
Exactly how much food coloring are you planning on adding? You can definitely add some to this recipe and it shouldn’t be an issue, but if you’re putting in a large amount like a tbsp or two, maybe sub out some of the heavy cream and then add it back in until you reach the desired consistency. If you’re just adding a few drops then you can make the recipe like normal.
Rebecca
Carol E says
Hi Rebecca! How does this frosting hold up when adding color? I do a lot of cakes with colored frosting, birthdays, wedding, etc. I usually use a butter cream recipe that uses crisco, but I would love to get away from that. Will the liquid coloring break down the heavy cream, making it too thin to decorate? Or what about adding some meringue powder to it to make it thicker? I’m doing a wedding next weekend, bride’s and groom’s cakes, and would love to try this. Please let me know ASAP! Thanks so much!
Rebecca says
Buttercream comes together a little differently each time based on how soft your butter is and the amount of fat in your butter, I always start with the lower measurement and work my way up until I reach the desired consistency.