The Best Vanilla Buttercream
The best vanilla buttercream isn’t too sweet, is creamy and pipes beautifully. It’s made with melted, salted butter, which gives it a very unique flavor. It always gets rave reviews!
This is the best vanilla buttercream I have ever tasted and I have been making it for years. When I first started cake decorating I found this recipe on an old cake decorating forum and I have never looked back.
What makes this buttercream a little different than most is that it is made with melted, salted butter. You add the melted butter and vanilla to the shortening to make a creamy consistency and then the powdered sugar is added.
Whenever I make a cake or cupcakes for a party or a potluck, everyone raves about my buttercream. The flavor is amazing.
Ingredients
- vegetable shortening
- butter, melted
- clear vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Add vegetable shortening to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer.
Beat on low until smooth and creamy.
Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup in 20-second increments until melted.
Add melted butter and vanilla extract to the bowl with the shortening.
Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Beat on medium until combined.
Add powdered sugar to the bowl all at once.
Start out beating on low until the sugar is mostly combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Beat on medium until completely combined. (Do not overbeat. This will cause air pockets.)
Once the frosting reaches a creamy consistency, you are ready to frost your cake or cupcakes.
Variations
This recipe makes 6 cups of frosting. If you don’t need 6 cups of frosting, you can easily make half of the recipe.
Different Flavors
- Almond buttercream – Add 2 1/2 teaspoons of clear vanilla extract + 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract instead of 1 tablespoon of clear vanilla extract.
- Lemon buttercream – Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice + 2 teaspoons of lemon zest instead of 1 tablespoon of clear vanilla extract.
Different Colors
- I recommend gel food coloring to color your buttercream because it doesn’t change the consistency. You can slowly add a little gel coloring with a toothpick until you get the color you like.
Equipment
- Electric stand or hand mixer
- Microwave-safe bowl or 2-cup measuring cup
- Rubber/silicone spatula
- Measuring spoons and cups
The Best Vanilla Buttercream
- Electric stand or hand mixer
- Rubber/silicone spatula
- Measuring spoons and cups
- 2 cups (368g) vegetable shortening I use Crisco
- 1 cup (226g) butter, melted 2 sticks
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 2 lbs (908g) powdered sugar
- Add vegetable shortening to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer.
- Beat on low until smooth and creamy.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup in 20-second increments until melted.
- Add melted butter and vanilla extract to the bowl with the shortening.
- Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Beat on medium until combined.
- Add powdered sugar to the bowl all at once.
- Start out beating on low until the sugar is mostly combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Beat on medium until completely combined. (Do not overbeat. This will cause air pockets.)
- Once the frosting reaches a creamy consistency, you are ready to frost your cake or cupcakes.
Storage
Buttercream can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. It can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. It can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer bag or container.
Top tip
One batch of frosting (6 cups) is enough to cover one 8-inch layer cake with buttercream swirls on top or 36-48 cupcakes (depending on how tall you pipe your buttercream swirls).
I’m so happy to share my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe with you. I hope you love it as much as my family and I do. If you have made this recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below!
Sweet regards,
Michele
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