Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
Today I’m sharing how to make the best Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting. Having a good vanilla frosting recipe is key for baking. And this Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting is one you can use for all kinds of desserts. From cupcakes, to cakes, to cookies, and brownies, this frosting recipe is a classic that goes with almost everything!
If you're looking for more frosting recipes, check out some of my other favorites like Honey Buttercream Frosting, Easy Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting, Strawberry Buttercream with Fresh or Freeze Dried Strawberries, Caramel Buttercream Frosting, Simple Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting or Homemade Whipped Cream Frosting.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- Ready In: 10 minutes
- Makes: 12 servings
- Main Ingredients: butter, ground vanilla bean, powdered sugar
- Flavor Profile:
- Dietary Info: eggless, gluten free, no seed oils, vegan swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: bakery style (elevated) vanilla frosting
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- True Vanilla Bean Flavor: I use ground vanilla bean in this Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting recipe. This really provides a true vanilla flavor. It also gives the frosting small specs of vanilla bean, which I love the rustic look!
- Easy: This vanilla frosting is incredibly easy to make. This is an easy American buttercream frosting recipe that you can use for almost anything! I love using American buttercream frosting because it just requires a few ingredients and it only takes a few minutes to whip up to fluffy perfection.
- Use for Anything: This vanilla frosting recipe can be used for cakes, cupcakes, loaf cakes, cookies, brownies, sandwich cookies and more. This classic Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting is good with literally anything!
Ingredients
- Butter: I use organic salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you prefer. If using unsalted butter, you should taste it and you can add a pinch of salt if you want. Check out Best Salted Butter for Baking for my top picks for butter for frosting!
- Powdered Sugar: I use organic powdered sugar, be sure this is sifted well. You always want to sift powdered sugar for any kind of frosting to ensure it's free of clumps as those will transfer to the frosting if its not sifted.
- Vanilla Bean: I use organic ground vanilla bean, which is what gives this vanilla frosting small black specs in it. This is also a more true vanilla flavor with a little more depth of flavor than just vanilla extract. But, you can also use vanilla extract in its place if that's all you have. And, you can also use vanilla bean paste. I just don't really like vanilla bean paste as it's just like ground vanilla bean but with added sugars and stabilizers, which I don't think are needed.
- Milk: I use organic whole milk in this American buttercream frosting. This helps loosen the frosting a bit, depending on what application you are using it for. So you can add a little more or less milk, depending if you are making cake, cupcakes, or need to pipe this out with smaller decorating tips, etc.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Baker's Tips for Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
Soft Butter
It's best to have soft butter when making buttercream frosting. I like to leave butter out on the counter for a few hours or even overnight (depending on the weather) and let it soften naturally at room temperature. This is the best way, in my opinion, as you get the most even softening.
But, you can also soften in the microwave if need be. For softening butter in the microwave, only do 10 seconds per 1/2 cup at one time. You may need to do intervals of 10 seconds if it is not soft after the first one, but the key is not let it go for more than 10 seconds at one time. If you have to do multiple intervals of 10 seconds, that is best! Your butter should be sticking to your wrapper, if it doesn't stick when you open it, then it's not soft enough!
Depending on the flavor profile you want for this frosting, using a sweet cream butter or European style butter may be better. Choose sweet cream if you want a more balanced and vanilla forward flavor, or choose a European style like Nancy's Organic if you want a really nice tang. Check out the Best Salted Butter for Baking for even more info where I compare four different butters in this frosting recipe!
Weigh Powdered Sugar
My next tip is weigh your powdered sugar. I believe in weighing all of your ingredients at all times, so here is no exception. When you weigh your powdered sugar, you get an exact amount which is what we want! Buy a digital food scale if you don't have one, the brand is not important, but that you have one is! I have multiple scales I recommend on my Baking Tools section of my Amazon Shop page.
Sift Powdered Sugar
It is so important to sift powdered sugar. Powdered sugar can clump easily even if it just sits in the pantry for a short period of time. So, sifting powdered sugar is what makes a smooth and creamy frosting. If you don't sift powdered sugar, you will most likely have clumps in your frosting, which makes for an undesirable texture when eating.
