Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream
This delicious Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is crusting recipe that is perfect for cake decorating! This American Buttercream is similar to our Classic Vanilla Buttercream recipe, however, it has a lighter, fluffier texture due to the shortening in the recipe.
Table of Contents
Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream: A Crusting Recipe
- What is a crusting buttercream? As the name suggests, crusting frostings like this one develop a very thin crust when exposed to air. In as little as 5-10 minutes, a cake frosted in a crusting buttercream can be lightly touched without removing any of the frosting. Beneath that thin layer, the frosting remains soft.
- Many cake decorators love to use the "Viva Paper Towel method" of smoothing when working with crusting buttercreams. Simply frost the cake, sweep around the sides and top with your spatula (or bench scraper) of choice, and then allow it to sit for a few minutes before smoothing over it with a paper towel.
- (Viva brand paper towels are a popular choice for this paper towel method of smoothing because it has no quilting or impressions.)
- You can find more information on this method of smoothing here: Leopard Print Buttercream (using the Viva Paper Towel Method).
Helpful Hints
- This Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream frosting contains both butter and shortening. Because of the shortening, it is slightly more heat resistant than an all-butter frosting recipe, and it is lighter in color than an all-butter buttercream recipe.
- If heat is more of a concern, you could switch to an all shortening (no butter) frosting recipe like this one: High Ratio Frosting. All frostings will melt if the weather is hot enough, but shortening certainly is more resistant than butter.
- If you are looking for a crusting frosting that does not contain any shortening, we love our Classic Vanilla Buttercream recipe also. You can find it here!: Classic Vanilla Buttercream.
- We often use clear vanilla in our buttercream frosting recipes because real vanilla gives vanilla buttercream more of an off-white or ivory color. However, this may not bother you! It simply comes down to personal preference or the design of your cake.
Does Brand of Confectioners Sugar Matter?
** Important note about the sugar: We’ve had great results with Domino’s confectioners sugar and US Sugar (we buy ours from Costco). Some brands of confectioners sugar don’t work as well with buttercream frosting recipes. If a package doesn’t say pure cane sugar, it contains beet sugar which is more likely to give you a grainy outcome.
In addition to that, we’ve noticed that even some brands that say “Pure Cane Sugar” will give a grainy consistency. So frustrating! One example is Dixie Crystals (although it used to work great for us a few years ago.) Something has changed…it’s a mystery. Anyway, this recipe should not be grainy, and so if it is, experiment with a different brand of confectioners sugar.
Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. confectioners' sugar 910 g
- ½ cup 1 stick (113 g ) unsalted butter softened (soften on countertop rather than microwave for best results)
- 1 ½ cups solid vegetable shortening such as Crisco or Trex 286 g. or 10 oz. by weight. ** If using hi ratio shortening, see below)
- 2 Tablespoons clear vanilla extract 24 g
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon butter flavoring if you are leaving out the butter and using all shortening
- ¼ teaspoons lemon or almond extract 1 g OPTIONAL
- ¼ cup milk 57 g any milk is fine but I like milk with higher fat content. You could substitute water too (See below)
- ½ teaspoon salt to cut the sweetness. We use popcorn salt because of its fine grain. If using table salt you can dissolve it in the milk before adding.
Instructions
- Cream butter, shortening , salt and extracts until creamy and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and milk. Mix thoroughly on medium speed for approximately 8 minutes. For the last two minutes decrease the mixing speed to VERY SLOW ( number 2 speed on a KitchenAid) until creamy and smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally during the mixing process.
Notes
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I just made this using whole milk but the buttercream is not smooth. I take a spatula and run it on the surface of the buttercream and it has ridges and not smooth at all! Is this how this fluffy buttercream is supposed to look like?
Hi Lani, Is the buttercream spreading consistency? You may need to add more milk, a very small amount at at time. I also would suggest beating it at low speed for several minutes, it should take on a smooth look. Let me know how things go.
I just want to say I tried this Buttercream, 1st with milk coudnt get the sweetex to smoothe, so I threw that out I made this with my hot water and coffee creamer I LOVE THIS RECIPE, its smooth crusting and have been looking for this or years.......I am happy Thank you Thank you
is this good for cupcakes? Im looking for a buttercream that doesn't crust as much. I also live where the weather is really warm so I need a buttercream that can stand the heat.
cash and carry has the sweetex so much cheaper than the shipping , 50lbs is a lot but i paid 75.00 wont run out to soon love this sight and the both of you are amazing. Malissa you are so talented perfect for cake making. pat
Hi! Is this recipe best to use when piping shell borders and letters on a cake? Thanks:)
Hi Ally, this works great for piping shell borders & letters, etc. Our "Classic" vanilla buttercream recipe works well also (if you prefer a recipe that does not contain shortening).
hi ladies,i heard that the butter on buttercream wont make it as white as snow...i know you' ve used half shortening and butter...how did you get it tobe so bright white like that? love the color of it...
Hi Ana, You will find that some brands of butter are a lighter color than others and that will affect the color. Some bakers will add Americolor Bright White gel color to their frosting and that will whiten it, we do not do that very often. On our videos the white of the frosting probably looks whiter than it is because of the contrast to the colored piping on the cake.
Do you not sift your powdered sugar,in this recipe or any of yours?
Hi Cakerjoy, The safest thing to do is sift but sometimes when I am opening a new bag (and if I know that brand is reliable for not having lumps) I do not sift. I always sift the powdered sugar from a previously opened bag.
Hi Bebe!
I'm living in a humid country, the temp can hit up to 95 deg. Is this frosting suitable for an outdoor wedding cake? Should i substitute any ingredients?