Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Article By: Krissy Downey  

Chef Gale Gand’s simple buttercream frosting recipe, a basic American buttercream, is the perfect base for any recipe that requires frosting. In just under fifteen minutes, and with very minimal effort, you’ll have smooth buttercream frosting for spreading on cakes, cupcakes, cookies or whatever your heart desires.

What Is American Buttercream?

Typically, when one thinks of birthday cake, creamy, sugary American buttercream comes to mind. American buttercream is the easiest type of buttercream to make. You whip together confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla extract and milk or cream. It requires no cooking, unlike Swiss meringue buttercream, which has egg whites that need to be cooked for consumption.

How To Make Vanilla Buttercream Like a Pro

Use high quality ingredients. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, each one plays a large role in the success of the buttercream frosting. This is one recipe where high quality butter, whipping cream and vanilla will make all the difference.

Make sure the butter is at room temperature. It is essential to start with room temperature butter. Cold butter won’t properly mix together with the sugar. It’ll be too clumpy, and it won’t create the rich, smooth texture that we’re looking for with buttercream. Now, don’t forget, room temperature butter isn’t super soft or almost melted. You just want the chill from the refrigerator to be gone, and you want the butter to slightly indent when you push into it.

Use a stand or hand mixer. An electric mixer will do all the work for you in this easy buttercream frosting recipe. Use a stand or hand mixer to fully incorporate all of the ingredients and achieve a silky-smooth vanilla buttercream. Make sure to beat the frosting for the full amount of time that’s listed in the recipe; doing so will ensure the results are light and fluffy.

How to Use Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla buttercream frosting is all-purpose when it comes to cakes, cupcakes, and all kinds of pastries. We love to make buttercream flowers to create a truly show-stopping dessert. You can also use this simple buttercream frosting recipe as an easier alternative to any recipe that calls for making a Swiss buttercream, like this Coconut Layer Cake or this crowd-pleasing Chocolate Layer Cake.

How to Store Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla buttercream frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week. Before spreading it, leave the container at room temperature until the chill is taken off the frosting. Then give it a quick mix in the stand or hand mixer to fluff it up and remove any air pockets.