Classic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe
This Classic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe is silky smooth, not too sweet, and loved by just about everyone who tastes it (picky or not). It’s just the right amount of buttery soft, delicious vanilla flavor to elevate any cake profile. The real trick is adding pasteurized egg whites to add the dive texture and allow you to use less sugar in the recipe. This trick has been around for decades, and if you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s probably because you’ve been googling recipes that are “easy” and remove ingredients for the sake of simplifying. Trust me on this one: this recipe is easy, and it will change the way you think of buttercream forever. Pair with my Vanilla Cake Recipe for the ultimate elegant cake.
Classic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe with Vanilla Cake Recipe
Some tips: Make sure your egg whites are from pasteurized eggs. This means they will be safe to eat without cooking (like merengue). Consuming raw, unpasteurized eggs is not safe.
Make sure you are using high quality vanilla extract. This is where the flavor comes from, so your best bet for the right flavor is the not skimp here.
Check your Powdered Sugar ingredients for “Cane Sugar,” or “Pure Cane Sugar.” If you live in the US, the majority of Sugar unless otherwise listed as “Cane,” is actually from beats! The FDA allows this because the way the human body processes beat sugar vs. cane sugar is exactly the same. Why it matters in buttercream is the texture. Sugar from beats will not incorporate into the butter fat as smoothly, leading to a slightly grainy texture. Go for the cane sugar!
Equipment:
Stand Mixer fitted with Whisk attachment
Rubber Spatula
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Ingredients:
16 ounces Powdered Cane Sugar - check to make sure it says “Cane Sugar” on the ingredients
4 ounces Pasteurized Egg Whites (roughly 3-4 Large Eggs)
2 teaspoons High Quality Vanilla Extract
16 ounces (or 2 cups) European Style Unsalted Butter Sticks cut into chunks (softened to room temperature but not melted) - I use Darigold, Challenge, or Kerrygold brands
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
(optional) 1 small drop purple food coloring to offset the yellow color
Directions:
Step 1: Add egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low until combine, then whip on high for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
Step 2: Add in your softened butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment to combine. It will look curdled at first. This is normal. It will also look pretty yellow. Keep whipping.
Step 3: Whip on high for 10 minutes or until it's very white, light and shiny. Not whipping enough could end up leading to a buttery taste.
Step 4: Mix on low for 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream very smooth and remove air bubbles. This isn't required but if you want really creamy frosting, you don't want to skip it.
Optional: Separate small portions of Buttercream to be used with food dyes. If you want whiter frosting, add in a tiny drop of purple to counteract the yellow in the butter (too much will make the frosting grey or light purple.)
