My favourite vanilla buttercream frosting is light, fluffy and creamy – everything a frosting should be! Not only is it easy to make, it is incredibly versatile. It is perfect for decorating cupcakes and cakes or as a filling for cookies.

This frosting is hands down the frosting I make the most. I use it to decorate My Favourite Vanilla Cupcakes and the kids’ birthday cakes. When making cupcakes for a birthday party I will often colour the frosting to match the theme of the party. For everyday, I must admit I love the look of a white fluffy buttercream topped with sprinkles or a sugar flower -simplicity at its best!

Why you will LOVE this frosting

It is very simple to make: This frosting is a basic buttercream. It does not require egg whites or a sugar syrup like an Italian buttercream which has a meringue base. All you need to do is beat the ingredients together with a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer – easy!
This buttercream is versatile and easy to use: You can use this buttercream to frost an entire cake and in between layers if making a layer cake. To do this, I find it easiest to use an offset spatula to spread the buttercream. If you don’t have one, a sturdy spatula usually does the trick! Alternatively, you can pipe the frosting on using a piping bag fitted with a piping nozzle of your choice. This is my preferred method when decorating cupcakes or filling sandwich style cookies.
It can be made in a variety of colours and/or flavours: Simply add a couple of drops of food colouring to the frosting or replace the vanilla extract with another flavouring. Some flavours I love to use are peppermint (using peppermint essence) or rosewater. When using food colouring or flavourings, a good rule of thumb is to go SLOW. Add a little bit at a time until you get the colour/flavour you want. It is easy to add more but once you have gone overboard in the colour or flavour department it is very hard to go back!

Can I make the buttercream frosting in advance?

You can prepare the buttercream in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to use the frosting, remove it from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the frosting until it is light and fluffy again. It is then ready to use!

What is also great about this frosting is that it holds its shape when piped and chilled. This means you can decorate cupcakes the night before, refrigerate them overnight and they will still look perfect the next day! I like to bring the cupcakes to room temperature before serving.

What you will need

Equipment

You will need a stand mixer or electric beaters.
For decorating (optional): An offset spatula and/or piping bag and piping nozzle.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter: You will need the butter to be at room temperature before you begin.
Icing (confectioner’s) sugar: In Australia, icing sugar is available as soft icing mixture and pure icing sugar. The only difference being the soft icing mixture contains starch (tapioca or maize) whereas the pure icing is just as its name suggests, pure icing sugar. For this buttercream I prefer to use the soft icing mixture as it has a softer texture which is ideal when you want a fluffy frosting!
Vanilla extract: I always prefer to use vanilla extract or a vanilla paste as opposed to vanilla essence. Vanilla extract is naturally derived whereas the essence is usually synthetic and is less natural tasting as a result. You can substitute vanilla paste in equal quantities. The flavour is on par with the extract with the only exception being you will be able to see the vanilla pod seeds throughout the buttercream.
Salt: It may seem strange to add salt to frosting but trust me, a touch of salt really helps to balance out the sweetness!
Milk: The amount of milk you will need will depend on the consistency of the frosting. You may need a little less or a little more than the specified amount to get the right consistency to spread/pipe. The milk should be at room temperature before you begin.

How to make this Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Cream the butter until pale and fluffy.
Add one third of the icing sugar, half the milk, vanilla extract and salt. Beat until well combined.
Add another third of the icing sugar and the remaining milk. Beat until well combined.
Add the last of the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.