This homemade vanilla frosting has been my favorite for years now! Though I love whipped cream cheese frosting the best, sometimes you just need a basic, Betty Crocker-style vanilla frosting.
This recipe originates from my friend’s grandmother in Cape Breton who graciously shared her recipe with me. She said, though she’s tried many recipes over the last 50 years, this one is by far the best and easiest. After trying many different recipes myself (including my own mother’s) I have to agree. Try it as a finishing touch on blueberry cake donuts, small-batch cinnamon rolls, or Earl Grey yogurt cake. It’s so simple, and so good!
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
Ingredients
Substitutions
- For a firmer texture substitute ¼ cup of shortening for butter. This can come in handy if you are frosting cakes in the summer when it’s hot outside. The shortening doesn’t affect the flavor at all, and help prevent the frosting from melting in the heat.
- If you want a slightly less creamy color, substitute clear vanilla extract.
- Feel free to substitute the vanilla extract with any other extract flavor you like. Almond or maple extracts are also lovely.
- Make this recipe dairy-free by substituting a good quality dairy-free butter. Depending on the butter you choose, you may need to add less or extra powdered sugar to get the desired frosting texture you want.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Place the butter, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set a hand or stand mixer to low-speed and use (a) whisk attachment(s) to mix everything together until just combined.
Increase the speed of the mixer and beat the butter until creamy, about one minute.
Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve into the bowl of butter. I like to press the powdered sugar through the sieve using the back of a soup spoon.
Mix on low speed until the butter and sugar are just combined.
Increase the speed of the mixer and whip the buttercream until it becomes light and fluffy, about one minute. If using a stand mixer, stop the mixer halfway and scrape down the inside of the bowl.
Use Nanny Burke’s buttercream as a topping for your favorite baked treats. For best results, cool your baked goods fully before decorating with frosting.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe doubles and triples well.
- Using a scale to weigh the butter and powdered sugar will ensure a balance of buttery flavor and sweetness. Traditional measuring cups are fine, however, the flavor balance may be thrown off.
- You can make Nanny Burke’s buttercream ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months. To use it, simply bring it to room temperature on the counter, give it a good stir, and proceed to frost your desserts.
- Add colors to the frosting with any liquid, gel, or powdered food coloring you like.
Use Homemade Vanilla Frosting With These Recipes
Did you make this homemade vanilla frosting? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!
🖨 Recipe
Homemade Vanilla Frosting
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl if not using stand mixer
- Electric hand mixer if not using stand mixer
- Stand mixer if not using hand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Fine mesh sieve
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the butter, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set a hand or stand mixer to low-speed and mix everything together until just combined. If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.
- Increase the speed of the mixer and beat the butter until creamy, about one minute.
- Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve into the bowl of butter. I like to press the powdered sugar through the sieve using the back of a soup spoon.
- Mix on low speed until the butter and sugar are just combined.
- Increase the speed of the mixer and whip the buttercream until it becomes light and fluffy, about one minute. If using a stand mixer, stop the mixer halfway and scrape down the inside of the bowl.
- Use Nanny Burke’s buttercream as a topping for your favourite baked treats. For best results, cool your baked goods fully before decorating with frosting.
Notes
- This recipe doubles and triples well.
- Using a scale to weigh the butter and powdered sugar will ensure a balance of buttery flavor and sweetness. Traditional measuring cups are fine, however, the flavor balance may be thrown off.
- You can make Nanny Burke’s buttercream ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months. To use it, simply bring it to room temperature on the counter, give it a good stir, and proceed to frost your desserts.
- Add colors to the frosting with any liquid, gel, or powdered food coloring you like.
Nutrition
Cupcake Baking Tip
A weird / interesting thing happened when I was baking cupcakes to go with Nanny Burke’s buttercream.
I baked the first dozen cupcakes at 350ºF (180ºC) until golden, about 22 minutes. While they were in the oven I looked over the recipe again and realized that I was supposed to bake them at 325ºF (160ºC). I reduced the temperature to 325ºF in a panic for the second batch of cupcakes and here’s what happened:
This cupcake baking tip was just a random fluke that happened to me, however, hundreds of people on Pinterest swear it works!
[email protected] says
What state should the butter be in? Softened, melted?
[email protected] says
I'm in the middle of trying out different frostings too! Looking for that perfect one that doesn't take forever, doesn't taste like plastic, but still holds shapes beautifully. I'm sure I'll be blogging about it, so feel free to check it out next week. (I'll link back to your recipe when I post about it.) Do you think the frosted cake/cupcakes should be stored in the fridge?
