This is the best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe. Make this easy buttercream frosting recipe and you’ll never want cake without vanilla buttercream again. Or eat it with spoons.
We love using this vanilla frosting recipe on all sorts of cookies and cakes, but my absolute favorite is on top of these perfect sugar cookies!
You guys have to make this vanilla buttercream frosting recipe.
The end.
Okay, not really.
But yes. Really.
So this is a frosting recipe that I first made for these adorable sheep cupcakes. And I made it again for Piper’s cake smash. But it is seriously so ridiculously good that I feel like it deserved it’s own post.
So ironically, my sister in law sent me a text message the day before the sheep post went live and asked me if I had a good vanilla frosting recipe. And I said, “Funny you should ask . . . ” A few weeks later I got this message from her:
“I LOVE it! It makes boxed cake mixes taste like they were made in a bakery. It puts homemade cakes off the charts!”
I love her.
If that testimonial wasn’t enough, yesterday while I was photographing this cake, Gavin asked me if he could have a piece when I was done. Who am I to say no to that cute face? Gavin historically loves cake but doesn’t like frosting at all. Which is just crazy, but kind of awesome because I always get his left over buttercream frosting at birthday parties. #dontjudge
Well, I walked back into the kitchen after giving him some cake and he was eating the frosting!! I said, “Gavin! I thought you didn’t like frosting!”
“I don’t. But, Mom. This vanilla frosting is AMAZING!!”
#truestory
RECIPE NOTES FOR THE BEST VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
- One batch of this vanilla buttercream frosting recipe is enough to lightly cover 24 cupcakes. I needed to double it to frost a three layer cake, with 1/2 cup frosting between each layer and a nice crumb coat.
- This frosting firms up rather quickly, so if you are going to top with sprinkles, you will want to frost your cupcake add the sprinkles, and then move on to the next cupcake you need to frost.
- If you don’t like your frosting as sweet, you can cut back the powdered sugar by a cup. It will result in a less sweet and also less firm frosting.
The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- To make frosting, beat the butter until fluffy.
- Then add the powdered sugar gradually, one cup at a time.
- Add in the vanilla and milk.
Recipe Video
Laurieleem says
Salt. There can be no perfect frosting
Without it. I’d love to have a ‘frosting
Off’ using my recipe against yours.
I love my frosting recipe :)
Audrey says
Super tasty! A little too sweet and turned a light brown because of vanilla, so I added 1/4 cup of butter and it’s still kinda sweet but still good!:)
Yesenia says
Not quite sure what happened but mine was a little runny. Wouldn’t hold it’s shape ???? and I didn’t even add all the milk.
Anything I could’ve done wrong?
How was your butter when you added it? That’s the most likely culprit. You want to be able to just dent it with your finger, if you press down and your finger goes through it’s too soft.
Victoria says
I’d I frost a cake with this does it need to be refrigerated?
Victoria, because of the butter and milk in the frosting, you are safest refrigerating it. That said, I don’t.
Jessica says
I just made this and it was fine until I started to pipe it on the cake. I made this in the past without any problems.
Hi Jessica, I’m so sorry you struggled with it this time. Was the butter too soft?
Denise says
Do you have to refridgerate? if so, for how long?
I don’t refrigerate but the FDA would advise that you do since it has butter in it. It will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, about three.
Milly says
Hi
Can’t wait to try this frosting but wanted to know if you could give me measurements in grams please.
ODETTE says
WHAT BUTTER DO YOU USE. AND OR WILL MARGARINE DO.
Please for the love of cupcakes do not use margarine. I use a nice unsalted butter :)
Holly says
Can i make the vanilla icing ahead of time and keep in the fridge?
Yes! I would only go about two days ahead, but yes.
Kim says
How well does it crust?
It crusts so well that if you are making cupcakes you want to do the sprinkles right away before you frost the next cupcake.