A simple, 5 ingredient recipe for Vanilla Frosting. Use it to top off your favorite cake or cupcake recipe. This recipe generously tops 12 cupcakes, modestly covers 24, or will cover an 8″ or 9″ layer cake or 9×13 sheet cake.
Happy Spring! Does it look like Spring where you are, yet? Because yesterday/the first day of “Spring” was also the beginning of the first big snowstorm we’ve had all year.
My car is buried beneath half a foot of snow, Zach is taking a snow day because none of the roads are plowed, and eventually one of us is going to have to break down and actually go outside to shovel out our driveway, so despite what the calendar might say it doesn’t exactly feel Spring-y around here!
Fortunately, snow days make for perfect baking days, and today I plan on baking myself a batch of from-scratch chocolate cupcakes and topping them off with today’s recipe for vanilla frosting.
And sprinkles too, of course.
Today’s recipe is simple to make and is a staple icing recipe that every home baker or cake decorator should have on hand. It’s easily pipeable and does a great job of holding its shape, is easy to customize with different extracts (though I always reach for the vanilla), and does well under fondant.
It’s also incredibly hard to mess up, if your frosting becomes too thin you simply add more sugar, and if it’s too stiff an extra splash of heavy cream or even milk will work. Let’s go over a few frequently asked questions that I get about making vanilla buttercream.
How long can I store vanilla frosting?
You can make vanilla frosting in advance and store it for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. It will firm u when cold, so let it soften at room temperature a bit before piping or spreading on to your cake.
Can I leave vanilla buttercream frosting at room temperature?
Yes! There is heavy cream in this recipe, but it is stabilized by the generous amount of sugar that we are using. You can frost your cake or cupcakes with this frosting and it will be good for 2-3 days at room temperature (it will keep longer in the refrigerator, for about 1-2 weeks).
What goes well with vanilla frosting?
I’ve tried it and loved it on my funfetti cake (check out those colorful decorations — all of them made with this same recipe!), chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, and vanilla cake, just to name a few!
I have a new-ish cupcake (pictured above) that I’m excited to share with you on Friday, and I’ll also be showing you how to add the neat colorful swirls to your frosting (it’s easy, you just need a small paintbrush).
Enjoy!
If vanilla buttercream isn’t quite your thing, be sure to check out my less sweet chocolate frosting or cream cheese frosting, instead!
How to Make Vanilla Frosting
Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (226g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar (375g)
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Sprinkle salt over butter and stir again to combine.
- Gradually, about ½ cup at a time, add powdered sugar, waiting until each cup is completely mixed before adding more.
- With mixer on medium-low speed, add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time. Once ingredients are well incorporated, gradually increase speed to high and beat for about 30 seconds.
- Add vanilla extract and stir well.
- Pipe or spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, if desired. This frosting will be fine at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated in an airtight container for about a week.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Tina
Can I cut down the 3 cup Of icing sugar?
Sam
Your frosting may be a little bit softer and not hold it’s shape as well if you do.
Marwa
Used this white before and was amazing .. How is it with food coloring any adjustments needed?
Sam
You can just stir in some food coloring at the very end. No adjustments needed. 🙂
Chloe
Even though I used half and half instead of heavy cream cause that was what I had, this is the absolute BEST vanilla icing!!! It keeps its shape even when it’s not refrigerated, and it is oh-so-good with any cake!
Btw, if you’re making a large cake, you will want to at least triple the icing 😉
Abigail
Love this recipe, tastes amazing. I found that I could use milk instead of heavy cream if that’s not something you have.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re happy you liked it, Abigail! Thanks for giving our recipe a try 😊
Margie
Can you add coconut to the frosting to make a coconut frosting?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sure! Enjoy 😊
Jane
Hi! I wanted to make a confetti cake and I saw your recipe and all of the great comments made me want to make this. I saw your recipe for confetti cake but I didn’t want a triple layer cake + cupcakes…just 2 of us here. Could you please tell me how much of the sprinkles I would add to the batter? Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try this for my son’s birthday.
