Heavenly Vanilla Buttercream Recipes

BEST VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt baking chips with cream until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in vanilla paste and extract. Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, 8-10 minutes., Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until cooled to 90°, about 7 minutes. Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Beat in cooled baking chip mixture until blended.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.
• Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar. Frosts 13x9-inch cake generously, or fills and frosts an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, the heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. I always add 1/8 teaspoon.
• You can control the consistency at this point- add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin or more heavy cream if frosting is too thick (add only 1 Tablespoon at a time, beat together, then taste and add more if desired).
• Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it's creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.

EASY VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.

QUICK AND ALMOST-PROFESSIONAL BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract.
• Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Add food coloring, if using, and beat for thirty seconds until smooth or until desired color is reached.

HEAVENLY VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy-duty saucepan, mix water with sugar until it is of even consistency.
• Put saucepan on low-med heat.
• Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium until they start getting stiff, then opaque. This takes about 45 seconds per egg white.
• When the sugar syrup in the pan goes into a boil for at least a minute (without burning), turn off the heat.
• With the mixer still on medium speed, pour the boiling sugar syrup into the stiffened egg whites, using a funnel. The funnel should aim directly at the egg whites in the bowl, using care not to let the sugar syrup touch the side of the bowl or the whisk, as this could cause stringy sugar crystals to form in the icing, which should be silky smooth.
• Keep the mixer on medium speed for about 10 minutes - scraping the sides of the bowl every 3 minutes or so.
• When the egg whites resembles thick marshmallow fluff, keep the mixer on low to medium speed, and start adding the butter, one half-stick at a time.
• Wait until the entire half stick is incorporated before adding the next.
• When you've added the fifth or sixth stick of butter, the mixture may begin to look watery and lumpy, like cottage cheese. This is alright - simply keep adding the rest of the butter and leave the mixer on.
• Add vanilla.
• Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and watch it turn from lumpy, greasy cottage cheese into a silken smooth, dense, whipped cloud of heavenly, delicious, smooth buttercream.
• Use buttercream right away, or it can be refrigerated.
• If refrigerated, let buttercream come to room temperature for at least 2 hours before attempting to re-beat it. Otherwise, you will, once again, have the greasy cottage cheese effect, and it does take considerable effort to rebeat it to the perfect consistency.

BASIC VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). On low speed, beat in the powdered sugar and then the salt. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons milk; adjust the consistency with extra milk as desired. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature and beat on medium-high until smooth.

MAGNOLIA BAKERY VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for about 2 minutes after each addition, until icing reaches desired consistency; you may not need to add all the sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.