My tried and true Vanilla Buttercream Frosting tastes just like it came from your local bakery. It’s fluffy, creamy, and not too sweet. It’s the perfect compliment for so many cakes and cupcakes.
Confession time: my husband hates cream cheese frosting with a fiery passion. And as much as it hurts my soul, I couldn’t change his mind. No cinnamon roll, carrot, or red velvet cake would make this Ron Swanson of a man budge. How can you not like cream cheese frosting?! HOW 🙁
I quickly realized that my own love for cream cheese frosting was because I myself was not a huge fan of buttercream. Often times it was overly sweet and ended up overpowering the cake it was paired with. As a result, I was inspired to make this buttercream as a compromise. This frosting has quickly become a favorite in my household. I personally love to pair it with my buttermilk chocolate cake; they compliment each other so well.
Tips for a good Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- Use room temperature butter. Not melted butter…room temperature. Same goes for the shortening.
- Use the whisk attachment on your mixture. I cream my shortening and butter together for a long amount of time. The whisk helps to get air into the mixture but also ensure the frosting is homogeneous.
- Take the extra time and sift your powdered sugar and salt. I know, I know…it’s more dishes and tacks on more prep time…but it’s soooooo worth it. Nothing is worse than lumpy frosting.
From cakes to cookies, this vanilla buttercream frosting is a steadfast recipe that always seems to come in handy. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Enjoy 🙂
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and vegetable shortening together until the mixture is smooth, creamy and light in color. Roughly 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and mix until combined
- Sift together the powdered sugar and salt.
- Add half of the powdered sugar to the creamed butter and shortening mixture. Mix until combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar recipe and mix until completely combined.
- Add the heavy whipping cream one tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition.