Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
This is the lightest and fluffiest vanilla buttercream frosting. It’s perfect for frosting just about anything— cakes, cupcakes, cookies and more!
Are you a frosting person? I’m totally a frosting person. What’s under the frosting is important too, of course, but I definitely can appreciate a big pile of billowy frosting.
And for me that’s exactly what frosting should be like— light, creamy and cloud-like.
I’ve developed this vanilla buttercream frosting recipe over several years and too many cakes, cupcakes and cookies to count, and I feel pretty confident calling it the very best. Because it is!
Table of Contents
- Ingredients you'll need
- What's the secret?
- How to use this whipped vanilla frosting
- Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butter— you can use salted or unsalted, but if you use salted butter omit the salt in the recipe
- Powdered or confectioner’s sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Salt
What’s the secret?
There are two ingredients that really help make this frosting what it is— heavy whipping cream and just a touch of almond extract.
Using heavy whipping cream instead of milk, and then whipping it on high speed for several minutes really gives this frosting its light and fluffy texture. Turn your mixer on low for just a few moments until the ingredients come together, then turn it up to high and walk away for about 3 minutes. Come back, scrape down the bowl and whip it for another 1-2 minutes. It turns out perfectly whipped every time.
Almond extract is my other secret. I add a small amount, only 1/4 teaspoon. It’s not enough that the almond flavor comes through, but it gives the frosting a little something extra, and helps it taste kinda fancy.
How to use this whipped vanilla frosting
One recipe yields enough frosting for:
- Filling and frosting a double-layer 8 or 9-inch layer cake. If you have 3 or more cake layers, or want to do a lot of piping decoration, you may want to double this recipe or use another filling option for the cake.
- Frosting 24 regular cupcakes with a moderate amount of frosting per cupcake, or 12-15 cupcakes with a generous amount of frosting (as shown in this post).
- Frosting 24-36 sugar cookies.
Feel free to add food coloring as desired. You can also use other flavorings and other extracts.
This frosting is great for piping and decorating cakes and cupcakes. If the frosting starts getting too soft as you work with it, chill it in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm it up.
If you’d like to make this frosting in advance, it can be stored in the fridge for at least 1 week and in the freezer for at least 1 month. Let it come back to room temperature, then beat for 1-2 minutes until fluffy again.
baking tip:How to frost like a pro
I am not an expert when it comes to decorating with icing, I know my limitations. But I also know how to fake it and make it look like I know what I’m doing! Here are some tips to easily elevate your frosting:
- Sift powdered sugar before making the frosting, ensuring it’s smooth and lump-free.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid, which results in more vivid colors without adding moisture. Look for gel food coloring in a craft or baking supply store, or buy online.
- Use a piping bag with plain and star tips, which go a long way to make my decorations looks professional.
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar (1 lb, 455 grams), sifted after measuring
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 226 grams), at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract , optional, but highly recommended!
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, mix all of the ingredients on low speed until it starts to come together.
- Increase speed to high and beat for 4-5 minutes until frosting is fluffy, pausing once or twice to scrape the bowl down.
- (Optional Step) The frosting will be very airy with lots of bubbles. To achieve a smooth frosting, beat it with a wooden spoon by hand for 2-3 minutes. This will push all of those air bubbles out.
- Use frosting as desired to cover cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. This is enough frosting for a double layer 8 or 9-inch cake, 2 dozen cupcakes, or 2 dozen 4-inch cookies.
- Store frosting at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to several months.
This post was originally published April 2016.
I will use this as buttercream for my cake and then cover with fondant. How far in advance will the frosting stay if covered with fondant at room temp? Just wondering if I could make it today for a cake served Saturday?
Thanks!
The frosting will keep at room temp just fine for several days without spoiling. You may want to refrigerate it just to help it keep it’s shape and keep it safe and put away, but that’s up to you!
Adding cold whipping cream to butter will be the reason for curdle frosting. Do you have any recommendation for me?
Thank you so much!
Never had an issue with curdling! Since it’s such a small amount of cream it shouldn’t be an issue. Maybe just keep beating and it will come back together?
Hi, is this frosting sturdy enough to make and hold rosetts covered cake?
Absolutely!
This looks great. I make a similar frosting with heavy cream but never thought to add the little bit of almond extract. I will have to give that a try next time. Thanks for the tips!
I also want to say I really like your site layout and writing style. Your pictures are amazing also. I am hungry just looking through the images on your front page. Keep it up!
-Scott
I’ve made this recipe for cookies and it’s amazing! Everyone kept complimenting the frosting ? I plan on making it again but for cupcakes, do you know about how many cupcakes I could frost? Thanks!
What much would you say this makes. Because I don’t want to much and I don’t want not enough. I am going to make a 2 layered cake.
It yields 6 cups. It should be enough to fill and frost an 8 or 9-inch 2 layered cake, but just barely.
I would like to know if i could use non dairy whipping cream instead of heavy cream. Thanks in advance ?
I would imagine so, though I haven’t tested it myself.
I made this frosting a couple hours ago and when I offered my family a taste, their eyes popped open in shocked delight. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I just made this for my daughter’s birthday cake. I didn’t have almond extract so I used 1/4 tsp coconut and 1/4 tsp caramel extract. Super easy and it is so so SO good!!! Thank you for sharing!
I made this recipe last night. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I had no problems at all. Set up perfectly! I only used the vanilla, but next time I will definitely try the almond extract. I’ve never used almond before. Do you use both when you make it?
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the feedback, Jackie. 🙂 Yes, I do use both extracts when I make it. The vanilla is the star, but I like the little “secret something” that a bit of almond extract adds.
I am on a search for my signature vanilla buttercream. I made this this week and it resulted in the most professional looking cupcakes I’ve ever made. I used vanilla paste instead of extract and it worked fine.
The taste isn’t 100% what I was looking for but that’s just me. Tasted more buttery than I expected and not at all like whipped cream. I think I was looking for something that tasted in between whipped cream and frosting.
However it piped amazingly well, was smooth and shiny and I will use it when I want really pretty cupcakes.
A question: how do you get the perfect finish to your piping? I mean that perfect little peak in the middle. I had to cheat and throw a few blueberries in the middle of mine.
I haven’t made this yet. Maybe you could substitute a block of cream cheese instead of the butter. ?? I did find this recipe. Maybe it’ll be more like what you’re looking for.
https://food52.com/recipes/11619-whipped-cream-frosting
Yes, this recipe is a whipped buttercream, not whipped cream buttercream. If you want something more like whipped cream, you could always fold in some whipped cream into the frosting. And if your frosting is too stiff to get that peak when you pipe, thin it out with a little heavy cream. I hope this helps!
Ugh- I love the taste of this frosting but it is super soft. How can I stiffen it? I need this for a wedding cake I’m working on. I’m worried that the tiers are going to slide while transporting. It’s an hour drive.
I wonder if your butter was too warm when you made it? You can put the frosting in the fridge for 15ish minutes to firm it up, then beat it again. I have never had a problem with this frosting being too soft, it should be the same consistency of traditional buttercream frosting. Also, be sure the cake layers are completely chilled before transporting and that the car stays cool.
I overlooked sifting the powdered sugar. This frosting is absolutely easy & delicious. It is so creamy. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Barbie
Looking to use this for my macarons. And maybe add puréed strawberries, would you recommend this? What is the best practice to add flavor?
My favorite thing to bake is cupcakes!