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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Hello! I made several batches of this buttercream and froze it. I took a batch, thawed it, colored and bagged it and I have quite a bit leftover. Can it be refrozen or is it best to just trash it?
Hi Nicole, reading your question, I realize that while I freeze buttercream all the time, I have never refrozen it. I am going to test that soon. I think it would be fine to refreeze. I don't think it would affect the taste. Also, you can keep it in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. I would definitely keep it. If you want, you could post this on the message boards to see if other members have any thoughts to share on this.
Thanks! I'll do that. I'd hate for any buttercream to go to waste. I'd *hate* to have to sit here and eat it all! :)
Hi Melissa and Bebe, I just made a double batch of this recipe for the first time, using weight for measurements. I find it to be very thin compared to what I usually make. Is this recipe for a very thin consistency? It's almost like a pudding as opposed to a frosting. Is this right?
Hi Brenda, I'm sorry. No it definitely is not suppose to be like pudding. I would add more confectioners sugar to thicken it up. You should be able to salvage it. Good Luck
Thanks Bebe, I added another 200 grams of conf. sugar AND turned on my A.C. and it is perfect!! Creamier and fluffier than my now "old" recipe! Thanks so much! I am really loving this site and the tutorials. I have learned so much already! Hugs to you!
Great! Thanks for letting me know you were able to save it, and for your nice comments about the site.
I wanted to let you know that I tried the recipe again and it is absoulutely wonderful. I had nothing but great comments and it was easy to smooth. Not sure what I did last time.... lol :) Thanks for the site. I have learned so much. I am addicted....
Cakelady~ So glad to hear that it came out for you the second time around! That is great-- and thanks so much for your nice comments about our site!
I tried making this frosting last night and i don't know why but it looks like the powdered sugar and butter/hiratio shortening aren't completely blended and when i tasted it has a slight crunchy taste like the sugars not dissolved completely? I've been making frosting for years and this is the first time i've had this problem, help :( i added more milk but that didn't help either.
Hi, sometimes people describe their buttercream as having a grainy or gritty texture. If you soften your butter in the microwave, it can cause a grainy texture. Also, some of our members have said that certain brands of powdered sugar will cause this. Have you changed brands of powdered sugar? These are the two possibilities that come to mind. Would either of these apply to your situation?
I didn't soften my butter in the microwave but i did notice the powdered sugar i bought from target had a different texture then it normally does. I've used it many times before and never had problems so i wonder if they've changed something about it. Also it wasn't a medium consistency and it only crusted slightly? Thanks for your quick response and i just love your cakeschool :)