Vanilla Buttercream (small batch)

Vanilla Buttercream (small batch)

Sweet, creamy, fluffy, with a hint of vanilla, this buttercream is great for decorating cookie cakes. Buttercream is easy to make and only requires 5 ingredients. It took me 10 minutes to make a batch this morning and is a great recipe to prep ahead of time to make your life easier. This is a small batch recipe for decorating one 8-inch cookie cake. You can double the recipe as needed.

Here’s what you need:

-Butter-needs to be room temperature butter. I took 2 sticks of butter out when I woke up and let them sit on the counter.

-Powdered sugar- I have seen some recipes say to sift your sugar for buttercream. I don’t sift mine and it comes out great. Maybe you can tell the difference when you need smooth edges for frosting cakes, but we are using this for small decorations on a cookie cake.

-Vanilla Extract- I am using Neilsen Massey brand. Vanilla bean paste can be added in addition to the extract. I would add a teaspoon to the batch if using. You can also swap out your almond extract for the vanilla, it is a wonderful flavor for buttercream.

-Heavy cream- I use this to help the buttercream loosen up and add creaminess. I have also used whole milk and it works well too.

-Salt- just a pinch will balance out the sweetness of the buttercream. I love adding salt to desserts. You can’t taste it, but it makes sweets taste sweeter without being too sweet.

The key to amazing buttercream is whipping your butter until it is pale before you add in the rest of the ingredients. I used to get so frustrated when my buttercream would be stiff or grainy or greasy, and making sure this first step was taken helped the texture of my buttercream immensely.

You want to whip your butter for at least 3-4 minutes then add vanilla and salt. Mix those together well then gradually add in powdered sugar one cup at a time.

I scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl after every cup of powdered sugar added just to make sure everything is mixed well.

Adding the heavy cream in last helps the buttercream smooth out and fluff up even more. When the heavy cream is added I turn my mixture on high and whip it for another 3-4 minutes. The buttercream comes out silky smooth every time I use this technique.

You can add more heavy cream if you feel your buttercream is too stiff. What you are looking for is your spatula to smoothly glide through without it looking or feeling gritty.

This buttercream will stay good in your fridge for several months. Take out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to use for it to soften and mix well until smooth. You can also use this for sandwich cookies or to frost 12 cupcakes.

This is a crusting buttercream, which means it will form a sugar crust on the outside after it sets in the fridge. A sugar crust on your frosting is wonderful because you can frost your cookie cake and put it in the fridge to set. This gives you a bigger window before the frosting gets warm and starts to soften and melt.

I will be using this recipe to decorate a Cookie Cake later this week, stay tuned!

If you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do, please follow and tag me @sunshinetxcookies on Instagram. I post new cookie recipes every Thursday and would love to share my joy with you. Happy Baking!

Vanilla Buttercream (small batch)

Creamy, sweet and easy to put together, this buttercream recipe takes 10 minutes and is wonderful for cookie cakes.

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Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 2 sticks butter softened at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ⅛ tspn salt
• 2 tbspn heavy cream you can use whole milk as well
• 1 tspn vanilla extract can also add 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste for extra vanilla flavor.

Instructions

 

• Soften butter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to making buttercream.
• Place butter in mixer and beta on medium high until the butter is fluffy and has a pale yellow color. This takes around 3-4 minutes.
• Add in your salt and vanilla and mix together.
• Add in one cup of powdered sugar at a time on low speed. Making sure the sugar is fully incorporated before adding more sugar. You want to do this on low so the powdered sugar doesn't fly out of the mixing bowl.
• After the last cup of sugar is added and mixed through, add in 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream.
• Mix on high for 3-4 minutes or until your buttercream is very pale and fluffy.
• You can add more cream if your buttercream is a little dry or stiff. You want a nice silky texture that your spatula glides through.
• You can smooth it over in one layer on top of baked and cooled cookie cakes or place in a piping bag with a large tip to decorate. Enjoy!

Notes

Buttercream will last in a tightly covered container in the fridge for 2 months. Let the buttercream come to room temp for at least 30 minutes before using if it has been stored in the fridge. Mix well until it is smooth again and use to decorate cookies or cookie cakes. If wanting to color your buttercream, I highly recommend using gel food coloring for vibrant colors. Liquid food colors are not as pigmented and can water down the buttercream.

Keyword American buttercream, butter, buttercream, Cookie cake