Vanilla frosting is one of the most versatile frostings there is. It can be paired with vanilla cupcakes or chocolate cupcakes, strawberry or lemon, or perhaps even red velvet or any other cakes. You can also use a vanilla frosting as a base to add your favorite sugar cookie or fruit. So, how do you make vanilla frosting for cupcakes?
When it comes to vanilla frosting, there are two different recipes that most people tend to use: American Buttercream and Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The main difference between a Swiss Meringue Buttercream and an American buttercream is that American buttercream is usually made with powdered sugar and butter. While Swiss Meringue Buttercream, on the other hand, is made with whipped egg whites, granulated sugar, and butter.
There are many various vanilla frosting recipes. Some use vanilla extract, while others use vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste. Vanilla beans have great flavor but can be a bit expensive and difficult to find. Either way, make sure to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation. Overall, making vanilla frosting for cupcakes is just a piece of cake.
How Do You Make Vanilla Frosting For Cupcakes
Now that we understand what frosting is, it’s time to make our own. Here are some simple steps on how do you make vanilla frosting for cupcakes:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt adjust to taste
Instructions:
- Start with one cup (approximately 230 grams) of unsalted butter softened to room temperature. It’s recommended to use unsalted butter because the amount of salt in salted butter can vary differently between brands. By using unsalted butter, you can control the amount of salt in your recipe.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter for about 1 minute until it’s nice and smooth.
- Next, mix in your powdered sugar, confectioners’ sugar, or icing sugar. Use about 3 cups of powdered sugar for a batch of this frosting. Some recipes may need a bit more powdered sugar. You can adjust according to your taste preference. Sift the powdered sugar beforehand for better results.
- When you start to mix the powdered sugar with the butter, mix it on low speed to avoid throwing it all over the place. Once it starts to come together, add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
- Using heavy cream or heavy whipping cream can work miracles in this recipe. You can opt to use milk, but keep in mind that the frosting won’t be as creamy or hold its shape quite as well compared to heavy cream. Mix the frosting for another minute or two until all ingredients are well combined.
That’s about it! Now, you know how do you make vanilla frosting for cupcakes. If you feel a bit more creative, you can opt to add other ingredients for flavor variations. You can add other extracts like mint, lemon, almond, and the like to fit the taste you’re aiming for. Also, you can add a little food coloring for presentation.
Other Things To Consider
After you learn how do you make vanilla frosting for cupcakes, here is additional information to keep in mind:
- How long can you store a vanilla frosting? If you need to make a lot of cupcakes for a special event, you can make your vanilla frosting in advance and store it for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Initially, it will be firm when frozen or cold, so you’ll need to soften it up a bit before piping on your cupcakes.
- Can you leave vanilla frosting at room temperature? The short answer is yes. Although there is heavy cream in this recipe, however, it is stabilized by the generous amount of sugar. You can frost your cupcakes with this frosting, and it will be good for 2-3 days at room temperature. If you want to keep it a bit longer, you can also store it in the fridge for another 1-2 weeks. Learn more about making frostings here!
Conclusion
Just like any other frosting, it’s essential to pay close attention to consistency. If you’re planning on piping the frosting into cupcakes, your frosting needs to be a bit stiff to be able to hold its shape. When you mix, take a spatula and pull it through the frosting to form some peaks. If the peaks hold without falling over, the frosting is probably thick enough for piping. You can fix thin frostings by mixing in more powdered sugar a bit at a time.
Frosting is a fun and flavorful way to add to your cupcakes. One of the most popular is vanilla since it’s a staple flavor that you can pair with almost any other ingredient. Knowing how do you make vanilla frosting for cupcakes allows you to explore the many possibilities of this decadent flavor like the healthy chocolate icing recipe by Rejoice Nutrition and Wellness.