My Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is unlike anything you've ever had before! While it uses the typical ingredients for a classic Vanilla Frosting, the powdered sugar is dissolved in milk before adding to the butter, giving a super smooth and fluffy buttercream frosting that isn't gritty like a typical American Buttercream Frosting. Give it a try - you'll be as amazed as I was!
Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe with you!
This is the perfect, nostalgic tasting vanilla buttercream that is perfect for stacking layer cakes, swirling on sheet cakes, or piping onto cupcakes. It uses all the classic vanilla buttercream ingredients, but I use one little trick that gives you the most amazing smooth buttercream frosting: Dissolving the powdered sugar in the milk before you start. Unlike other recipes, this buttercream frosting is not gritty. I also add a little bit of Golden Syrup (or corn syrup or liquid glucose) to help with the texture of the frosting and to make it super easy to work with. Both these things combined give the most amazing frosting - you almost won't believe it is made with powdered sugar.
Making Vanilla Frosting this way is an absolute game changer - a classic buttercream made with powdered sugar can often be a little bit gritty. Dissolving the powdered sugar solves this issue instantly and gives a texture that is closer to a Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The result is a soft, fluffy, smooth buttercream frosting that is a dream to work with and is the most perfect base recipe for adding other flavours - I love to add in melted chocolate and cocoa to make a delicious double chocolate buttercream frosting.
Let me show you how. I promise this one is an absolute game changer. My vanilla buttercream frosting makes enough to frost an 8" cake with enough to spare, however it is super easy to scale - there are notes in the recipe card on scaling it back for a sheet cake or cupcakes! This frosting pairs perfectly with my Classic Vanilla Cake.
What is so life changing about this frosting!?
First I have a little confession to make - I made a discovery that blew my mind recently and it might blow yours too. For years I have made American Buttercream Frosting the traditional way - creaming butter and then adding powdered sugar and mixing it in. While this is a super delicious, nostalgic frosting, it can be a little gritty in texture due to the powdered sugar.
I developed a recipe I have been using for a few years which uses both heavy cream and golden syrup (or corn syrup or liquid glucose) to get my vanilla buttercream as fluffy and smooth as possible due to the cream in the mixture dissolving some of the powdered sugar. It's pretty good, but if you really want a beautifully smooth buttercream with no grit, dissolving the sugar in the milk is the way to do that.
I have added both versions in the recipe card - they use the same recipe quantities, it is just the method that differs.
American vs Swiss Buttercream
Let me take a quick second to explain this one as it can be a little bit confusing. The main difference is in the ingredients. What you are using it for can determine what kind you choose to make.
American Buttercream Frosting (Such as this recipe)
- Made from Butter, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, and a liquid of some kind (heavy cream or milk).
- Made the traditional way (cream the butter, add the powdered sugar and the liquid), it is super easy to make, and gives that sweet, nostalgic flavour of buttercream frosting.
- You can easily control how stiff it is by adjusting the quantity of liquid.
- Made the traditional way it sets with a crust when you chill it which helps with stability. If you make it by dissolving the powdered sugar, it will not crust as the sugar is dissolved.
- A super popular choice for kid's birthdays, frosting cupcakes, or if you need something quick and easy.
- Made by making a meringue which then has butter whipped into it.
- Takes a little more work as you have to make a meringue and then add the butter
- Silky smooth texture that is super easy to work with
- Much less sweet than an American Buttercream - some people do think that it is too buttery though so it comes down to personal preference.
Does dissolving the sugar in the milk have any down sides?
The only thing that changes when you dissolve the sugar for this vanilla frosting recipe is that it does not crust, which is usually a trademark of an American Buttercream Frosting.
For me this isn't an issue - It sets up nice and firmly in the fridge, similar to how a Swiss Meringue Buttercream does. If you want your cake to set with a crust on the outside like a regular American Buttercream Frosting does, you can follow the method in the recipe notes to achieve this. It can be helpful to have a crusting buttercream if you are making things like piped cupcakes etc.
