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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Which recipe of buttercream do you use to decorate your cupcakes?
How do you make the buttercream stiffened so you can make your dam around your cake to frost, and then how do you get the buttercream a "thinner" consistency if you are piping on smaller details and you need the frosting to be a bit thinner......
Hi there-- We alternate between Classic & "Fluffy" buttercream for cupcakes. I like Swiss Meringue too if you don't need a crusting buttercream.
To make a stiffened dam around cupcakes (or to thicken up your "classic" or "fluffy" buttercream recipes for any reason) - you can stir in more powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. If you need to make the consistency thinner...you can just add a little bit of milk or water (whatever the liquid is in your recipe) --
*Just as a side note, we don't do the stiff dam for cakes frosted with Swiss Meringue buttercream--it is just too difficult to make the buttercream thick enough.
I have to make a wedding cake with frosting. Could you please tell me if this recipe will be ok if it is a hot day and the cake is on display. The wedding reception is in the afternoon 5pm however it is summer here in Australia and I just want to double check. Thanks
Hi Emma, if it is a hot, hot day I would have a concern about the frosting. You could change the recipe to be all vegetable shortening (an even replacement of shortening for butter). You will lose the flavor that the butter gives so you could add imitation butter flavoring and also increase the other flavorings a bit to achieve a flavor you like.
Thanks BeBe, I was thinking the samething but wanted to confirm with you first. I really appreciate that I can ask you. I love this site.
Hi
I have just used your fluffy buttercream recipe and its was good the only thing mising wa a buttercream taste, so, I am as I live in the uk and it doesnt really get warm here lol i am going to try your classic buttercream n the week to see if that is better, I will get the taste vote from the boys later tonight.
Thanks for your tutorials etc that are amazing and so is your work. Thing im going to work down the list.
Ange
Hi Angela, the Classic Buttercream is my favorite, it just doesn't work for everyone because of climate reasons. Hope you like it.
Any idea how many regular size cupcakes with the 1m rose piping this would frost?
THANKS :)
One cup covers approx 12 cupcakes----and this recipe makes several cups---around 12 cups of frosting. So, you can half it if you need to, or you can make a large batch and freeze the leftovers! ;0) Buttercream freezes very well in an airtight container.
Do you use salted butter or no salt??
Hi Jo Ann, I use unsalted butter in this recipe. Sometimes I add a pinch of salt when I want it to be less sweet. Instead of the pinch of salt you could use salted butter for a less sweet taste.
I made this recipe on Monday night for the first time. I am in love! This is definitely a favorite. So much better than what I was using before. Thanks so much. Love your tutorials - I am a "newbie" and they have been very helpful.