Heavenly Vanilla Buttercream Recipes

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.

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.

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.

HEAVENLY WHITE CAKE

Steps:

• Measure sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt; sift together three times.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, and continue beating only until meringue will hold up in soft peaks.
• Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Mix in flavorings. Add meringue, and mix thoroughly into batter. Spread batter in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan which has been lined on the bottom with parchment paper.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. This cake may also be baked in two 9 inch round pans for 30 to 35 minutes, or in three 8 inch round pans for 25 to 30 minutes.

VANILLA CAKE WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Pour into prepared pans, dividing batter evenly. , Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely. , For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Decorate with sprinkles or nonpareils if desired.

EASIEST, MOST DELICIOUS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the egg whites and sugar into a metal bowl and set over a pan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature of the egg whites reaches 140 degrees. They will feel very hot to the touch.
• Transfer the heated egg whites and sugar to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix at high speed (or as high as you can go without egg flying out of the bowl) until they have reached their maximum volume, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix on medium or medium-high speed while pinching off small pieces of butter and throwing them in. Mix in vanilla if using. The buttercream may look like it is breaking down, but keep on mixing and it will come back together.

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.

BILLY'S VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 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.