This classic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe is perfect for many baked goods. You can use this for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. Or just eat it plain! It has just the right amount of sweetness to go with just about anything.

If you have never made frosting before, this is the recipe to start with! I find that a lot of frosting you find in the store is overly sweet and can be overpowering on some baked goods. This vanilla buttercream recipe is also fairly easy to make. In just a few minutes you will have delicious homemade buttercream. It tastes amazing and has less ingredients than store bought!

It is also easy to customize the frosting consistency if you make your own buttercream. If you want a thinner texture, then add a little more milk 1 tbsp at a time. If you need the frosting to be stiffer for decorating, then add more powdered sugar.

When mixing up the frosting, be sure to mix it very well at the end to get a light texture. And be sure to the scrape the bowl while you are mixing! You can’t hurt it by scraping the bowl, which is especially important if you are adding color to your frosting. That way you can be sure that the color is evenly distributed, and you won’t get color streaks when decorating. When in doubt, scrape the bowl!

The Vanilla Buttercream Recipe is below. Since it is a frosting recipe there is no need to adjust for altitude, so there is only one recipe. The recipe will make enough for 24 cupcakes, a 3 layer 6 inch cake or a 2 layer 8 inch cake. If you only need enough for 12 cupcakes, then cut the recipe in half. Hope you enjoy the recipe! Be sure to leave a comment if you try it out or have any questions!

Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

Delicious vanilla frosting recipe that could be used for cakes, cupcakes or cookies! Recipe makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes, a 3 layer 6 inch cake, or a 2 layer 8 inch cake.

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups butter
• 32 oz. powdered sugar (two 16 oz. bags or about 8 cups)
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

 

• Leave the butter on the counter to soften a bit at room temperature. Or you can place two sticks of butter in the microwave and heat for 9-11 seconds to soften, then repeat with the other two sticks of butter. Once the butter is a little soft but is still firm then it is ready. You should be able to make an indent in the butter if you push firmly.
• Place the butter in your mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes.
• Open a bag of powdered sugar and add in about a third of the bag. Mix until combined. Continue until the whole bag is mixed in.
• Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
• Open the second bag of powdered sugar and add in about a third of the bag. Mix until combined. Continue until the whole bag is mixed in.
• Add in 3 tbsp of whole milk. Mix until combined.
• Add in the last 3 tbsp of milk and mix until combined. If you need to adjust the consistency add in an additional tbsp of milk at a time.
• Mix the frosting for about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then mix for another minute.
• Mix the frosting by hand with a spatula or spoonula for a few seconds to try to get out some of the air bubbles and make sure everything is incorporated.
• Frost your cake, cupcakes, cookies, etc.!
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container. It will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator, or you could freeze it for up to 3 months.