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
Tips for how to make the best buttercream frosting for cake decorating. Smooth, creamy, and bursting with vanilla flavor, it’s the perfect recipe for cupcakes!
- 1 cup salted butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 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 you don’t like the buttery flavor of the icing, you can substitute shortening for half the butter.
**You can also use milk instead of heavy whipping cream, but remember, you may end up with a softer icing, especially at room temperature.
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