Why do you add Golden Syrup?
Adding an invert sugar like golden syrup (or corn syrup or liquid glucose) to frosting recipes does a few things. It helps to dissolve the powdered sugar by adding some moisture (not an issue when we are dissolving the sugar in the first step), but it also helps with the texture of the vanilla frosting - it makes it almost a little more 'stretchy' and easy to work with. I found during the recipe testing process that adding it in when you are beating the butter in the initial step helps to get the butter nice and fluffy too.
I use golden syrup as I love the taste of it and it is what I keep on hand, but corn syrup or liquid glucose work great too - golden syrup will give the vanilla frosting a slightly more yellow colour so if you're aiming for a very white frosting, you may want to use corn syrup or glucose, or you can also leave it out.
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Super Silky Classic Vanilla Buttercream (Frosting)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
- Category: Frosting
- Cuisine: American
Description
My Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is unlike anything you've ever had before! While it uses the typical ingredients for a classic Vanilla Frosting, the powdered sugar is dissolved in milk before adding to the butter, giving a super smooth and fluffy buttercream frosting that isn't gritty like a typical American Buttercream Frosting. Give it a try - you'll be as amazed as I was!
Ingredients
For Super Smooth Buttercream (Milk Dissolving method)
- 405g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 45g golden syrup, liquid glucose, or corn syrup
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste (I use Kosher salt, if you are using table salt, use less)
- 155g whole milk, cold from the fridge is fine
- 600g powdered sugar / icing sugar
For Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 405g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 60g heavy cream or whole milk, at room temperature, plus more to add at the end if needed
- 45g golden syrup, corn syrup, or liquid glucose
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste (I use Kosher salt, if you are using table salt, use less)
- 600g powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
SUPER SMOOTH BUTTERCREAM METHOD
- Place the butter, golden syrup, vanilla bean paste and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes until the butter has significantly lightened in colour and texture.
- While the butter is mixing, warm the milk on medium heat on the stove until it is almost boiling. Place the powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Once the milk has heated, add to the powdered sugar and whisk to combine - you want it to be lump free. It will be a fairly thin mixture. Set aside to cool - a little warm is ok but you do not want it to be too hot.
- After the butter has finished mixing, turn the mixer down to medium low speed. With the mixer running, slowly pour the milk and powdered sugar syrup into the bowl. Once it has all been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for a further 3-5 minutes until it comes together and is light and fluffy.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 5-10 minutes to help remove any air bubbles.
- Use as needed. Because this buttercream does not crust, you do not need to cover the bowl while working with the buttercream.
- Store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
CLASSIC AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM METHOD
- Place the butter, heavy cream, golden syrup, vanilla bean paste and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whip on high speed, scraping down the sides as needed, for about 5 minutes until the butter has lightened in colour and texture.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed until combined. Add a little more cream or milk if you want the buttercream to be slightly fluffier.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for about 5 minutes to remove any large air bubbles.
- Use as needed - this is a crusting buttercream so if you have any leftover you need to press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the frosting.
- Store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Notes
Because of how powdered sugar is, there may be a tiny bit of grittiness left in the frosting. US powdered sugar is finer than NZ powdered sugar I have found, so just keep this in mind if you are in NZ and find there's still a teeny bit of grit left even if you dissolve the sugar fully. It is still lovely to work with!
My Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe makes enough to frost a two or three layer 8" cake with enough to spare. If you want to make it for cupcakes or a sheet cake, where you need less, use the scaled down version below (the method is exactly the same). If you are adding a lot of piping detail or worried you won't have enough frosting, feel free to scale it up.
Extra Smooth Buttercream (Scaled down version)
270g unsalted butter, at room temperature
30g golden syrup, corn syrup, or liquid glucose
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
100g whole milk
400g powdered sugar, sifted
Classic Buttercream (Scaled down version)
270g unsalted butter, at room temperature
40g heavy cream, at room temperature
30g golden syrup, corn syrup, or liquid glucose
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
400g powdered sugar, sifted