[email protected] says
for the round domes you got on ur cupcakes, did u set at 350 and when u put them in, dropped it to 325? Or was it 325 the whole time? thanks. I'm trying to get my cupcakes to have the dome and getting the flat tops =( thanks!
Kristen says
I have been searching for forever for a buttercream frosting that tastes great but also keeps it's shape after I pipe it onto cakes/cupcakes. This recipe with the Crisco substitution is perfect. I adjusted the amount of ingredients slightly to appeal to my own tastebuds, but the basic recipe is pretty darn close to perfect. The little cupcake trick at the end was a great help, too. My cupcakes came out with a nice dome on top that was ideal for piping frosting. Everyone loved the cupcakes, and I have this post to thank!
For the few questions I see above on this page:
I used butter straight out of the fridge, but room temperature butter would have made mixing easier. Chilled butter left me mixing for more than 2-3 minutes, which the article says not to do. You don't want to use melted butter.
For the oven temp question, I preheated the oven to 350 and then reduced it to 325 when I put the cupcakes in the oven. Worked like a charm.
[email protected] says
what recipe do you use for your vanilla cupcakes? I can't seem to find a good one.
[email protected] says
@Molly – the butter should be room temperature. I like to soften mine a little further in the microwave because we keep our house pretty cool.
@Ani – I don't put mine in the fridge. They also don't seem to last very long around here 🙂
@Bridget – if you read the post you'll see that I started at 350 and then realized that the temp was supposed to be 325 so I lowered it for the second batch.
@Kristen – I always use room temperature butter for baking and frostings unless the recipe states otherwise.
@Ashley – I made these cupcakes tonight – http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/09/ultimate-vanilla-cupcake-test-baked-by.html – and they were great! Light and fluffy with the perfect amount of vanilla flavour. I didn't have any sour cream in my fridge so I used 35% Whipping Cream (aka Heavy Cream) instead and they turned out fine.
[email protected] says
no cream in the frosting? I've never made buttercream with out cream . I'm curious to try this.
one other question, who is Nanny Burkes? there is no link to her and I've never heard of her, is she someone I should know?
[email protected] says
Ha! No Cheryl – Nanny Burke is my friend's grandmother. She is a tiny elderly lady that lives in Cape Breton and has sent me a few wonderful recipes!
No cream in the buttercream. Try it – you will love it 🙂
[email protected] says
This is my "go-to" Vanilla Buttercream for all the cupcakes I bake. I've used the recipe for work gathering, birthdays, and fundraisers all with rave reviews. People think the frosting was whipped forever because it's so smooth and delicious. In my opinion it's the best tasting vanilla buttercream frosting-not too sweet with just the right amount of butter flavor (even with the shortening substitution). I am going to attempt to add some raspberry preserves or a raspberry reduction to this recipe for an upcoming birthday. I tried out two other raspberry recipes and they haven't been good. I love this recipe so much I'm going to try and MAKE IT INTO my "go-to" raspberry buttercream! Haha! I'll let you guys know if it works out.
Thank you so much Kelly for sharing this recipe, love it!!
[email protected] says
How did adding the raspberry puree work out?
[email protected] says
Thanks so much! I feel the same way about it – it's my #1 go to. Good luck with the raspberry!!
[email protected] says
I was wondering whether this buttercream crust enough for the "viva paper towel" method of smoothing for cakes. Do you know?
[email protected] says
Hi Hillery – I'm really not sure but I can tell you, if you have extra, you can just freeze it! I've done it before – when it thaws you just re-whip a bit 🙂
Kim says
Is icing sugar regular sugar or powdered sugar?
[email protected] says
Hi Kim – it's powdered sugar. I've always heard it called icing sugar in Nova Scotia.
[email protected] says
This is so great! I reduced the time and WOW did those cupcakes pop up!! So amazing!
[email protected] says
Does this mean to preheat the oven to 350, and then reduce it to 325 when you put the cupcakes in? Thanks! 🙂
Christi says
I was wondering how many cupcakes you can frost with this recipe?
[email protected] says
With this buttervream recipe, can you leave it unrefridgerated once you ice the cake?
Sar says
This icing had a funky taste. My husband thinks so too. It also melts very easily and turns watery looking. The temperature is in the 40’s. I do not recommend. I had to toss it out and all that expensive butter was wasted.
shabz says
Hey there still confused read through all the comments still not getting it so in I shoild start by preeheating the oven for 350 then once the cake is in I should reduce it to 325 to achieve a domed cup cake right and does this method work with ne recipe or does it have to b the ina gathen recipe if so would you b able to give me the recie in grams and where im at I cnt find crisco can I use normal butter to achieve the fluffy butter cream truly appreciate uou effort n id b over the moon if I can achieve the dome look in my cupcakes thanks a ton