Sam
Hi Jane! I’m not really sure what cake you are asking about adding sprinkles to, but the good the thing is you can add the sprinkles to your liking. 🙂
Becky
Can I use salted butter? That’s all I have. If so do I omit the salt?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Becky! Yes, you can use the salted butter and omit the salt. Enjoy!
Hannah
Tasted great but only frosted about 6 cupcakes, not even generally frosted, I suggest doubling the recipe
Sam
…were they jumbo cupcakes?
Hannah
Nope, normal sized and I only had enough frosting to not generously frost 6
Sam
Well then I am stumped because a cup of butter with 3 cups of powdered sugar makes a good bit of frosting.
Annabelle
My frosting came out terribly, it is spilling all over my cooled cupcakes.
Sam
I’m sorry this is happening, Annabelle! Did you make any substitutions or changes to the recipe? Was your butter too soft when you started?
MyseRi
This is my famous favorite vanilla frosting will only make frosting now!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We absolutely love hearing that! Thanks so much!
Em
Hi i wanna make this for my sister for her birthday. I’m making a lemon cake. Would this work for that and also what extracts would you recommend to pair with it.
Thx in advance.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Em! This frosting would be delicious with a lemon cake. You could also make the whipped cream cheese frosting included in our Lemon Cake recipe. We hope your sister loves her cake! ❤️
Em
Awesome thank you so much. 🙂
Donna
Has anyone ever added almond extract to it??
Sam
Hi Donna! I have not personally added it. It should work just fine you will just want to use it sparingly as it’s much more potent than vanilla. 🙂
Bella
This was delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for your review, Bella! We’re so happy it was a hit for you!
Nancy
I’ve used this recipe for decades. You can do any flavor extract; almond, lemon,, cherry, etc. You can also add cocoa, peanut butter, brown sugar. Food coloring is perfect with this frosting too. You can also use milk, light cream, half & half. If you don’t have confectionary sugar, you can put regular sugar in a blender on high and it becomes confectionary sugar. Its really good on sugar/shortbread cookies, chocolate cookies, red velvet cake & adding peanut butter to it is awesome on white cake.
PJ
Can I use Whipping cream instead of Heavy Whipping cream? Are they the same thing? I’m making it tomorrow. Thank you
Sam
Yes that will work fine. Technically they are slightly different but that won’t matter here. 🙂
isopod
I don’t have any cream, what can I use as a substitute?
Sam
Hi! Whole milk will work, but since it is thinner you will want to use less. Start with 1 tablespoon and then add more as needed until you reach a nice, smooth, pipe-able consistency. I hope that helps! 🙂
Shannan
So yummy! I put this frosting on my daughters birthday cake and it was perfect! By far the best frosting I’ve made to date! Thank you for sharing Sam!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Shannan! 🙂
Samantha
amazing! best frosting I have ever made. And I even had to substitute in a cup of regular sugar because i ran out of confectioners sugar.
Elizabeth Garcia
This was soo good I made them for my teacher and my classmates 😊
Arianne Centeno
When mixing in the powdered sugar do you use the hand mixer or a wooden spoon
Sam
Hi Arianne! I use a hand mixer for the whole recipe. 🙂
Lisa
Officially our fave frosting now!!
Didn’t have heavy cream so whisked together about 1.5 – 2 Tbl nonfat plain Greek yogourt with 1.5 Tbl milk (aimed for a heavy cream consistency). Beat on high for a solid 30s+. Came out beautiful! Light, airy and the yogourt switch added the slightest tang to balance all the sugar and butter! Was fabulous! Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Lisa! 🙂
Darcy
I used salted butter, no salt, and about a half teaspoon of vanilla extract. Came out perfectly! Thanks for sharing this simple, yet delicious recipe!
Sam
You’re very welcome, Darcy! I’m so glad you enjoyed 🙂