Whipped Buttercream Frosting

One day I was following a recipe for vanilla buttercream, although a basic American butter cream is 1 cup butter to 2 cups sugar, but the recipe I was using wasn’t quite right. The frosting was too thick and wasn’t coming together correctly. I knew I needed to add some liquid, but I didn’t have any milk, so I poured in some heavy cream and created the lightest, fluffiest, silkiest frosting EVER! I’ve recreated the recipe and tested it using different amounts of heavy cream until it was perfect time after time.

This recipe makes about 4 cups of frosting, which will frost 3 dozen cupcakes. When decorating a cake (three 8-inch round cakes), I usually make a double batch because I like to have enough frosting to fill each layer, crumb coat, frost, and to create all the colors I need for decorating.

You can also add other flavorings to this vanilla frosting to change it up. Try adding 1 tsp peppermint extract, or 1/4 cup caramel to the vanilla.

Chocolate frosting can me made using this recipe by adding 2 TBSP chocolate ganache (1:1 chocolate and warm cream) and 1/3 cup cocoa powder with the vanilla.

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

Aly

A perfect, light, silky vanilla buttercream frosting.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Servings 4 Cups

Ingredients

  

• 2 Cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 4 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
• 2-4 TBSP Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

 

• The butter should be soft, but not too soft that it has started to melt.
• With the paddle attachment fitted, beat butter on medium speed of your stand mixer, about 30 seconds.
• With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, until incorporated. (To avoid a poof of sugar, turn your mixer off each time you add a cup of sugar.)
• Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Add the vanilla and 2 TBSP of heavy cream, then beat on medium speed for 2-6 minutes, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Use immediately to frost cakes and cupcakes.

Notes

• The original frosting recipe I used was found in a baking book I bought at a furniture store: "Sweet Bake Shop: Delightful Desserts for the Sweetest of Occasions" by Tessa Sam.