Scrape Down the Bowl
Whenever making buttercream, you want to make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl multiple times. When you whip frosting, the frosting that is stuck to the sides of your mixing bowl and also to your paddle will be more stiff than the light and fluffy parts that are being whipped. So, this is why it is important to scrape down the bowl and paddle so that all of the frosting has the opportunity to whip and fluff up.
Add Liquid As Needed
I always put a little bit of liquid into my buttercream frostings, as it helps get the consistency I want depending on what I'm using it for. This is why you may see a range measurement like 2 to 3 teaspoons milk.
The amount of liquid needed can depends on how soft your butter is. If you didn't get it soft enough, you may need to add more liquid in. This is not necessarily a bad thing, unless you leave that cake out and the frosting gets too warm. But, if you keep it in the fridge, then that is no big deal. But, I always say to mix and scrape down your bowl first before adding liquid. You can't take out liquid if your buttercream frosting gets too soft, but if it's too stiff, you can always add it in!
Vegan Swap
If you want to make this vegan, you can easily do that. Use vegan butter and vegan milk. I recommend using Miyoko's for butter (though, vegetable shortening also works too). And, I like coconut milk for best flavor, but almond or oat also works too.
How to Make Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean.
- Mix on low until combined. Speed up mixer to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the mixer and paddle, and mix again for 1 to 2 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add milk as needed to create the stiffness of frosting that you want.
- Use for cakes, cupcakes, sandwich cookies or enjoy with a spoon!
How much frosting does this recipe make?
This easy American buttercream frosting recipe for Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting is enough for one 6-inch layer cake, 1 dozen cupcakes, one 9 x 9-inch sheet cake or 2 dozen sandwich cookies. If you’re making a 8-inch or 9-inch cake you can double this recipe and it will work for that!
Try using it in recipes just by replacing the frosting in that recipe with this. Here's some ideas for you!
- Use it in Cookie Dough Layer Cake to create a plain chocolate chip layer cake because if you replace the cookie dough frosting with vanilla, with the chocolate chip cake layers, you get a delicious chocolate chip layer cake.
- Add it on top of Festive Gingerbread Snack Cake Without Frosting for a delicious frosting option.
- Turn chocolate cupcakes like Chocolate Cupcakes Without a Mixer into chocolate vanilla with this frosting.
- Make this Simple Naked Birthday Cake into a vanilla forward cake.
- Add it onto Avocado Oil Chocolate Cake in place of the chocolate.
- If you don't like cream cheese frosting, use it in place on these Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Make sandwich cookies out of soft and chewy cookie favorites like Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies with Homemade Caramel, Espresso Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies, Small Batch Maple Brown Sugar Cookies, Eggless Sprinkle Cookies, or Chewy Chocolate Espresso Cookies.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can, but it won't have the same flavor. It will still be delicious, but vanilla extract has a different vanilla flavor than vanilla bean. If you are using vanilla extract, double the amount.
Yes! Just use vegan butter and vegan milk. I recommend using Miyoko's for butter (though, vegetable shortening also works too). And, I like coconut milk for best flavor, but almond or oat also works.
Store extra frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
More Homemade Frosting Recipes
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Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 226 grams salted butter (softened)
- 454 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean. Mix on low until combined.
- Speed up mixer to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the mixer and paddle, and mix again for 1 to 2 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add milk as needed to create the stiffness of frosting that you want.
- Use for cakes, cupcakes, sandwich cookies or enjoy with a spoon!
Video
Notes
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Make sure butter is soft before beginning. It's best to let it soften at room temperature. But, if you need to microwave it, only do 10 second intervals at a time to prevent melting.
- Sift powdered sugar to avoid clumps and ensure you have a smooth frosting.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl part way through mixing. This ensures everything is combined and the frosting is all uniform.
- Whip until light and fluffy.
- Add liquid only as needed, you can't take it out, but you can add it in as needed. So, I always say start off small and add more as needed to get the desired consistency.
- Vegan — Use vegan butter and vegan milk. I recommend using Miyoko's for butter (though, vegetable shortening also works too). And, I like coconut milk for best flavor, but almond or oat also works.
- High Altitude — Follow the recipe as noted.
Nutrition
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This classic buttercream is perfect for literally anything! Cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, you can use it for any dessert!