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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Any suggestions on the brand of shortening? I find crisco to have an after taste and greasy!
I normally use Hi Ratio so have you or anyone made this with it and how did it turn out ?
Hi, just want to say that I love your website. I have learned so much. I have a question about coloring the buttercream. I use the gel colors to color it and notice that sometimes they will have a grainy look. The frosting will look the right color mixed up in the bowl but when I put it in the piping bag it will look seperated or grainy looking. Do you have any tips for me? Thanks. Amy
Loved this recipe! Used it for my daughter's birthday cake this past weekend and it was wonderful! I prefer using hi ratio shortening - I think it tastes less "greasy" than regular. The taste was truly delicious!
hello, silly question
I am not from the States so not sure and thought I would ask....the 1 1/2 cups of shortening in your recipe would that be 1lb tin of crisco ????
Hi Genelle, the 1 1/2 cups shortening would be 286 grams (or 10 oz. by weight). I need to add this to the recipe. Thanks for asking, I'm sure others would have the same question.
Sorry Melissa another silly question from the Australian Lol.....in this recipe are you using Crisco ?
Hi Genelle, you can use Crisco, many of our members use a high ratio shortening such as Sweetex or Alpine. The high ratio will have a bit less greasy feel and gives a smoother texture. It is personal preference.
Hi I have a question about my buttercream. Everytime I make comes out with lots of air bubbles can you please help? What I am doing wrong? I use crisco maybe that's the reason. Thank You so much
Hi, You are referring to the holes that sometimes appear in you buttercream, right. If so, I think you need to add more milk, a small amount, probably just a teaspoon at a time. This will smooth out your frosting. I don't think it is the crisco. Let me know if you have other questions.
Hi BeBe....
How thick should I coat the cake with buttercream before the fondant? Sorry english is not my first language hope it makes sense my question.
Just became a member last night and I am having a great time watching all the videos and comments from other members.
Congrats and thanks
Hi Nona, your english is very good.
Your buttercream will not be as thick as it would if that were your final frosting. It is just thick enough to give you a smooth finish, it doesn't have to look perfect, just needs to be a smooth finish.
If you want, you could cover your cake in ganache before putting on the fondant. It makes a nice firm coating on your cake ........ we often use ganache instead of buttercream under fondant.