Tips for how to make the best buttercream frosting recipe for cake decorating. Smooth, creamy, and bursting with vanilla flavor, it's the perfect recipe for cupcakes!
While I consider this recipe to be the best buttercream frosting ever, I haven't always had a love relationship with buttercream icing.
In fact, the way I used to make it, using half shortening instead of all butter, was never my favorite way to make it. I never liked the dulled down flavor of buttercream made with shortening.
And that, my friends, is how this lovely frosting recipe came to be. I needed a buttercream icing for piping onto chocolate cupcakes, and I wanted to make it a more flavorful icing.
It turned out to be the best buttercream frosting I've ever tasted, reminding me of scrumptious wedding cake. And it's easy to make, with only 5 ingredients (including absolutely no shortening).
This frosting recipe makes it easy to pipe grass frosting onto Minecraft cupcakes or decorate whatever type of cake/cupcakes you're making.
If you love regular buttercream, you will definitely love butterbeer buttercream frosting.
CAN I SUCCESSFULLY MAKE BUTTERCREAM ICING WITHOUT SHORTENING?
Yes, you can. While shortening does add stability to the recipe, heavy whipping cream can do the same thing.
Using all butter will create a very flavorful frosting, so if you'd rather not have all of that buttery flavor, you can cut the butter in half and substitute shortening instead.
WHY DO I NEED TO USE SALTED BUTTER?
I do recommend using salted butter for this recipe, because the salt in the butter adds a richness and a better flavor to your buttercream. It gives it a zing that unsalted butter just can't do.
And it's so much easier to use salted butter over trying to add salt to a frosting, especially when trying to get a good consistency and texture.
CAN I FREEZE THIS BUTTERCREAM FROSTING?
You sure can! If you think about it, bakeries put their cakes in a cooler to store them for customers.
Freezing won't hurt the texture, consistency, or flavor of your frosting. I always have a little bit of icing leftover, and I usually do freeze it for the next time I need it.
TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Making homemade buttercream frosting is really easy, and it doesn't require a lot of ingredients either.
- Make sure you soften the butter first. Try to get it out ahead of time and let it soften naturally; don't be like me and use the microwave to soften it, therefore melting it.
- Mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream.
- Then add in the powdered sugar, and let the mixer work its magic for 2 to 3 minutes.
You'll end up with a very smooth, creamy, vanilla buttercream frosting that's perfect for cake decorating, piping onto cupcakes, and more. Plus, it tastes really good.
PAIR HOMEMADE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING WITH THESE DESSERTS:
- Lime Vanilla Poke Cake Cupcakes
- Grass Block Minecraft Cake
- Pig Minecraft Cake Recipe
- Patriotic cupcakes
CAN I CHANGE UP THIS BUTTERCREAM ICING RECIPE?
While I do have a chocolate buttercream frosting, here are a few more ways you can change up this vanilla frosting recipe…
- Add a flavored extract for additional flavor… Think maple, caramel, peppermint, etc.
- If you want a lemon frosting, try adding in a little lemon juice and/or lemon zest.
- If you don't like the buttery flavor of the icing, you can substitute the same amount of shortening for half the butter.
- You can use milk instead of heavy whipping cream, but keep in mind, you may end up with a softer icing, especially at room temperature.
- Add a little food coloring to create any color you want or need for your project.
IF YOU LOVE THIS BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE, TRY SOME OF OUR OTHER FROSTING FAVORITES:
- Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
- Deliciously Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
- Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
KITCHEN TOOLS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer – You can definitely mix homemade frosting by hand, but a mixer enables you to get a really smooth texture.
Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups
8 ounce Bowls – These would be perfect for separating your icing to make different colors.
Cake Decorating Kit with Tips and Pastry Bags
THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE
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The Best Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- First, allow the butter time to soften.*
- Then mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream.**
- Add in the powdered sugar, and mix everything together for 2 to 3 minutes, mixing well.
- If you want different colors for your icing, separate the icing into smaller bowls, and follow food coloring instructions for creating colored frosting.
- You'll end up with a very smooth, creamy, vanilla buttercream frosting that's perfect for cake decorating, piping onto cupcakes, and more. Plus, it tastes really good.
If I want to make my cupcakes ahead of time, is it okay to decorate my cupcakes and put them in the fridge the day before or would the frosting melt/change shape?
Thank you
Rawan, so long as they are placed in an airtight container, they will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Just don’t the frosting touch anything in the refrigerator, including the walls or lid of the container; that will cause the frosting to stick and peel off when you remove the cupcakes.
How much frosting in cups does this recipe yield? I want to ice a 9×13 cake and I’m not sure if I’ll have enough.
Brigitte, probably 3-4 cups. It should be plenty to ice a 9×13 cake.
How would I store left over buttercream? How long is it good for?
Sheila, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to about a week. You can freeze it, though, and it will last a little bit longer, probably a month or two.
Wonderful frosting
Thank you, Paula!
Hi, i love your recipes and i want to try this buttercream frosting for my daughter bday party but as i dont work with measuring cup i put everything on the scale, but i have a little doubts regarding how much of powdered sugar in grams is there thank you
Hi Gabriela, it looks like 4 cups would equal about a pound or maybe a little more. I hope this helps! Thank you so much for your kind words.
I enjoy your recipe for Buttercream icing. I have one question… I tried to give it a orangy taste so instead of the vanilla extract, I used orange extract and zest but the orange taste is barely there. How can I make the flavor more intense…
Rose, hmmm… maybe more orange extract? Or you could try adding orange juice instead of heavy whipping cream. Thank you!
There is nothing like a good buttercream! YUM…Thanks for sharing at last week’s Reader Tip Tuesday. We hope to see you at this week’s party. xo
http://www.jodiefitz.com/2018/09/18/reader-tip-tuesday-weeks-craft-recipe-party-14-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/
Thank you, Jodie! Have a wonderful weekend!